Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc

RAMP: UNDERSTANDING PLANT SPECIES RARITY: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES FROM GENES TO ECOSYSTEMS -THE CURRENT PLANT RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION WORKFORCE IS NOT ADEQUATE TO MEET THE MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES OF THE COMING DECADES THAT INCLUDE BIODIVERSITY LOSS, CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD INSECURITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION. THE UNITED STATES IS FACING SEVERE SHORTAGES OF BOTANICALLY TRAINED SCIENTISTS, NOW AND IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AS WELL AS A DECLINE IN DEGREE PROGRAMS AND COURSE OFFERINGS IN BOTANY AND PLANT SCIENCE IN UNIVERSITIES WHICH ALSO THREATENS THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR NATION?S RESOURCES. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR MAJOR ADVANCES IN BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN THE SCIENCES FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED GROUPS, INCLUDING ENGAGEMENT IN PLANT RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION. IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS MAJOR TRAINING GAP, THE RARE PLANT RAMP NETWORK, A COLLABORATIVE TEAM, WILL BE ASSEMBLED FROM FOUR BOTANICAL GARDENS: THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN, CALIFORNIA BOTANIC GARDEN, THE MORTON ARBORETUM, AND THE SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN. THESE ORGANIZATIONS WILL TRAIN POSTBACCALAUREATE MENTEES IN CONSERVATION, GENETICS, ECOLOGY, ECONOMIC BOTANY, AND BIOGEOGRAPHY OF RARE PLANTS. THE RARE PLANT RAMP NETWORK WILL CONSIST OF RESEARCHERS, SCIENTISTS, AND CONSERVATION PROFESSIONALS AT EACH INSTITUTION WHO WILL SERVE AS MENTORS AND CO-MENTORS AND ENGAGE THREE COHORTS OF EIGHT MENTEES EACH WITH EACH PARTICIPATING INSTITUTION SERVING TWO MENTEES PER YEAR. RECRUITMENT PRACTICES WILL INCLUDE PARTICIPANTS FROM GROUPS UNDERREPRESENTED IN STEM; THESE BACCALAUREATES WILL THEN ENGAGE IN BROADER IMPACTS ACTIVITIES THAT WILL SUPPORT THEM DURING THE PROGRAM. THE FIVE OBJECTIVES OF THE RARE PLANT RAMP NETWORK ARE TO 1) PROVIDE CAREER GUIDANCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO POST-BACCALAUREATE MENTEES; 2) BROADEN PARTICIPATION IN BOTANICAL SCIENCES AND CONSERVATION; 3) EMPOWER MENTEES TO PERFORM INDEPENDENT AND COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH THAT WILL STRENGTHEN THEIR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE SCIENCE TO OTHER RESEARCHERS, POLICYMAKERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC; 4) FORM A COHORT OF PEERS WHOSE LASTING BONDS/RELATIONSHIPS WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATIVE WORK IN THE YEARS TO COME; AND 5) IMPROVE THE MENTORING SKILLS AND CAPACITIES OF RESEARCHERS IN BOTANICAL SCIENCE ORGANIZATIONS. TO IMPROVE MENTEE EXPERIENCES, MENTORS AND CO-MENTORS WILL BE TRAINED IN INCLUSIVE MENTORING PRACTICES. MENTEES AND CO-MENTORS WILL TAKE PART IN BI-WEEKLY MEETINGS FOCUSING ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TOPICS, AN ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM AT ONE OF THE PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS, AND ONE NATIONAL CONFERENCE PER YEAR. THE NETWORK WILL BE COLLABORATIVE, EXCHANGE IDEAS, AND FOSTER LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PARTICIPANTS AND COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN WILL ADVANCE THE MUSEUM FIELD’S ABILITY TO IDENTIFY NEW SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS HIGH PRIORITY AND WIDESPREAD COLLECTIONS CARE OR CONSERVATION ISSUES IN THE BOTANIC GARDEN COMMUNITY BY EXPANDING A COLLECTIONS CONSORTIA APPROACH. THE CURRENT CONSORTIA MODEL LIMITS ACCESSIBILITY FOR SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS TO EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT CONSERVATION PROCESSES. THIS PROJECT WILL BUILD OFF OF PREVIOUS IMLS-FUNDED PROJECTS TO INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF TOOLS, FRAMEWORKS AND GUIDANCE DEVELOPED WITHIN A GARDEN CONSORTIA MODEL TO IMPROVE COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT WITHIN SMALL GARDENS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE COORDINATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONSORTIUM, CONDUCTING GENETIC ANALYSIS TO INFORM A GAP ANALYSIS, DEVELOPING AN APP FOR METACOLLECTION MANAGEMENT, AND PROVIDING ONGOING TRAINING AND OUTREACH TO EXISTING AND NEW CONSORTIUM MEMBERS. THE GARDEN WILL HIRE A COMMUNICATION CONTENT COORDINATOR TO ASSIST WITH DEVELOPING, IMPLEMENTING AND EVALUATING TRAINING MATERIALS AND WORKSHOP AGENDAS WITH THE CONSORTIA COORDINATORS. AS A RESULT, GARDENS OF ANY SIZE WILL HAVE SUPPORT, TRAINING, AND ACCESS TO TOOLS THAT WILL HELP THEM BETTER MANAGE LIVING PLANT COLLECTIONS.

