KY Plant Conservation Alliance


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

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 News & Events

Recovering America's Wildlife Act Plant Conservationist Virtual Rally!

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act Plant Conservationist Virtual Rally!

Calling all plant lovers! We need everyone interested in plant conservation to rally together for the passage of the Recovering ...
This is a picture of native clover seedlings in the greenhouse.

Could Native Clovers have High Nutritional Value for Beef Cattle in the Upper South? A new research project at Virginia Tech

A suite of native clovers are present in the United States. Kentucky historically had at least three native species from ...
Successful buffalo clover establishment could require high seeding rates 

Successful buffalo clover establishment could require high seeding rates 

The public is familiar with red (Trifolium pratense) and white clover (Trifolium repens) growing throughout the Kentucky Commonwealth. However, North ...
Buffalo clover has moderate seed trait diversity across geographic range

Buffalo clover has moderate seed trait diversity across geographic range

Buffalo clover (Trifolium reflexum), is a rare native clover present in the eastern United States. In Kentucky, this species occurs ...
<strong>Clarks Rivers NWR Buffalo Clover (<em>Trifolium reflexum</em>) evaluation and conservation</strong>

Clarks Rivers NWR Buffalo Clover (Trifolium reflexum) evaluation and conservation

The native clovers of eastern North America are relics of the complex mosaic landscapes present prior to European settlement (Gillett ...
Wood Lily (Lilium phildelphicum) Conservation in the Cumberland Plateau

Wood Lily (Lilium phildelphicum) Conservation in the Cumberland Plateau

The Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves and partners have been working on a project to protect, connect, and restore populations ...
Recovering the globally rare Kentucky Clover in the Inner Bluegrass Region

Recovering the globally rare Kentucky Clover in the Inner Bluegrass Region

Big news for native clover conservation in the Bluegrass State! Several years of conservation collaboration has resulted in the first ...
Roadsides As Vital Habitat: An Old Idea Is Getting Its Due

Roadsides As Vital Habitat: An Old Idea Is Getting Its Due

Grasslands are an increasingly rare plant community type in Kentucky and the southeastern United States. Kentucky has often been depicted ...
Mountain Lover (Paxistima canbyi) in Kentucky:  Ancient flora, limestone outcrops, and Conservation Efforts

Mountain Lover (Paxistima canbyi) in Kentucky: Ancient flora, limestone outcrops, and Conservation Efforts

Mountain Lover (Paxistima canbyi) is a globally rare (G2), small evergreen shrub in the bittersweet family (Celastraceae).  This shrub is ...
Delisting of Running Buffalo Clover

Delisting of Running Buffalo Clover

Running Buffalo Clover (Trifolium stoloniferum) is a perennial clover with showy white flowers and leaves divided into three leaflets, and ...

Partners

National Plant Conservation Alliance

Kentucky Nature Preserves
Rare Plant Program

KNP Rare Plant Database