Contributing to Our Plant Collection

The curator decides whether or not a native plant species is added to the Preserve’s collection. In making such decisions, he follows specific scientific and ethical criteria in determining the ecological value of a given specimen.

Occasionally, the curator will consider collecting and/or accepting plant(s) or seeds that have been brought to his attention by either Preserve members or persons (or organizations) outside of the Preserve.

Plants of particular interest to the Preserve are those that have the potential to improve the genetic variability of a given species, especially by introducing, on site, more plants of local provenance--thereby improving the viability and/or success of that species on the property. Alternatively, if a species is not currently present on the Preserve, it would be considered for acquisition as long as it is a natural fit for the Preserve because it is currently, or was historically, present in this region.

There are three ways to determine if what you’ve found or are offering might be considered for acquisition:

Salvage

Salvage refers to rescuing plant(s) from an area scheduled for roadwork or other construction. If you know of an area that is (or will be) under demolition or construction, and that there are ecologically-sensitive areas on that site that are under threat, the curator will conduct an on-site assessment of native plant species. In all cases, the curator will first need to obtain the proper permission/permit from the legal entity/owner under whom the property is held before any assessment/salvage is conducted.

Donation

A donation to the Preserve may be considered if you can determine if a given plant species on your property is of naturally occurring (“wild-type”) origin, having never been “planted” there, even after many decades of naturalizing. For seed collection only: The site where the plant is found must be legally under the control of the person offering the specimen (i.e., your own property).

Species or Site Reporting

Occasionally it may be of interest to inform the curator about the existence of a particular plant species found on a site or property that is not under demolition/construction and is not owned by the person reporting the finding (i.e., preserves, parks, watersheds, or government-owned property). In some cases, the species will be identified and its existence noted for reporting purposes only. However, if the species is of particular ecological value to the Preserve, the curator will go through proper legal channels in order to gain access to the site and secure permission and/or permits for seed collection only under the auspices of the Preserve. In all cases, permits secured for this purpose are non-transferable.

Important Note: To ensure any that collection of specimens is done properly, please contact the curator first.