The Science of Saving Plants: Advancing Conservation Through Research and Collaboration
January 20, 2026 | 12 p.m. ET, 11 a.m. CT, 10 a.m. MT, 9 a.m. PT
For over 40 years, the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) has served as a leading authority on science-based best practices to conserve rare and endangered native plants—with particular expertise in the collection, storage, and utilization of wild rare plant seeds for conservation purposes. CPC is the hub of an 82-partner network of botanical institutions found on three continents. The CPC National Collection safeguards the 4,400 most imperiled native plants found in North America north of Mexico. This living conservation resource ensures the long-term survival of rare species through strategic ex situ stewardship.
CPC’s work is grounded in its Best Plant Conservation Practices to Support Species Survival in the Wild, an evolving set of science-based guidelines that inform ex situ and in situ conservation strategies. Continually refined through research and fieldwork, these guidelines are integrated into CPC’s Rare Plant Academy (RPA), a digital hub providing conservationists with educational training materials, a video library, a knowledge-sharing forum, and the online Applied Plant Conservation Course. Through key initiatives such as regional seed collection in biodiversity hotspots across the U.S., pioneering scientific research studies, and cutting-edge database tools, CPC is expanding practitioners’ collective knowledge while building capacity and streamlining conservation efforts.
Looking ahead, CPC will continue to lead initiatives and best practices to prevent plant extinction while providing leadership and assistance to plant conservation practitioners in new but essential ways, such as plant taxonomy, data synchronization, and prioritization efforts.
By integrating best practices with cutting-edge research and training, CPC and its partners are shaping the future of rare plant conservation and ensuring a legacy of stewardship for generations to come.
This talk serves to introduce CPC to Natural Areas Association members and the broader conservation community, while providing an overview of resources and collaboration opportunities that can help advance rare and native plant conservation efforts.
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Support the people who manage our natural areas and protect biodiversity in perpetuity.