<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1466967473;
mso-list-template-ids:1049419700;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1028" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Native Plant Conservation Campaign News: <strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>State of World’s Plants and Fungi Report - mostly bad news but some progress and plans to move forward</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>October 13, 2020<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>THE ELECTION IS LESS THAN 1 MONTH AWAY - VOTE SECURELY AND WITH CONFIDENCE !</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'><a href="#GOTV">CLICK FOR OUR WILD VOTER TOOLKIT</a></span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The <a href="https://www.kew.org/">Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew</a> has released a <a href="https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/State%20of%20the%20Worlds%20Plants%20and%20Fungi%202020.pdf">new Report</a> that shows that the world’s plant species are more imperiled than ever.<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter" />
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0" />
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" />
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" />
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;margin-left:173.8pt;margin-top:0;width:225pt;height:282.75pt;z-index:251658240;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:0;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:0;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:right;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:line;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page' o:allowoverlap="f">
<v:imagedata src="https://ymlpcl4.net/imgz/09yp_rptplantsandfungi2020Kew300.jpg" />
<w:wrap type="square" anchory="line"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=300 height=377 style='width:3.125in;height:3.927in' src="https://ymlpcl4.net/imgz/09yp_rptplantsandfungi2020Kew300.jpg" align=right v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The <a href="https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/State%20of%20the%20Worlds%20Plants%20and%20Fungi%202020.pdf">State of worlds plants and fungi 2020</a>, based on research from more than 200 scientists in 42 countries, found that 2 in 5 (40%) of the planets plants are at risk of extinction. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/10/one-in-five-of-worlds-plant-species-at-risk-of-extinction">Previous assessments</a> in 2016 had found that 1 in 5 (20%) of plants were at risk.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Food and Medicine Supply Threatened</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>These losses endanger humanity. For example, billions of people rely on herbal medicines as their primary source of healthcare. The Report found 723 plants used for medicine are at risk of extinction, with over-harvesting a problem in some parts of the world, including the U.S. Further, “[o]nly 7% of [known] plants have [been tested for use] as medicines. Therefore the world’s plants and fungi remain largely untapped as potential sources of new [cures for disease],” said Melanie-Jayne Howes, a research leader at RBG Kew <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/30/world-plant-species-risk-extinction-fungi-earth?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-1">told the Guardian</a>. “So it is absolutely critical that we better protect biodiversity so we are better prepared for emerging challenges to our planet and our health.”<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The same is true for food. Although just 15 plants provide 90% of all calories consumed by humans, there are actually over 7,000 edible plant species that could be used to secure the food supply against climate change, pests and disease.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>As Mass Extinction Accelerates, Scientific Community Steps Up</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Scientists say plant extinction is occurring up to 500 times faster than what would be expected naturally. A <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48169783">2019 United Nations report found that up to 1 million plant and animal species are at risk of extinction.</a> The UN revealed in September that the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/15/every-global-target-to-stem-destruction-of-nature-by-2020-missed-un-report-aoe">world’s governments have failed to meet any of the 20 targets to stem biodiversity losses</a> that had been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/oct/29/biodiversity-talks-ministers-nagoya-strategy">agreed to in Aichi Japan</a> in 2010.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>“We are living in an age of extinction”, Director of Science at Kew, Alexandre Antonelli <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-54344309?MessageRunDetailID=3444921580&PostID=20214105&utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io">told the BBC</a>. "It's a very worrying picture of risk and urgent need for action," he said. "We're losing the race against time because species are disappearing faster than we can find them. Many of them could hold important clues for solving some of the most pressing challenges of medicine and even perhaps of the emerging and current pandemics we are seeing today."<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_3" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;margin-left:0;margin-top:0;width:300pt;height:369pt;z-index:251659264;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:0;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:0;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:left;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:line;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page' o:allowoverlap="f">
<v:imagedata src="https://ymlpcl4.net/imgz/09yp_rptstateplants2020map.jpg" />
