About the Plant Conservation Program
Dragon's mouth orchid (Arethusa bulbosa)
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's Plant Conservation Program, which began in 2013, is dedicated to the protection and conservation of rare species of the upper Midwest and native orchids of Minnesota through research, seed banking, restoration and reintroduction. Our team works to identify key species and populations and develop both in-situ and ex-situ conservation strategies for an integrated approach to benefit these plants.
Strategies often include:
- Collaboration with conservation partners
- Seed collection for long-term storage and genetic preservation
- Propagation for research and reintroduction
- Population surveying and monitoring
- Outreach and education
- Research and innovation to support the above strategies
Our program is proudly located at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, giving us direct opportunities to engage with the public about plant conservation and the ability to display some of Minnesota’s fantastic and charismatic plant species that many people may be unable to see otherwise.
Our Mission
Protect regional native and rare plants by creating a solid knowledge-base of techniques, making available staff expertise and developing infrastructure to both conserve and produce needed biodiversity in plants.
Effect change in the region by education about the science of our conservation efforts and the value of our native plants.
Collect and curate diverse genetic material from across the region for restoration, research and long-term preservation of rare and native plants.
Identify and monitor the location and health of orchids and rare plant species populations.
History of the Plant Conservation Program
Plant conservation at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum dates back to the Arboretum’s horticultural roots in 1958, and founding director Leon Snyder, Ph.D. As a horticultural expert, Snyder routinely studied, led and monitored new plantings, including native plants, in the landscape that is now the Arboretum and the Horticultural Research Center. Certain trees and plants that Snyder introduced at the Arboretum still thrive more than six decades later. The development and use of native plant species in land management remains a central tenet in conservation work around the globe.
In 2011, the Arboretum joined the Center for Plant Conservation, a non-profit network of institutions dedicated to conserving and restoring America’s native plants. Through this network, scientists carry out in research, restoration, technical assistance, education and advocacy on behalf of rare and endangered plant species. Joining this network accelerated the Arboretum’s focus on individual rare species conservation.
Arboretum partners such as the Lake Minnetonka Garden Club have long been instrumental in sponsoring research and preservation of species at the Arboretum. For example, the Arboretum has one of the only populations of the endangered Minnesota dwarf trout lily. With the help of the Lake Minnetonka Garden Club, the Arboretum can monitor and research the dwarf trout lily to aid in its conservation.
In 2013, the Arboretum established the Plant Conservation Program to carry out rare species research, conservation and restoration. The program aims to conserve federally or state-listed species of the Upper Midwest and all native orchids in Minnesota through monitoring, plant rescues, seed/gene banking, propagation research, and the restoration of species to natural landscapes or to the Arboretum grounds. Many of these rare plants are not easily seen in their natural habitats, but by bringing them to the Arboretum, visitors are given the chance to see some of these rare treasures while also learning about the need for increased conservation efforts.