Dear Minnesota,
Our great state is fortunate to be at the convergence of several ecological biomes which generate a great range of natural habitats. We are home to more than 1900 plant species, which are part of the foundation for our stunning wildlife diversity and abundance.

Unfortunately, habitat destruction and degradation have led to the decline of many species, leading to over 300 plants to be listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern in MN. These rare plants are a strong indicator of the health of our remaining habitats and play key roles in ecological diversity and resilience.

The MN Landscape Arboretum, which serves as an extension and research center for the University of Minnesota, dedicates resources to the research and conservation of MN’s imperiled plants. Volunteers across the state become citizen scientists with us as we partner to locate and map rare plant populations in the wild, rescue and relocate plants from development project destruction, research how to better grow atypical species (such as orchids), and collect seeds from rare plant populations for long-term genetic preservation in our seed bank.

We steward biodiversity together for our future!

Learn more by visiting the Arboretum’s Plant Conservation Program at ArbConservation.umn.edu.