The goal of the Rare Plant Conservation Initiative is to conserve Colorado's most imperiled native plants and their habitats through collaborative partnerships for the preservation of our natural heritage and the benefit of future generations.
"Plants have too long been hidden in plain sight. The prospect of continued threats to the nation's plant life, coupled with the large proportion of the flora already at risk, argues that now is the time to bring plants out from the background, and to put the conservation needs of our nation's flora squarely into view."
Bruce Stein and Kelly Gravuer, NatureServe (2008)
Why conserve rare plants?
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Rare plants are an irreplaceable part of our natural heritage. If we lose these species, we will be losing a part of our heritage, valuable scientific treasures and the potential gifts these plants might offer.
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Plants are rooted in place and cannot move out of the way of impending threats.
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Plants provide valuable medicines. For example, the Pacific yew contains taxol, a powerful treatment for cancer. Only 2 percent of the world's plants have been analyzed for chemicals that might be effective medicines.
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By protecting the full diversity of life on Earth we are ensuring our own health and that of future generations.
Download the Executive Summary
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