CSBR: LIVING STOCKS: DATABASE UPGRADE, DIGITIZATION, AND INCREASING ACCESSIBILITY OF THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN PLANT COLLECTIONS -THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN (ABG) HAS SERVED AS A LEADER IN PLANT SCIENCE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND CONSERVATION FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES. THESE COLLECTIONS HOUSE 106,028 INDIVIDUAL PLANTS FROM 25,335 GENETICALLY UNIQUE ACCESSIONS REPRESENTING 12,096 TAXA (SPECIES, SUBSPECIES, AND VARIETIES) FROM 276 PLANT FAMILIES AND OVER 1,800 GENERA. MOST NOTABLY, ABG MAINTAINS THE MOST DIVERSE LIVING COLLECTION OF ORCHIDS IN THE UNITED STATES WITH 2,328 TAXA. DATA RELATED TO THESE DIVERSE PLANT COLLECTIONS ARE CURRENTLY STORED IN AN IN-HOUSE DATABASE AND ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE BY THE PUBLIC OR RESEARCHERS. THE FOCUS OF THIS PROJECT IS TO UPGRADE DATA STORAGE TO A MODERN COMMERCIAL DATABASE WITH A PUBLIC INTERFACE ALLOWING VISITORS, RESEARCHERS, CONSERVATIONISTS, AND EDUCATORS TO SEARCH ABG PLANT COLLECTIONS REMOTELY OR WHILE AT THE GARDEN. THIS PROJECT WILL MAKE PLANT COLLECTIONS AT THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND CONSERVATION. BOTANIC GARDENS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN BASIC PLANT RESEARCH BY PROVIDING FRESHLY COLLECTED PLANT MATERIAL TO RESEARCHERS FROM EXTENSIVE LIVING PLANT COLLECTIONS FOR VERY LOW COST. IN ADDITION, A HIGHLY SKILLED STAFF OF HORTICULTURISTS MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE COLLECTIONS FULL-TIME. THE PLANT COLLECTIONS AT THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN HAVE BEEN USED IN NSF FUNDED PROJECTS AND MANY OTHER RESEARCH PROJECTS, INCLUDING GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH, AND FOR CONSERVATION PROJECTS. TO INCREASE VISIBILITY AND USE OF THE COLLECTIONS FOR RESEARCH, THIS PROJECT WILL MIGRATE THE EXISTING PLANT RECORDS DATABASE TO AN UPDATED PLATFORM WHICH WILL BE CONNECTED TO EXTERNAL DATABASES, MAKING COLLECTION DATA PUBLICLY SEARCHABLE. PRIORITY PLANT COLLECTIONS WILL BE DIGITIZED AND PERMANENTLY PLANTED PRIORITY COLLECTIONS WILL BE MAPPED. RESEARCH REQUESTS WILL BE STREAMLINED VIA CREATION OF A GOOGLE FORM. THIS WILL ENABLE COLLECTION INFORMATION TO BE SHARED WITH THE GREATER RESEARCH COMMUNITY VIA OUTREACH TO PROFESSIONAL BOTANICAL SOCIETIES AND ON THE GARDEN?S SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES. WE EXPECT UTILIZATION OF THE COLLECTION TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE, ALLOWING CREATIVE AND IMPACTFUL RESEARCH TO BE UNDERTAKEN WITH PLANTS IN THE COLLECTIONS. DURING PUBLIC EVENTS SHOWCASING THE COLLECTIONS THE PUBLIC DATABASE INTERFACE WILL BE PROMOTED TO ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO EXPLORE COLLECTIONS DIGITALLY BOTH BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THEIR VISIT TO THE GARDEN. FINALLY, UNDERGRADUATE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE DIGITIZATION PROJECT, LEARNING PLANT MORPHOLOGY AND GIS MAPPING, WHICH ARE USEFUL AND TRANSFERABLE SKILLS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

