Increasing Collaboration: Texas Plant Conservation Alliance

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the state botanic garden of Texas and a field station of the University of Texas at Austin. As part of our mission to inspire the conservation of native plants, we have programs focused on pollinator ecology, fire ecology, and targeted rare plant species conservation through seed banking. One of our most recent initiatives (in collaboration with our CPC partners across the state) is the development and launch of the Texas Plant Conservation Alliance. With over 400 species of greatest conservation need, collaboration between plant conservation professionals is crucial. As seen elsewhere throughout the country, a statewide network would help organize efforts toward more efficient and targeted conservation outcomes. We intend to operate as a decentralized unit that facilitates communication, collaboration, and community between our partners by sharing knowledge, resources, and skills. The network is rolling out in phases, the first focusing on organizing seed banking and existing seed collections across the state. Later phases will aim to engage other types of conservation professionals as well as private landowners and managers, especially with regard to facilitating access to sensitive habitats and populations. We invite feedback from CPC colleagues regarding both best practices and pitfalls of similar regional network-building efforts.