Montana Native Plant Conservation Strategy Published
The Montana Native Plant Conservation Strategy: Vascular Species and Habitats of Greatest Conservation Need (GCN) has just been published after six years of work by a diverse group of partners. Its purpose is to promote the collective and coordinated stewardship of Montana’s native flora and habitats, emphasizing native Plant Species, Unique Habitats, and Plant Communities of Greatest Conservation Need (GCN).
This publication represents collective input from a large partnership of people and organizations that share a vested interest in Montana's flora and habitats. It was written by a Core Team of people representing federal and state agencies, Tribal nations, non-governmental organizations, academic herbaria, and individuals. Andrea Pipp, Program Botanist with Montana State Library’s Natural Heritage Program (MTNHP) serving on this team said, “This Strategy is Montana’s most proactive, comprehensive approach to advance native plant conservation across the state to benefit all people, including our economy and educational system, and of course our irreplaceable native flora and fauna”.
There is growing concern about how to retain our state’s rich native plant diversity and genetics, rare species, unique habitats, and iconic plant communities. The goals of the Strategy, and the partnership behind it, are to conserve Montana’s Native Plant Species, Unique Habitats, and Plant Communities of GCN and ameliorate five constraints that have hindered plant conservation:
- Insufficient current data and mapping of native plant populations, habitats, and communities, especially those of conservation concern
- Declining recognition for botanical expertise and appreciation for plants
- Limited funding allocated to native plant conservation
- Inadequacy of policy-related and regulatory mechanisms to manage native plants and habitats
- Increasing threats to native plants, habitats, and communities from natural events and human activities.
Conserving species, unique habitats, and communities of greatest conservation need means that biodiversity of native species is promoted in protection and restoration efforts; populations are sustainably managed or conserved to retain genetic exchange, viability, and health; natural ecological processes are emulated; and threats are abated.
The Strategy aims to provide a statewide framework that focuses on seven elements that are foundational to retain an educated, informed, engaged, and coordinated botanical network across the state. Each element of the Strategy explains its connection to the conservation of Plant Species, Unique Habitats, and Plant Communities of GCN and other native plants, shares developed resources, and outlines and identifies an array of conservation opportunities and actions to address the five constraints, listed above. The seven elements include:
- Acknowledging Tribal Sovereignty and Some Native American Perspectives on Native Plant Conservation
- Strengthening Botanical Capacity in Montana
- Montana’s Vascular Plant Species of Greatest Conservation Need
- Unique Habitats of Greatest Conservation Need
- Plant Communities of Greatest Conservation Need
- The Roles of Herbaria in Plant Conservation
- The Importance of Native Plants and Communities in Sustaining Animal Pollinators
The Strategy is a voluntary call to action, highlighting the conservation steps that federal, state, and local agencies; Tribal nations; non-government conservation organizations; private groups; academic institutions; and individuals can take to help accomplish one or more of the many secondary goals and prioritized objectives in this document.
The Core Team envisions:
- This Strategy to be a living document, maintained by a Strategy Stewards Committee – represented by at least seven members: Montana Native Plant Society, Montana Natural Heritage Program, United States Forest Service, Montana/Dakotas Bureau of Land Management, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and Tribal nation(s).
- That any person in Montana’s botanical network or associated with the Strategy’s larger partnership could participate in, lead, or complete a conservation objective for which they feel motivated and have the skills, time, ability, and/or resources to work on.
- That successful implementation and conservation of Montana’s native Plants Species, Unique Habitats, and Plant Communities of GCN go hand-in-hand with strengthening botanical capacity across the State for all people in all aspects of human life, and for all native plants and animals.
The Montana Natural Heritage Program, a program of the Montana State Library, is Montana’s source for reliable and objective information on the state’s native species and habitats, emphasizing those of conservation concern. MTNHP’s vision is that public agencies, the private sector, the education sector, and the public will trust and rely upon MTNHP as the source for information and expertise on Montana’s species and habitats, especially those of conservation concern. For more information, visit https://mtnhp.org/.
The Montana State Library provides information, resources, and guidance to organizations, communities, and residents of Montana to help them expand their knowledge and empower their decisions. Our leading-edge data and applications help those seeking answers about Montana’s government, natural resources, heritage, land ownership, and more while our vital services improve public libraries and provide reading materials to those with disabilities. For more information, visit msl.mt.gov.
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