THIS ACTION APPROVES AN AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $501,464 TO ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN. THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO ENHANCE LAND PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION IN PRIORITY LANDSCAPES OF THE GULF OF MEXICO. THIS PROJECT WILL TEST VARIOUS NOVEL VEGETATION REMOVAL AND RESTORATION METHODS IN COASTAL WETLANDS TO DETERMINE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON HYDROLOGIC AND NUTRIENT PARAMETERS IN SOIL, GROUNDWATER, AND STREAM WATER. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE THE RESTORATION OF 12.6 ACRES OF WETLANDS ALONG WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO WATER QUALITY, HABITAT, AND WATER QUANTITY. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES WILL BE THE COMMUNITIES NEAR DEER LAKE STATE PARK IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM ENHANCED LAND PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION. THE RECIPIENT PLANS TO SUB-AWARD FUNDS TO PERFORM WATER QUALITY TESTING.

THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN WILL WORK WITH THE FWS AND OTHER SE PCA PARTNERS TO INCREASE CAPACITY FOR RARE PLANT RECOVERY. THIS INCLUDES THE CONTINUATION OF 4 PILOT PROJECTS AND THE INITIATION OF 6 NEW PROJECTS FOR SPECIES PRIORITIZED THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH REGIONAL LEADS IN 2021. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ADDRESS RECOVERY ACTIONS AND TO ENHANCE THE SE PCA NETWORK WHILE LEVERAGING FINANCES AND RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. FUNDING IS REQUESTED TO SUPPORT NEXT-STEP RECOVERY ACTIONS FOR VARRONIA RUPICOLA, PLATANTHERA INTEGRILABIA, RIBES ECHINELLUM, AND SCHWALBEA AMERICANA. PILOT PROJECT SUPPORT IS REQUESTED FOR OXYPOLIS CANBYI, LINUM ARENICOLA, HELIANTHUS SCHWEINITZII, EUPHORBIA TELEPHIOIDES, AND POLYGONELLA BASIRAMIA.

