MN PlantWatch

Volunteers conserving Minnesota's rare plants 

through community science!

A partnership program brought to you by:

Mission of the Program

To harness the power of conservation-minded volunteers across Minnesota to conduct citizen science and increase knowledge of our state's rare native plants.

Data we collect will further our understanding of the health of our rare species populations and guide decisions on protection and conservation management.

 Goals of MN PlantWatch

Two people walking through a cedar swamp.

Build a Team of Volunteers

Recruit and train volunteer community scientists to survey for rare plants across Minnesota.

Pin flags mark plant locations in a wooded understory.

Survey Rare Plant Populations

Search for and survey rare plant populations, focusing on records that are more than 20 years old. 

Flow chart depicting collected seed going to a seed bank which supports research and is used to bolster wild populations.

Collect Seed

Collect seed from multiple populations for each rare plant species. Enables long-term genetic diversity preservation and propagation research at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's seed bank.

Screenshot of a mapping tool that depicts rare features in Minnesota.

Update State NHIS Records

Update National Heritage Information System records of rare plant populations to help conservation agencies make well informed decisions.


 Check out our Volunteering page to learn more about what it means to be a MN PlantWatch Volunteer!

Questions?

We can be contacted by clicking Here!