Rare Plant Projects


Current/Recent

These are projects that focus on rare plants and are ongoing or have been completed in the last five years.

State-wide Rare Plant Surveys on Public and Private land - These surveys focus on plants that have global ranks of G1-G3 and state ranks of S1-S1S2. Plants with an Srank of S2 or S3 may also be updated in the course of the surveys targeting the rarer plants. These surveys are carried out by the chief botanist and volunteers.

Federal Section 6 Surveys - Almost every year the botany program receives federal funds to survey federally endangered or threatened plants. In 2019 the chief botanist surveyed Houghton’s goldenrod (Solidago houghtonii) at Bergen Swamp and compiled information for the status of Seabeach Amaranth (Amaranthus pumilus) on Long Island.

Small Whorled Pogonia Surveys 2010 & 2018 - The botany program contracted botanist David Werier to survey for the small whorled pogonia (Isotria medeoloides) at West Point Military Academy but no plants were found.

iNaturalist Rare Plant Project - You can sign up to participate in surveying for rare plants in New York.

Plant Information Requests - Chief Botanist Steve Young receives many plant information requests every year spanning many botanical subjects from government and private conservation organizations as well as the general public.


Older/Completed Projects

Whiteface Road Reconstruction 2014 & 2015 - This was an effort to protect the rare plants that grow along the Whiteface highway during the reconstruction of the road.

South Fork Rare Plants 2010 - The botany program contracted botanist Bob Zaremba to update rare plant occurrences on the South Fork of Long Island.

Shoreham Rare Plants 2007-2008 - The botany program contracted botanist David Werier to survey the rare plants of the Shoreham Energy power station site and Wading River Marsh.

Pine Barrens Rare Plants 2005 - The botany program contracted botanist Bob Zaremba to update rare plant occurrences in the Long Island Pine Barrens that he had first documented in 1985.

Pipes Cove Rare Plants 2004 - At the request of The Nature Conservancy’s Long Island Chapter the New York Natural Heritage Program surveyed 180 acres of accessible parcels north and west of Pipes Cove on the North Fork for rare, endangered, and threatened plant species and natural communities to provide support for their US Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Wetlands Grant (CWG) which would facilitate transfer of land from private ownership to the Town of Southold.


Feb. 11, 2021