FIGHTING EXTINCTION OF TORREYA TAXIFOLIA THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS

THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN (ABG) WILL IMPROVE STEWARDSHIP OF ITS COLLECTIONS BY CREATING A SEED AND POLLEN BANK TO PROVIDE A PHYSICAL BACKUP OF THE GENETIC DIVERSITY HELD IN THE CONSERVATION COLLECTIONS, THAT WILL DECREASE VULNERABILITY TO LOSS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROVIDE SAFEGUARDS IN THE EVENT OF EXTINCTION IN THE WILD. THE PROJECT TEAM FROM THE SOUTHEASTERN CENTER FOR CONSERVATION AT ABG WILL STORE POLLEN AND SEED FROM FIVE PLANTS FROM EACH OF THE 300 CONSERVATION POPULATION COLLECTIONS (FOR A TOTAL OF 1,350 POLLEN AND 1,200 SEED SAMPLES). IN ADDITION, THEY WILL TRANSFER COLLECTION DATA TO AN ONLINE SEARCHABLE PLATFORM ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. UNDERGRADUATE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN PLANT CONSERVATION RESEARCH FOCUSED ON IMPERILED SPECIES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES AND WILL ASSIST THE LABORATORY MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN IN ASPECTS RELATED TO COLLECTIONS CURATION, CONSERVATION HORTICULTURE, SEED BANKING, AND MICROPROPAGATION.

THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN, THROUGH ITS SOUTHEASTERN CENTER FOR CONSERVATION, WILL USE FUNDS TO CREATE A REGION-SPECIFIC TRAINING PROGRAM TO EMPOWER CONSERVATION PROFESSIONALS IN THE CLIMATE-VULNERABLE REGIONS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN CONTINENTAL U.S., PUERTO RICO, AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS. THIS PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON ESSENTIAL SKILLS IN CONSERVATION HORTICULTURE, SEED BANKING, IN VITRO PROPAGATION, AND FIELDWORK BEST PRACTICES. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THE GARDEN WILL ENHANCE THE SKILLS OF THE CONSERVATION WORKFORCE, ENABLING PROFESSIONALS TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE PLANT COLLECTIONS AND BIODIVERSITY. A HYBRID APPROACH COMBINING VIRTUAL LEARNING AND IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS WILL BUILD LONG-TERM, SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION EXPERTISE, FOSTERING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S., PUERTO RICO, AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.

THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN WILL LAUNCH “PROPAGATING OUR FUTURE,” AN INNOVATIVE CONSERVATION OUTREACH INITIATIVE. THE PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH A CONSERVATION ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR TO DESIGN INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS, DIGITAL MEDIA, PUBLIC TOURS, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AIMING TO FOSTER PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOUTHEAST'S RARE AND IMPERILED PLANTS. THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES AND COMPELLING STORYTELLING, VISITORS OF ALL AGES WILL BE INSPIRED TO CONNECT WITH LOCAL BIODIVERSITY AND SUPPORT CONSERVATION EFFORTS. EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS, PARTICULARLY FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, WILL INTEGRATE CONSERVATION SCIENCE INTO CURRICULA, NURTURING FUTURE STEWARDS OF THE REGION’S UNIQUE FLORA. PERFORMANCE METRICS AND AUDIENCE FEEDBACK WILL ENSURE SUSTAINED IMPACT, ALIGNING WITH INSTITUTIONAL GOALS IN CONSERVATION, SCIENCE LITERACY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SOUTHEASTERN PARTNERS IN PLANT CONSERVATION ALLIANCE

DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED LIST FOR PLANTS TO INFORM CONSERVATION STRATEGIES ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