<w:wrap type="square" anchory="line"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=400 height=492 style='width:4.1666in;height:5.125in' src="https://ymlpcl4.net/imgz/09yp_rptstateplants2020map.jpg" align=left v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3"><![endif]>The assessment also contained some good news. More than <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/30/world-plant-species-risk-extinction-fungi-earth?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-1">4,000 species of plants and fungi</a> were discovered in 2019. These included wild relatives of important food crops such as garlic, onions, spinach and two relatives of cassava, which could help “future-proof” the staple crop eaten by 800 million people. Wild relatives of medicinal species were found. Kew also reported that the he number of assessed plant species has doubled in recent years due to the <a href="https://www.plants2020.net/about-the-gspc/">Global Strategy for Plant Conservation</a>.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Urban Green Spaces – More Green Spaces, More Diversity Needed</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>In additions to sections on medicinal and food plants, and on gaps and progress in plant science, the Report also contained a chapter focused on building resilient urban green spaces to provide ecosystem services in cities. The report notes the growing movement to plant trees and other locally appropriate native plants in gardens, roadsides and urban public spaces. City trees deliver valuable services, from clean air and water to flood protection. Ensuring they can withstand climate change, pests and diseases in the future requires the use of a wide range of species and the support of the pollinators and soil organisms they depend upon. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Greater diversity is badly needed in urban green spaces. Of 6,896,687 trees in 67 locations studied for the Report, ten genera made up almost 40%. Acer (maple) is the most widely grown genus, accounting for 20% of city trees. Many urban trees may be poorly suited to deal with climate change, so the Report recommends expanding both the species and genetic diversity of city trees to make urban plant communities more resilient and sustainable.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Read the <a href="https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/State%20of%20the%20Worlds%20Plants%20and%20Fungi%202020.pdf">full report</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Figure. Each country colored by (a) the proportion of plant species covered by a global assessment on the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/">International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List</a> and (b) the proportion of assessed plant species classified as threatened. More information and the original graph available <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.10146">here</a> in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25722611">Plants, People, Planet</a>.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a name=GOTV></a><strong><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>2020 may be the Most Important Election of our Lifetimes</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>But, due to COVID-19 and to voter suppression efforts such as defunding the Post Office,</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>*many elections are being rescheduled,</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>*voting places moved, and</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>*rules are changing.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>We want to help people stop worrying about how, when and where to vote!</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <o:p></o:p></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=1 cellpadding=0 width=900 style='width:675.0pt;orphans:2;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;widows:2;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;text-decoration-style:initial;word-spacing:0px'><tr><td style='padding:.25pt .25pt .25pt .25pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://endangered.turbovote.org/?r=NPS" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=400 height=265 style='width:4.1666in;height:2.7604in' id="_x0000_i1030" src="https://plantsocieties.cnps.org/images/GOTV-Iris-NPS.jpg" alt="GOTV Iris NPS"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></div></td><td style='padding:.25pt .25pt .25pt .25pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>Excercise your right to vote and help your friends, family and colleagues VOTE SAFELY AND WITH CONFIDENCE</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>Click left or <a href="https://endangered.turbovote.org/?r=NPS">here</a> for our <a href="https://endangered.turbovote.org/?r=NPS">Get Out The Wild Vote Toolkit</a> which offers: </span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>assistance with voter registration or confirmation that your registration is accurate and current</span></strong><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>assistance and updates to keep up to date with changing local voting rules, procedures and locations, and</span></strong><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>NONPARTISAN tools to learn about issues and candidates</span></strong><o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><em><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:darkgreen'>Image <b>© </b>Chris Benda, Illinois Native Plant Society</span></em><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></td></tr></table></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Emily B. Roberson, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://plantsocieties.cnps.org/">Native Plant Conservation Campaign</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Native Plant Society of the United States<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=100 height=125 style='width:1.0416in;height:1.302in' id="_x0000_i1029" src="https://ymlpcl4.net/imgz/09yp_Logocolorhighrezname100.jpg">415 531 4439<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:emilyr@plantsocieties.org">emilyr@</a><a href="mailto:emilyr@plantsocieties.org">plantsocieties.org</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>#<span style='color:green'>SavePlantsSaveThePlanet</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>The mission of the Native Plant Conservation Campaign is to promote the conservation of native plants and their habitats through collaboration, research, education, and advocacy.</span></em><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><a href="http://signup.ymlpcl4.net/xghwwhjjgmgb">Sign up for NPCC News</a>! </b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/plantsocieties"><b>Like us on Facebook!</b></a> <b><a href="http://plantsocieties.cnps.org/index.php/action-main/donate-to-campaign">Donate</a>!</b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Please forward this message to any interested individuals or organizations. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><hr size=0 width="50%" noshade style='color:black' align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><a href="https://ymlpcl4.net/ughwwhjjgsgbmgeeeqbggubjwe"><span style='color:black'>Unsubscribe / Change Profile</span></a> <br><a href="https://ymlpcl4.net/m/"><span style='color:black'>Powered by YMLP</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=1 height=1 style='width:.0104in;height:.0104in' id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://ymlpcl4.net/4e51fobmkkhbjjmxjjhx/footer.gif" alt=" "><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>