<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3268" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY style="MARGIN: 4px 4px 1px; FONT: 10pt Tahoma">
<DIV>The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Natural Areas is currently working with The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee to add our rare plants into the Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan. This project will add over 500 rare native plants into the SWAP model. This is at least a first step in creating a statewide plan for conserving plants in Tennessee. The state has also put together a Heritage Conservation Trust Fund to "assist the state in permanently conserving and preserving tracts of land within the state of Tennessee for the purposes of promoting tourism and recreation, including outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing; protecting, conserving and restoring the state’s physical, cultural, archeological, historical and environmental resources; and preserving working landscapes.” This process included identifying tracts of land that were important to conserving the state's rare flora: <A href="http://state.tn.us/twra/thcp.html">http://state.tn.us/twra/thcp.html</A> and <A href="http://www.state.tn.us/environment/trustfund/">http://www.state.tn.us/environment/trustfund/</A> Having rare plants in the SWAP model will assist the state in planning and environmental review processes, and the identification of target lands for rare plant conservation in the Heritage Trust Fund assessment will assist the state in prioritizing lands for protection. These are at least two important steps taken in Tennessee towards a more comprehensive plan for rare plant conservation in the state. In the future we hope to combine these products with an assessment of other plant conservation strategies and opportunities within the state and region into a more comprehensive plan to protect the state's rare flora. Maybe in time for the Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act's 25th anniversary in 2010?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>David Lincicome, Assistant Director<BR>Tennessee Dept. of Environment & Conservation<BR>Division of Natural Areas<BR>401 Church St., 7th Floor L&C Annex<BR>Nashville, TN 37243-0447<BR><BR>Phone: (615) 532-0439<BR>Fax: (615) 532-3019<BR>E-mail: david.lincicome@state.tn.us<BR>Website: <A href="http://www.tdec.net/na">http://www.tdec.net/na</A><BR><BR><BR><BR>>>> Olivia Kwong <plant@plantconservation.org> 4/4/2008 9:11 AM >>><BR><A href="http://www.natureserve.org/publications/hidden_plain_sight.jsp">http://www.natureserve.org/publications/hidden_plain_sight.jsp</A><BR><BR>NATURESERVE PRESS RELEASE<BR>Contact: Rob Riordan, NatureServe / 703-908-1831<BR>e-mail: rob_riordan@natureserve.org<BR><BR>April 4, 2008<BR>For Immediate Release<BR><BR>U.S. Plants Need Additional Protection, New Report Finds<BR>Few State Wildlife Action Plans Address Needs of Threatened Flora<BR><BR>Arlington, Virginia -- A thorough study of how plants are treated in state <BR>wildlife action plans finds that, while the plans represent a major step <BR>forward for conservation planning, most of the action plans did not <BR>attempt to address the conservation needs of plants.<BR><BR>The analysis, contained in a new report titled Hidden in Plain Sight: the <BR>Role of Plants in State Wildlife Action Plans, was carried out by <BR>NatureServe, a non-profit conservation group that provides science to <BR>inform effective conservation action.<BR><BR>Completed in 2005 by all U.S. states and territories, wildlife action <BR>plans are designed to guide wildlife conservation efforts and prevent <BR>wildlife from becoming endangered. Developed based on the best available <BR>scientific information and with broad public engagement, these plans are <BR>increasingly important in a wide variety of conservation and planning <BR>efforts.<BR><BR>Because the federal guidelines governing development of these plans <BR>specifically excluded plants from the definition of "wildlife" and did not <BR>provide funding to study them, few states were able to consider rare or <BR>endangered plants in their planning process. However, plants are essential <BR>to the functioning of healthy ecosystems, and represent more than half <BR>(56%) of species federally listed as threatened or endangered.<BR><BR>"State wildlife action plans represent a tremendous opportunity for <BR>strategically advancing conservation in America," said Bruce Stein, chief <BR>scientist for NatureServe and a co-author of the study. "Now is the time <BR>to complement the attention they have brought to wild animals with <BR>additional focus on the needs of our nation's imperiled plants."<BR><BR>The study found that only a modest number of wildlife action plans <BR>explicitly considered plant species of conservation concern. Just eight of <BR>56 plans (14%) took the most direct approach of including plants on their <BR>list of "species of greatest conservation need," while only six plans <BR>(11%) considered plant species of concern in their methods for setting <BR>habitat priorities. Twelve plans (21%) included plant species of concern <BR>in their approaches for defining geographic focal areas, generally relying <BR>on plant data maintained by state natural heritage programs. The study <BR>found that wildlife action plans for Georgia, Missouri, Nebraska, and <BR>Oregon were especially effective at addressing the needs of wild plant <BR>species.<BR><BR>The study makes several recommendations for better conserving the nation.s <BR>plant life:<BR>- Promote wildlife action plan implementation strategies that would also <BR>benefit plant species of concern.<BR>- Avoid implementation actions that could be detrimental to sensitive <BR>plant species.<BR>- Add plant-specific components to existing wildlife action plans where <BR>possible.<BR>- Develop state-level plant conservation strategies to complement wildlife <BR>action plans where necessary.<BR>- Ensure that plants are fully represented in major new conservation <BR>funding opportunities, including those related to climate change <BR>adaptation.<BR><BR>Hidden in Plain Sight was authored by Dr. Bruce A. Stein and NatureServe <BR>botanist Kelly Gravuer, and was supported by the Doris Duke Charitable <BR>Foundation. The report can be accessed at <BR><A href="http://www.natureserve.org/publications/library.jsp#nspubs.">http://www.natureserve.org/publications/library.jsp#nspubs.</A><BR><BR>###<BR><BR>NatureServe is a non-profit conservation group dedicated to providing the <BR>scientific basis for effective conservation action. Representing a network <BR>of 80 natural heritage programs and conservation data centers in the <BR>United States, Canada, and Latin America, NatureServe is a leading source <BR>for detailed<BR><BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>PCA's Medicinal Plant Working Group mailing list<BR>MPWG@lists.plantconservation.org<BR><A href="http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org">http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org</A><BR><BR>To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to MPWG-request@lists.plantconservation.org with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.<BR> <BR>Disclaimer <BR>Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc. reflects ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific medical condition or question. All medical and other healthcare information that is discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed by the individual reader and their qualified healthcare professional. Posts do not reflect any official opinions or positions of the Plant Conservation Alliance. <BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>