Learn about Endangered Plants of Colorado

On May 18, Plant Conservation Day, and May 19, Endangered Species Day, Research & Conservation staff will be in the Science Pyramid to talk about Colorado’s federally protected plant species.

Not only can animals be listed as “threatened” or “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act, plants can be too! Colorado has nine threatened species of plants, seven endangered species of plants and two candidates to be federally listed. Of these 18 species, 13 of the species occur only in Colorado!

Staff will be in the Science Pyramid Thursday and Friday, May 18 & 19, from 9:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Come learn about the endangered and threatened plants of Colorado—what they look like, their habitats and their threats—and learn about the work the Research & Conservation Department does to help monitor and protect these species.

For example, every summer staff take measurements of endangered and threatened plants to learn how the populations may be changing. In 2015, over 48,000 measurements were taken of rare and imperiled plants! Dr. Jennifer Neale, director of the Research & Conservation department, also leads genetic projects on our imperiled plants, including a project to define the geographic boundary of where a threatened species occurs.

We hope you join us May 18 & 19, 2017 to learn about Colorado’s federally protected plant species. Included with Gardens admission and no reservations are needed. For more information email info@botanicgardens.org or call 720-865-3500.