EDI SPECIAL PROJECTS

THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES YEAR 1 ACTIVITIES OF WHAT IS ENVISIONED AS A 3-YEAR PROCESS THAT TOGETHER ADDRESSES THE GOAL TO PRIORITIZE CONSERVATION OF AT-RISK AND LISTED SPECIES INNOVATIONS IN WORKLOAD WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT AND, ENSURING THAT OUR CONSERVATION WORK IS CONDUCTED IN A WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT. THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN PROPOSES TO COLLABORATE WITH NATURESERVE AND OTHER PARTNERS THROUGH THE SOUTHEASTERN PLANT CONSERVATION ALLIANCE (SE PCA) TO DISTRIBUTE THE REGIONAL SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED (RSGCN) PLANT LIST AND CONDUCT PRIORITY ASSESSMENTS AND RANKING UPDATES THAT WILL INFORM ESA LISTING AND RECOVERY. THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED BY EXPANDING THE ESTABLISHED SE PCA NETWORK AND UTILIZING THE RSGCN AND FEDERAL LISTING WORKPLAN TO SELECT TAXA FOR REVIEW AND COLLABORATIVE PLANNING. INCLUSION OF PARTNERS IN PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, AS WELL AS TRIBAL NATIONS, WILL SUPPORT MORE COHESIVE COLLABORATION ACROSS THE REGION, INFORM CREATION OF DETAILED CONSERVATION ASSESSMENTS, AND DRIVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STRATEGIC APPROACH FOR FUTURE WORK BASED ON A MODEL OF SUCCESS.

THIS PROPOSAL IS BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE U.S. FISH WILDLIFE SERVICE RECOVERY PLANS FOR THE DELISTING OF TWO THREATENED PLANT SPECIES AND DIRECTLY ADDRESSES 8 HIGH PRIORITY RECOVERY ACTIONS, INCLUDING 5 PRIORITY 1 ACTIONS. THE TWO FOCAL PLANT SPECIES ARE UNIQUE TO THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS, WITH RANGES PRIMARILY OR ENTIRELY CONFINED WITHIN NORTH CAROLINA: ROAN MOUNTAIN BLUET AND WHITE IRISETTE. PROPOSED RECOVERY ACTIONS THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO DELISTING THESE SPECIES INCLUDE CENSUSING WILD SUBPOPULATION SIZES, CONDUCTING ON-SITE THREAT ASSESSMENTS, DETERMINING HORTICULTURAL REQUIREMENTS TO PRODUCE PLANT MATERIAL FOR CONSERVATION COLLECTIONS, AND DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING HABITAT PROTECTION ALTERNATIVES I.E., SEED BANKING. THIS WORK WILL BE LED BY THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN (ABG), IN COLLABORATION WITH THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE ASHEVILLE ECOLOGICAL SERVICES FIELD OFFICE (USFWS AESFO), WHO WILL FACILITATE PERMIT APPLICATIONS, COORDINATE FIELDWORK WITH PARTNERS AND BENEFICIARIES AND ENSURE THAT ACTIVITIES MEET RECOVERY ACTION OBJECTIVES. BENEFICIARIES THAT WILL ALSO ASSIST WITH THIS WORK INCLUDE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE, NORTH CAROLINA PARKS RECREATION DIVISION, NORTH CAROLINA PLANT CONSERVATION PROGRAM, NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION AND NORTH CAROLINA NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM. DELIVERABLES INCLUDE REPORTS ON SPECIES SUBPOPULATION CENSUSES, RISK ASSESSMENTS IDENTIFYING URGENT MANAGEMENT NEEDS FOR SPECIFIC SUBPOPULATIONS, PROTOCOLS FOR PROPAGATING PLANTS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE WILD PLANT FECUNDITY. SPECIES WILL BE ADDED TO SAFEGUARDING COLLECTIONS IN THE ABG CONSERVATION SEED BANK AND SAFEGUARDING NURSERY. OBJECTIVES IN THIS PROPOSAL WERE COLLABORATIVELY CONCEIVED AND CONSIDERED BY ABG AND USFWS AESFO, WHO WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH BENEFICIARIES TOWARD THE DELISTING OF THESE TWO UNIQUE AND THREATENED PLANT SPECIES OF THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS.

THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN ABG PROPOSES A SUITE OF ON THE GROUND, FIELD BASED CONSERVATION ACTIONS TO ADVANCETHE SECURITY OF MICCOSUKEE GOOSEBERRY ON PRIVATE LANDS IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND PUBLIC LANDS IN SOUTHCAROLINA THESE CONSERVATION ACTIONS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED AS THEY DIRECTLY ALIGN WITH SECTION IV RECOMMENDATIONSFOR FUTURE ACTIONS IN THE USFWS 5 YEAR REVIEW OF THIS SPECIES PRIVATE LANDOWNER PERMISSION IN FLORIDA,PERMITTING THROUGH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES FDACS , AS WELL AS FEDERALPERMITTING IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS REQUIRED AND WILL BE OBTAINED PRIOR TO ANY PLANT MATERIAL COLLECTION THE STRATEGY AND PROPOSED RESTORATION PRACTICES WILL INCLUDESURVEYS, DEMOGRAPHIC MONITORING, FENCING, HABITAT ANALYSIS, ESTABLISHING EX SITU SAFEGUARDING COLLECTIONS ANDPROTOCOLS, AS WELL AS OUTPLANTING

RARE PLANT SAFEGUARDING DATABASE

HABITAT RESTORATION

FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT,16 U.S.C. 742 ET SEQ

POPULATION AND SYSTEMATIC STUDIES OF RHODODENDRON MINUS VAR. CHAPMANII (ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN)

THE COASTAL PROGRAM IS A VOLUNTARY, COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS TO COASTAL COMMUNITIES, CONSERVATION PARTNERS, AND LANDOWNERS TO RESTORE AND PROTECT FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS. COASTAL PROGRAM STAFF COORDINATES WITH PROJECT PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND OTHER SERVICE PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS AREAS AND DEVELOP HABITAT CONSERVATION PRIORITIES WITHIN THESE FOCUS AREAS.

DEMOGRAPHY AND RESPONSE OF RHODODENDRON MINUS VAR. CHAPMANII TO DISTURBANCE FROM HURRICANE MICHAEL (ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN)

ABG FY20 - MONITORING, PROPAGATING, AND AUGMENTING IMPERILED SPECIES: CHAPMAN'S RHODODENDRON, TELEPHUS SPURGE, BLACK-BRACTED PIPEWORT IN THE ST. JOSEPH BAY STATE BUFFER PRESERVE AND SURROUNDING PUBLIC LANDS

STUDIES TO ASSESS RESILIENCY AND STATUS OF ENDANGERED APALACHICOLA ROSEMARY

SURVEYS FOR PRIORITY PLANTS AND POLLINATORS TO MAXIMIZE RESTORATION IN THE COASTAL DUNE LAKE WATERSHED, FLORIDA

FUNDS REQUESTED FOR THIS IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY WILL LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND OR IN KIND SERVICES FROM APPROPRIATE PARTNERS TO ASSIST WITH RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION ACTIONS FOR AT RISK PLANT SPECIES ON PRIVATE LANDS IDENTIFIED PROJECTS UNDER THIS STRATEGY WILL FOCUS ON HABITAT ENHANCEMENT, GENETIC STUDIES, RESTORATION, AND POPULATION MONITORING FOR PRIORITY AT RISK PLANT SPECIES PRELIMINARY EFFORTS WILL CONCENTRATE ON THE TWO FOCAL SPECIES, APALACHICOLA WILD INDIGO AND EARED CONEFLOWER

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EXAMINE THE INTER AND OR INTRA POPULATION GENETIC VARIATION FOR T PERSISTENS IN ORDER TO AID STATE FEDERAL AGENCIES AND PRIVATE LANDOWNERS IN SETTING GOALS FOR SAFEGUARDING AND MANAGEMENT EFFORTS OVERALL, THIS PROJECT WILL ENABLE STAKEHOLDERS TO BETTER ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES THAT MAY AFFECT T PERSISTENS RESILIENCE, REPRESENTATION AND REDUNDANCY IN THE LANDSCAPE

TO ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE AGREEMENT AND EXTEND THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

F18AC00226

GEORGIA PLANT CONSERVATION ALLIANCE SAFEGUARDING DATABASE & NORTH GEORGIA MOUNTAIN BOG COORDINATION FOR FIELD SUPPORT AND HABITAT RESTORATION

