Rare & Endangered Plants

Rare Plants in Oregon

Rare plants are species that have some level of conservation concern due to their low population numbers and/or low number of populations in existence, their very restricted habitat and/or range of occurrence (endemism), and/or sensitivity to disturbance from anthropogenic and/or natural sources.

The state of Oregon is home to nearly 900 native plant species for which there is some level of conservation concern. This number includes species that are threatened with extinction or presumed extinct throughout their range (including areas outside of Oregon); species that may be more secure elsewhere but are threatened with extirpation or presumed extinct within Oregon; species of which more information and/or knowledge is needed in order to determine their conservation status and/or which may be in decline or rare in Oregon; and other taxa that are rare, but apparently secure, in Oregon and require continuing monitoring.  Seventy-six (76) plant species have been listed as threatened or endangered by the State of Oregon while fifteen (15) species are federally listed as threatened or endangered by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Another eighty-eight (88) species have been identified as candidate species for listing by the State of Oregon while seventy-two (72) species are considered federal species of concern.

The Oregon Biological Information Center (ORBIC) tracks species occurrences and ranks their conservation status with help from state and federal agencies, species experts and academics, and citizen scientists, including members of NPSO and those of the NPSO Rare and Endangered Committee.  OregonFlora  (http://oregonflora.org/) has an online Oregon Rare Plant Guide developed with help from taxonomists and species experts including members of NPSO.  The purpose of the guide is to provide user-friendly information on some of Oregon’s rare plant species. Each taxon is organized into a “fact sheet” designed to aid in the identification of rare plants in the field.

NPSO’s Role in Oregon’s Endangered Species Act and Rare Plant Conservation

Oregon is unusual in that it has a state-level statute (ORS § 564) that is particular to the protection of plants in Oregon including those that have not been listed as threatened or endangered by the federal government.  NPSO had a major role in developing this policy back in the 1980’s by working with lawmakers to pass the state Endangered Species Act (ORS § 496.171 to 496.192 and 498.026) in 1987.  State protections extend not only to those plants listed as threatened or endangered but also to the sale and/or transport of several wildflower genera.  More information regarding this law can be found here.

Rare & Endangered Plants Committee

To assist with the conservation of our rare, threatened, and endangered flora, NPSO has a standing committee, the Rare and Endangered Plants Committee, tasked with championing these species. We are actively engaged in the following activities:

• Providing opportunities for education including workshops focusing on rare species or habitats.
• Supporting Citizen’s Rare Plant Watch, a citizen science program at the Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank and Plant Conservation Program at Portland State University that organizes volunteers to search for and collect data on historical or otherwise rare species occurrences throughout Oregon.
• Supporting the Adopt a Rare Plant program, a partnership between the Siskiyou Chapter of NPSO and The Understory Initiative that uses volunteer citizen scientists to monitor rare plant populations in southwest Oregon.
• Partnering with OregonFlora, the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, and Federal and State agencies to aid in conservation efforts.
• Advocating for Oregon’s rare plant species by petitioning to list those that need to be reviewed at the state and federal level.
• Reviewing grant proposals that request to draw funds from the Rare & Endangered Fund for specific projects related to Oregon rare plants.

If you are interested in contributing to or have questions about any of these activities, please contact the NPSO Rare and Endangered Plants Committee Chair ( ra********@np*******.org ).