News Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Kentucky Native Plant Society

Biologists, land managers and researchers meet to discuss native Clover conservation in Kentucky

By: Tara Littlefield

Clovers (Trifolium sp.) are well recognized by the public primarily because of their role as a forage crop and lawn weed. In Kentucky, we have 12 species of clover, but only 3 are native to our state, Kentucky Clover (Trifolium kentuckiense), running buffalo clover (Trifolium stoloniferum), and buffalo clover (Trifolium reflexum). All of our native clovers have declined greatly since European settlement and are state or federally listed as threatened or endangered. Historic accounts from pioneers and historic collections of native clovers indicate that our native clovers may have been more common in the woodlands of our state, particularly in the Bluegrass Region. Our native clovers have common names associated with buffalo since their associated habitat historically occurred mostly along buffalo/animal trails through the forest, which the Bluegrass Region is known for, large ungulates grazing on the grasses and forbs in our woodland systems.

In an effort to increase coordination and collaboration focused on priority native clover (Trifolium sp.) conservation projects in Kentucky, close to 30 botanists, ecologists, researchers, students, and land managers met in late February 2021 to discuss all things native clover (Trifolium sp.). Species of focus included the globally rare and newly described Kentucky Clover (Trifolium kentuckiense), the federally endangered running buffalo clover (Trifolium stoloniferum), and the state threatened buffalo clover (Trifolium reflexum).

The Kentucky Plant Conservation Alliance coordinated the meeting and facilitators from the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves, Virginia Tech University, Eastern Kentucky University, Austin Peay University, University of Michigan, and Cincinnati Zoo presented information on the current status (population ranks and trends), current conservation measures (land protection and management efforts), current research (life history, management needs, and genetics), as well as seedbanking and propagation efforts The goal of the group is to work more collaboratively together to prevent the extinction or extirpation of these native clovers. If you missed the meeting, here is the agenda, and recorded version and meeting notes

If you are interested in joining our clover conservation group and helping with some of the existing working groups involving research, monitoring, management, propagation, seedbanking, and fundraising for priority clover projects, please contact Tara Littlefield, tara.littlefield@ky.gov. We will continue to provide updates on existing Trifolium projects through the ladyslipper newsletter and at the Kentucky Botanical Symposium this fall. We will also be organizing various volunteer days this summer to help with monitoring and managing running buffalo clover, so be on the lookout for future volunteer work day announcements.

Kentucky Plant Conservation Alliance

“Collaborative conservation of rare plants and natural communities in Kentucky and the greater region”

What is the Kentucky Plant Conservation Alliance (KYPCA)?

The Kentucky Plant Conservation Alliance (KYPCA) is a public private partnership of state and federal agencies, land managers, academic researchers, botanical gardens, conservation horticulturists, non-profits, conservation groups, private sector/consultants, community scientists, and volunteers committed to protecting native plants and natural communities of conservation concern with a central goal of preventing plant extinctions. The Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves and Kentucky Native Plant Society both recognized the need for a greater focus on rare plants and formed this alliance in 2016 in order to facilitate collaboration amongst existing conservation groups in the state by providing a framework to bring together the botanical community on focused priority plant conservation projects across the commonwealth. Priority projects are coordinated primarily by botanists and conservation staff at the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves (OKNP) and collaborative meetings/field days/work days, outreach and volunteer building has been organized primarily by the Kentucky Native Plant Society (KNPS). The KYPCA is also linked with national, regional, and state alliance initiatives like the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance that help us learn how to most effectively build plant conservation in Kentucky. We seek to prevent plant extinctions and preserve natural heritage for future generations by better leveraging resources of existing partnerships as well as building new partnerships to expand the collective capability of plant conservation in Kentucky.

KYPCA coordinators attended the SE partners in Plant Conservation meeting in Georgia in early 2020 (pre pandemic). Overview article of the meeting can be found here.

Why do we need the KYPCA?

“Plants are the foundation of most life on Earth”

Kentucky is a very diverse state floristically, from the Cumberland Mountains in the East to the swamps of the coastal plain region in the west. The diversity is due to the topography and position on the landscape, the variety of geology and soils, the lack of recent glaciation and the history of natural disturbances such as fire and grazing. However, the landscape of Kentucky has changed dramatically since European settlement. Development and agriculture resulted in the dramatic loss of our old growth forests in the east, the grasslands of the interior plateau and the wetlands of the coastal plain. Over 2000 native plants have been documented in Kentucky. Unfortunately approximately 20% of our plants are rare, threatened or endangered. Kentucky has 11 federally listed species and an additional 40 or so plants are globally rare and declining. But there are still plant diversity hotspots scattered in remnant natural areas across the state. 65% of rare plants and 80% of rare natural communities in Kentucky are associated with grasslands, barrens or woodlands that need some level of disturbance (fire, browsing) or edaphic control (rock outcrops) to persist and all of our rare plants and communities need invasive species management. Only a handful of professional staff are able to devote their time to monitoring and managing these rare plants due to limited resources. In order to more effectively conserve these rare species and communities, we need to work collaboratively with partners and volunteers across the state to increase in situ and ex situ conservation of our rarest plants.

