Developing mobile friendly data collection tools for MN PlantWatch community scientists

Established in 2023, MN PlantWatch is an emerging community science initiative focused on rare plant conservation in Minnesota. The program is a collaboration between the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s Plant Conservation Program and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Volunteers are leveraged to survey for rare plants and contribute to conservation seed banking throughout the state, with a focus on updating historic records. In 2024 we are launching mobile-friendly data collection using ESRI’s Field Maps application. We will share information about the app development process, and how we expect this user-friendly tool to streamline data collection and data management.