Citizen’s Rare Plant Watch (CRPW) is a citizen / community science program started by the Native Plant Society of Oregon in 2012 with the goal of promoting the direct involvement of volunteers in the conservation of rare plant species throughout Oregon. Volunteers achieve this by helping relocate historical occurrences in the field, collect scientific data on the current status of the species, and map the extent of these occurrences. CRPW collaborates with the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC), Oregon Flora, and various local, state, and/or federal agencies to determine which rare plant species and/or occurrences are in the most need of conservation research and monitoring efforts. Once collected, data is submitted directly back to these partnering agencies and land managers to aid in their conservation of these rare species. 

In 2015, NPSO partnered with the Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank & Plant Conservation Program at Portland State University to assist with running the program, eventually handing it off fully to them in 2016. However, NPSO continues to collaborate and assist with teaching and funding the program and the participation of NPSO members is still as crucial as ever. Since its inception, CRPW has monitored hundreds of rare plant occurrences, many of which were assisted or led by NPSO volunteers.
If you are interested in contributing to the conservation of Oregon’s rare plant species or learn more about this amazing citizen / community science program, please contact PSU’s coordinator, Kris Freitag ( kf******@pd*.edu ) or NPSO’s liaison, Jason Clinch ( ra********@np*******.org ).