What kinds of projects does the KYPCA work on?

We work with our partners to prevent plant extinction and extirpation through in situ and ex situ conservation projects with a central goal of preventing local extinctions. Projects activities can include surveys, monitoring, direct management (invasive species removal/prescribed fire), restoration, seed banking, propagation, introductions, research and outreach. Projects are focused on rare plants that are in most need of immediate conservation action in order to prevent extinction from the state. The rare plant priority list was created by Kentucky Rare Plant Committee, continually updated, and is also the proposed list to add to the Kentucky State Wildlife Action Plan in the next few years. Plants are prioritized by rarity, lack of site protection or appropriate management, and other threats. Since rare plants are a part of larger natural communities, management and restoration of natural areas and partnerships with land managers is key to all projects. Some recent projects include rare plant propagation, native clover conservation, white haired goldenrod community science monitoring and management, roadside rare plant surveys, wood lily and Pine Barrens restoration, rare plant listing and prioritization working groups, and working with partners to add plants to Kentucky’s state wildlife action plan.

How does the KYPCA connect?

The KYPCA connects to partners by coordinating rare plant and community focused meetings and symposiums; coordinating workshops and field work days; providing updates to the KNPS monthly Ladyslipper newsletter and the OKNP quarterly newsletter; through OKNP, KYPCA, and KNPS social media pages; and through our websites www.kypca.knps.org and www.naturepreserves.ky.gov.

How to get involved?

If you would like to get involved with these efforts, contact us at KYPCA@knps.org and formally join our alliance! Please join the Kentucky Native Plant Society and sign up for the KNPS and OKNP newsletters to find out about volunteer opportunities and updates from recent projects. The KNPS is offering small grants to directly help with the KYPCA efforts such as rare plant propagation, and inventory/monitoring of natural areas. Please contact us if you are interested in applying for a grant. If you are an organization and are interested in formally joining, please send us your partnership logo and website info so we can add you to our partner page. Projects that we need particular help with include volunteer coordination, conservation horticulture projects, as well as monitoring and management projects on public and private lands.

Wildflower Week 2021

In lieu of an in-person Wildflower Weekend, the Kentucky Native Plant Society will host a virtual Wildflower Week! This will include virtual events from April 10^th through April 17^th, including a week-long, statewide BotanyBlitz on iNaturalist. This is an opportunity to broaden our spring wildflower scope to the entire state of Kentucky and allow us to highlight natural areas across the state! If you would like to host a virtual event at your Natural Area to be included in our Wildflower Week schedule, let us know! Events can include virtual hikes (pre-recorded or live), talks on wildflowers you can find there, or feel free to think up something fun!

Also, if you would like to be more involved in the planning process of Wildflower Week 2021, please reach out to us. We have been brainstorming ideas to make this event as interactive as possible and would greatly appreciate input from KNPS members!

To be included in our schedule or to get more involved, email us at
WildflowerWeek2021@knps.org

Would you like a PDF of the Flora of Kentucky?

Alan Weakley’s newly released 2020 edition of the Flora of the Southeastern United States is available for download from the North Carolina Botanical Garden website.

Go here to get your copy today: https://ncbg.unc.edu/research/unc-herbarium/flora-request/

To customize your flora, simply click on the state flora option at the bottom of the form and choose Kentucky. Enjoy botanizing!

Weakley’s Flora is also available in an app called FloraQuest. The app allows mobile identification of over 7,000 plant species in a 14-state region through an interactive interface.

Check it out here: http://www.floraquest.com/

Kentucky Botanists Big Year 2020 Results

This was the second year KNPS hosted an iNaturalist Botanists Big Year for Kentucky. The Botanists Big Year is a friendly competition to observe as many different wild/naturalized plant species as possible in the state; it’s a great way to explore new natural areas, get to know your favorite nature preserves better, learn how to recognize hundreds of native species, and discover which ones are your favorites!

In 2020, 2,251 people made 17,919 research-grade observations of 1,298 species – way to go, Kentucky botanists! This year, John Abrams (@jabrams_foc) swept the #1 spot for both Most Species (374) and Most Observations (1,642).

