This proposal is based on recommendations by the U.S. Fish wildlife service recovery plans for the delisting of two threatened plant species and directly addresses 8 high priority recovery actions,…

This $100,000 Cooperative Agreement, awarded on January 2, 2024 by the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (CFDA 15.657 Endangered Species Recovery Implementation), supports the Atlanta Botanical Garden in implementing critical recovery actions for two threatened plant species native to the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Key deliverables include conducting population censuses, assessing threats, developing propagation protocols, and establishing seed banking safeguards to aid in the potential delisting of the Roan Mountain bluet and white irisette. This work will be carried out in collaboration with the USFWS Asheville Ecological Services Field Office and other state and federal agency partners. The project aims to directly address 8 high priority recovery actions, including 5 priority 1 actions, to support the long-term conservation of these unique plant species.

This proposal is based on recommendations by the U.S. Fish wildlife service recovery plans for the delisting of two threatened plant species and directly addresses 8 high priority recovery actions, including 5 priority 1 actions. The two focal plant species are unique to the southern blue ridge mountains, with ranges primarily or entirely confined within north carolina: roan mountain bluet and white irisette. Proposed recovery actions that will contribute to delisting these species include censusing wild subpopulation sizes, conducting on-site threat assessments, determining horticultural requirements to produce plant material for conservation collections, and developing and implementing habitat protection alternatives i.e., seed banking. This work will be led by the atlanta botanical garden (ABG), in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and wildlife service asheville ecological services field office (USFWS aesfo), who will facilitate permit applications, coordinate fieldwork with partners and beneficiaries and ensure that activities meet recovery action objectives. Beneficiaries that will also assist with this work include the U.S. Department of agriculture forest service, north carolina parks recreation division, north carolina plant conservation program, north carolina wildlife resources commission and north carolina natural heritage program. Deliverables include reports on species subpopulation censuses, risk assessments identifying urgent management needs for specific subpopulations, protocols for propagating plants, and recommendations to improve wild plant fecundity. Species will be added to safeguarding collections in the ABG conservation seed bank and safeguarding nursery. Objectives in this proposal were collaboratively conceived and considered by ABG and USFWS aesfo, who will work closely with beneficiaries toward the delisting of these two unique and threatened plant species of the southern blue ridge mountains.