United States > Plant Conservation Progress in the United States > About the Plant Conservation Alliance
About the Plant Conservation Alliance
The Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA) is a consortium of ten federal government Member agencies and 285 non-federal Cooperators representing various disciplines within the conservation field (including biologists, botanists, habitat preservationists, horticulturists, resources management consultants, soil scientists, special interest clubs, non-profit organizations, concerned citizens, nature lovers, and gardeners). The PCA aims to work collectively to solve the problems of native plant extinction and native habitat restoration. Find out if your organization or agency is a part of the PCA.
In 1995, PCA developed the National Framework for Progress in Plant Conservation. This Framework is intended to provide a coordinated approach to plant conservation in the United States. The National Framework consists of six broad strategies, and outlines supporting goals and actions to guide efforts for implementing a national plant conservation strategy at national, regional, and local levels. Curious about how the National Framework relates to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation? The PCA has created a summary of the two strategies.
To facilitate communication among the plant conservation community, PCA maintains an active listserv: click here to join the PCA native-plants listserv.
The PCA supports three working groups:
The Medicinal Plant Working Group (MPWG) works to forge partnerships with industry, government, academia, tribes and environmental organizations to facilitate sustainable use and conservation of medicinal plants. Learn more at the Green Medicine website, and sign up for the MPWG listserv here.
The Alien Plant Working Group (APWG) provides information on the threat and impacts of invasive alien plants to the native flora, fauna, and natural ecosystems of the United States. Learn more at the Weeds Gone Wild website, check out their invasive plant fact sheets, and sign up for the APWG listserv here.
The Restoration Working Group (RWG) facilitates the implementation of numerous successful restoration projects throughout the country. Learn more at the Restoration Toolbox website, and sign up for the RWG listserv here.
Bureau of Land Management's Seeds of Success Program (SOS) was established in 2001 by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) to collect, conserve, and develop native plant materials for stabilizing, rehabilitating and restoring lands in the United States. It now successfully partners with many PCA Members and Collaborators across the country. Learn more at the SOS website, and sign up for the SOS listserv here.
Botanical Capacity Assessment Project (BCAP): completed in 2010, this project assessed current and future botanical capacity in the United States with the goal of understanding the resources we currently have to conserve and manage native plant species and habitat, identifying gaps in capacity, and highlighting opportunities to fill gaps in the future. Learn more and download a free final report at the BCAP website.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Native Plant Conservation Initiative (NPCI) Grants: Since 1995, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has partnered with the PCA on this grant program to benefit the conservation and restoration of native plants and their ecosystems throughout the United States. To date, NPCI has funded 276 projects, worth a total of more than $14 million in plant conservation, over the past fifteen years. Learn more here.
NGO Committee: the PCA has an NGO committee (chaired by Sophia Siskel, President of the Chicago Botanic Garden) that is increasingly focused on advocacy for plants and their conservation. Learn more here.