WHILE THE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ORCHID AND MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI ARE WELL KNOWN, UNDERSTANDING THE EXTENT AT WHICH SOIL FUNGAL ABUNDANCE INFLUENCES ISOTRIA MEDEOLOIDES HEALTH AND RECRUITMENT IS VALUABLE TO INFORMING FOREST HABITAT MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS DEVELOPING WAYS TO CULTIVATE THIS SPECIES EX SITU ABG PROPOSES TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOREST DENSITY, SOIL RUSSULACEAE FUNGAL ABUNDANCE, AND ISOTRIA MEDEOLOIDES HEALTH AND ABUNDANCE

PREVENTING EXTINCTION OF ENDANGERED TORREYA TAXIFOLIA THROUGH MANAGEMENT OF WILD POPULATIONS AND ESTABLISHMENT OF EX SITU SAFEGUARDING COLLECTIONS

A SURVEY OF GENETIC DIVERSITY OF HUDSONIA MONTANA IN 2020 AND 2021, SEED AND STEM CUTTINGS WERE SAMPLED FROM FIVE SUBPOPULATIONS OF THE CRITICALLY IMPERILED (G1) HUDSONIA MONTANA IN LINVILLE GORGE WILDERNESS, ITSELF A SECAS BLUEPRINT AREA OF HIGHEST CONSERVATION PRIORITY. DATA AND SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM SUBPOPULATIONS INCLUDED PHENOLOGY ASSESSMENT OF POPULATIONS, FOLLOWED BY SEED COLLECTION AND NON-LETHAL STEM CUTTINGS. SEED VIABILITY WAS TESTED, GERMINATION AND PROPAGATION PROTOCOLS WERE DEVELOPED, AND PLANTS WERE GROWN OUT IN THE ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDENS CONSERVATION GREENHOUSE. A GENETIC SURVEY OF HUDSONIA MONTANA IS NEEDED TO INFORM MANAGEMENT DECISIONS WITH RESPECT TO DISTINCT GENETICS, IF THEY EXIST, AMONG POPULATIONS OF HUDSONIA MONTANA. HUDSONIA MONTANA HAS A PUBLISHED CHROMOSOME COUNT OF 2N 20 (LOVE 1985). THE SPECIES PLOIDY IS UNCHARACTERIZED, ALTHOUGH THE THREE REPORTS ON THIS GENUS SHOW NO EVIDENCE OF POLYPLOIDY. WE PROPOSE TO USE MICROSATELLITE MARKERS TO SURVEY GENETIC DIVERSITY METRICS WITHIN AND AMONG EOS. THE STARTING HYPOTHESIS IS THAT THE TABLEROCK AND FLAT LEDGE POPULATIONS OF HUDSONIA MONTANA NUTT. (CISTACEAE MOUNTAIN GOLDENHEATHER) ARE GENETICALLY DISTINCT. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO CONDUCT LEAF DNA SAMPLING ACROSS ITS RANGE AND DETERMINE THE GENETIC DIVERSITY OF HUDSONIA MONTANA TO INFORM NEEDED SAFEGUARDING AND IN SITU REINTRODUCTION AND AUGMENTATION ACTIONS.

ADDRESSING CONSERVATION ACTIONS FOR MACBRIDEA ALBA: STANDARDIZING MONITORING, GARDEN PROPAGATION, AND SEED STORAGE

RESTORATION OF WHITE FRINGELESS ORCHID (PLATANTHERA INTEGRILABIA) HABITAT ON PRIVATE LANDS ACROSS HISTORIC MONTANE LONGLEAF PINE ECOSYSTEMS

PROPAGATION, MAPPING AND RE-INTRODUCING RARE SPECIES TO RESTORED BOGS AND WET PINE SAVANNAHS IN BIG BRANCH MARSH REFUGE