^{A few of John Abrams’ observations from 2020 (top row): Field milkwort, Polygala sanguinea; Buxbaum’s sedge, Carex buxbaumii; Dwarf sundew, Drosera brevifolia; (bottom row) Indian grass, Sorghastrum nutans; Soapwort gentian, Gentiana saponaria; and Ragged fringed orchid, Platanthera lacera.}

Prizes and certificates will be given to the top five participants in three categories:

Most Observed Species:

@jabrams_foc – 374
@nyssa_ogeche – 283
@kentuckybotanist – 241
@biomania – 207
@emwachter – 200

Most Observations:

@jabrams_foc – 1,642
@nyssa_ogeche – 414
@emwachter – 343
@robert1971 – 342
@kentuckybotanist – 338

MVP Identifiers – many thanks to the folks that helped us get so many observations to Research Grade!

@thomashulsey – 2,272
@jabrams_foc – 1,827
@davidenrique – 842
@melanielinkperez – 670
@polemoniaceae – 518

Since the inception of iNaturalist, 1,888 Research Grade plant species have been observed in Kentucky, but this does not represent the full extent of all plants known to occur in the state. In fact, there are several hundred of Kentucky’s plant species that have not yet been observed on iNat! Here are a few members of the state’s flora that made their “iNat debut” in 2020:

Buckley’s goldenrod, *Solidago buckleyi*, observed by @jeff85

Notably, 2020 was a banner year for rare twining vines of the Pea Family (Fabaceae). Two of the most botanically exciting finds from Kentucky iNatters were the discovery of new populations of Price’s potato-bean (Apios priceana) by @kentuckycourtenay in Warren County, and Cream ticktrefoil (Desmodium ochroleucum) by @frank-lyne in Logan County. Price’s potato-bean is a globally threatened species that is similar to the common and widespread American groundnut (Apios americana), but Price’s potato-bean has larger, pinkish to pale purple flowers, whereas American groundnut flowers are smaller and deep maroon:

Cream ticktrefoil is a globally rare species, which is most similar to Round-leaved ticktrefoil (Desmodium rotundifolium). Both plants have a trailing habit, but Cream ticktrefoil has cream-colored flowers and oval-shaped leaflets, while Round-leaved ticktrefoil has pink flowers with nearly orbicular leaflets.

What native species did Kentucky observe most frequently across the months of 2020? Mid to late winter was prime time for orchid spotting: the most photographed native in January was Downy rattlesnake plantain, Goodyera pubescens (photo by @emwachter) and in February, the Cranefly orchid, Tipularia discolor (photo by @natebutcher). Longer days and warmer soils brings everybody’s favorite: spring ephemerals! In March, the most observed species was the dainty Cutleaf toothwort, Cardamine concatenata (photo by @bereahome):

In both April and (appropriately enough) May, the umbrella-like foliage and discreetly hidden flowers of Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum was the most observed native (photo by @sillydog). In June Sassafras, Sassafras albidum (photo by @dalton28) was the dominant observation. This is a common native tree and a great species to introduce to young kids, as the crushed leaves of Sassafras smell just like Froot Loops cereal! In the heat of July, many of us were admiring the charms of the ubiquitous Common selfheal, Prunella vulgaris (photo by @frank_lyne):

Late summer belonged to the eye-catching orange blossoms of Spotted jewelweed, Impatiens capensis (photo by @hwisniewski), the most observed plant for both August and September. In October, the dense berry clusters of Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana (photo by @ellemaac) took center stage. And in the final two months of the year, the friendly evergreen foliage of Christmas fern, Polystichum acrostichoides (photo by @asherhiggins91) was still there to greet us on woodland walks:

For the entire year, the plant species that Kentuckians observed most in 2020 were:

1. Common jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) – 236 observations

2. Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) – 225

3. Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) – 223

4. Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) – 219

5. Red deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) – 214

Interested in participating in 2021? You can join us any time by heading over to the current Kentucky Botanists Big Year Project page and clicking “Join” at the top of the page!

KNPS Announces 2021 Research Grants for Students and Citizen Scientists!

Did you know that the Kentucky Native Plant Society offers small grants to help defer the costs of botanical research, inventory and native plant restoration? Since 2012, KNPS has awarded $8,100 to students working in these areas. Another $750 was awarded in prior years. The total number of grants awarded in any given year is based on the number of proposals received, the quality of proposals and available funding. The graph below shows the kinds of projects that have been funded.

The second type of grant is new and is open to anyone. It will fund

1. native plant inventory, or

2. rare and native plant restoration.

Native plant inventory grants are limited to Kentucky locations and successful applicants will receive a maximum of $250. Rare and native plant restoration grants are awarded to applicants working with native Kentucky plants, preferentially those which are globally rare (G1, G2). Successful applicants will be awarded a maximum of $500. All rare and native plant restoration grants require coordination with the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves (OKNP) and the Kentucky Native Plant Conservation Alliance coordinators prior to application.

A grant proposal must include:

A current curriculum vitae;
A proposal (not to exceed two single-spaced typed pages) describing the proposed research and the role the grant would play in the research;
An itemized budget;
A letter of recommendation from the applicant’s major professor or project director; and
Indicate whether the grant request is for a student research grant, a native plant inventory grant or a rare and native plant restoration grant.
If the grant is for rare and native plant restoration, include a letter of support from OKNP.

Budget items typically funded include travel to research sites and supplies such as herbarium paper and lab consumables. No personnel time will be funded.

All Grant Proposals are due by March 15, 2021.

If you are interested in applying for any of the KNPS grants, visit the Grants page at the KNPS website. If, after reading the grants page, you have any questions, please email them to: grants@knps.org.

Conserving the Monarch Butterfly in Kentucky

By Michaela Rogers, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

The iconic monarch butterfly, well known for its striking orange-enveloped wings contrasted by black venation, has become an insect of high intrigue across North America. The marathon-length migration the butterfly makes to Mexico to overwinter in the alpine oyamel fir forests inspires wonder and fascination. The biological mechanisms and evolutionary relevance of this journey have become the subject of scientific research, while first sighting of the adults, eggs and caterpillars each year draws excitement from community scientists who participate in observation recording.

Recently, the monarch butterfly has garnered even greater attention. News broke on December 15, 2020 that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) had come to a decision on the federal listing status of the monarch butterfly. The Service had been petitioned in 2014 to list the monarch as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Following comprehensive review of the current and future population status of the monarch butterfly, USFWS announced that listing the monarch as threatened or endangered is warranted, but precluded while higher priority listing actions are addressed.

This action results in the monarch becoming a candidate species under the Endangered Species Act. As a candidate species, the status of the monarch butterfly will now be reviewed yearly by USFWS scientists until a listing decision can be made. The monarch will likely stay in the national spotlight for years to come, during which time data collection will continue to assess the population and habitat created or improved for the butterfly.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources views the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision as an indication of the vulnerable status of the species and as affirmation in the need for continued conservation work for the monarch. Conservation of the species will require efforts throughout the monarch’s range. Here in the state, we are moving forward with work on monarch preservation. Kentucky not only supports the iconic migration of the monarch, but serves as breeding habitat within the butterfly’s range.

Kentucky embarked on creation of the Kentucky Monarch Conservation Plan in 2016 following a targeted national effort surrounding concerns of population-level decline. During this time, garden clubs, native plant groups, and other organizations were already making headway for monarchs in the state. Published in 2018, this plan guides current priorities for monarch conservation, and will continue to do so through potential future changes in the listing status of the butterfly. Kentucky is also a member state in the Mid-America Monarch Conservation Plan, allowing for collaboration with other states across the monarch’s midwestern range to increase habitat. Of primary concern is increasing the number of milkweed stems in the region, which provide the sole food source of monarch caterpillars.

Currently, stakeholders of the Monarch Plan are working to increase habitat, which includes both milkweed and native flowering plants (a source of nectar resources for adult butterflies) on the landscape. There are now 827 Monarch Waystations officially registered in Kentucky, and thousands of acres of habitat have been improved or added for the benefit of monarchs and other pollinators through the enhancement of private, public, and right-of-way land. A variety of educational events and outreach initiatives have been aimed at raising awareness for the monarch in the state, with several hundred monarchs tagged over the course of fall tagging events, over a thousand seed packets distributed, and presentations given in classrooms, during workshops, at club and professional meetings, and most recently, in virtual settings.

Conserving the monarch butterfly has been called an “all hands on deck” approach, with participation from the transportation and agricultural sectors, public agencies, non-government organizations, private businesses, and urban, suburban and rural environments all being important in support of such a widespread species.

Planting milkweed is one of the most important things you can do to help the monarch. If you don’t have a garden, you can aid instead by participating in community science initiatives that track monarchs along their migration route (visit monarchjointventure.org and journeynorth.org to learn about opportunities). Follow us on Facebook at “Kentucky Monarchs” as we share information and links related to monarch butterflies in Kentucky, and remember that no effort is too small to help conserve monarchs!

Michaela Rogers is an Environmental Scientist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. She serves as the Monarch and Pollinator Coordinator for the agency and manages implementation of the Kentucky Monarch Conservation Plan.