Preferring the deep shade provided by mature trees in their habitat, Goodding’s onion populations­ have been heavily impacted by wildfires in recent years. In 2020 alone, Arizona experienced 2,520 wildfires (65 larger than 1,000 acres) and New Mexico experienced 543 wildfires (13 larger than 1,000 acres). Several of these wildfires were classified as high-severity burns that scorched the soils and killed every tree—effectively destroying the habitat and environmental conditions that Goodding’s onion needs to survive and thrive. Such a drastic change in landscape also allows primary succession species, such as New Mexico locust (Robinia neomexicana) and Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), to dominate the space, further restricting Goodding’s onion in areas where it was once abundant. The rise of wildfires in the American Southwest as a result of climate change make it imperative to conserve seeds of this imperiled species in long-term storage for use in future forest restoration projects.

Happily, the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) was awarded funding as part of a five-year agreement with the US Forest Service (USFS) to support strategically rare plant populations located on Region 3 USFS land, securing them in conservation-quality seed collections through CPC’s network of botanical gardens. In Spring 2021, USFS Regional Botanist Dr. Kathryn Kennedy identified Goodding’s onion as a priority species for these seed collections—specifically due to the population declines the species has experienced in recent years following wildfire events. The Arboretum at Flagstaff, a CPC Participating Institution, has over 37 years working with Goodding’s onion. Three collections of seeds in long-term storage from the 1980s and an ex situ population cultivated at their botanic garden make the Arboretum an ideal partner to collect new seeds of this species to refresh the collection.

“For the past several years, CPC’s work with the Forest Service has focused on securing rare species not previously in conservation seed collections,” shared Dr. Katie Heineman, CPC’s Vice President of Science & Conservation. “This project, however, is an important reminder that seed collection priorities for ‘secure’ species need to be revisited in response to imminent threats—such as the devasting wildfires in Arizona—and as seed collections begin to age.”

In summer 2021, the team from the Arboretum at Flagstaff visited over a dozen historical populations of Goodding’s onion affected by recent wildfires and made three conservation seed collections according to CPC Best Practice Guidelines. They also coordinated the storage of seven additional collections made by USFS partners and the Navajo Nation Heritage program. The National Forests represented by these collections include Apache Sitgreaves National Forest, Coronado National Forest, and Lincoln National Forest. All of the seeds were sent for safety duplication to the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation (NLGRP) in Fort Collins, CO. In total, this project has resulted in the banking of ten seed accessions from nine wild populations, totaling 7300+ seeds from more than 800 maternal plants.

“It has been startling to see all the damage from the major wildfires in the Goodding’s onion habitat,” said Sheila Murray, Conservation Botanist at The Arboretum at Flagstaff. “Many of the populations that we had been to in the past were completely consumed by wildfire. We were however able to secure seeds from nearby known populations and a few newly discovered populations. We hope that these burned areas will eventually recover enough in the future to support the species once again.”

As next steps for this ongoing partnership with the USFS, CPC will continue working in 2022 with the Arboretum at Flagstaff’s team to make further seed collections of Goodding’s onion or the vulnerable Arizona Sneezeweed (Helenium arizonicum). CPC will also partner with the Institute for Applied Ecology to make a seed collection of a to-be-determined species. Seed banking remains a fundamental conservation action to protect and preserve rare and imperiled plant species in the face of myriad threats. It is through partnerships like this that CPC’s network can be most effective in our shared mission to Save Plants from extinction.

Kira Lindelof

Project: Examining the Roles of Temperature, Precipitation and Soil Type on the Growth of the Endangered Houstonia montana (Rubiaceae).

Kira Lindelof is a doctoral student in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at North Carolina State University. She received her bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, where her passion for rare plant conservation began. Her dissertation research is broadly focused on the conservation biology of the endangered Roan Mountain Bluet (Houstonia montana) – a rare herb endemic to high-elevation rocky summits of the Appalachian Mountains. Using genomic, field, and growth chamber studies, Kira aims to expand the current understanding of the species’ ecology with the intention to guide conservation and management efforts.

Thomas Wiegand

Project: Measuring growth plasticity in response to light in two rare Asters: to investigate the ability of two rare asters, Helianthus verticillatus and H. longifolius, to successfully acclimate to varied light conditions through plastic responses.

Thomas Wiegand is pursuing a master’s degree in environmental science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, under the advisement of Dr. Jennifer Boyd, and is supported by the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program. His research focuses on the ecological and evolutionary drivers of plant rarity, with a current focus on rare, native sunflower species. His work compares plasticity in rare and common congeners (plants of the same genus) that are subjected to various environmental stressors associated with habitat loss, land-use change, anthropogenic climate change, and other factors influencing the persistence of native rare plants.

The Center for Plant Conservation is a one-of-a-kind network that unites leading plant conservationists from botanical gardens, arboretums, and other plant- and conservation-focused organizations to work collaboratively to save imperiled plants throughout their native range in the United States and internationally. We seek a champion for plant conservation and environmental resiliency to serve as CPC’s next President and Chief Executive Officer and to lead CPC’s operations and strategic initiatives.

Focus Areas

• Organizational Leadership, Strategy, and Management
• Staff Leadership
• Board Relations
• Financial Management and Fundraising
• Communications and Outreach
• Program Oversight
• Relationship Building, Collaboration, and Network Management

Location

CPC’s headquarters is located at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, California, operated by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, a CPC Participating Institution. Periodic remote work is possible. Regular travel is expected.

Start Date

Late Fall 2022

Detailed Position Information

The complete Position Specification can be found here.

To Apply

Please visit the Protrero Group website and select “Apply.”

Interested candidates should apply by August 1, 2022, for priority consideration. Applications should include a resume and a cover letter describing your qualifications that match the position criteria and what you will bring to the role.

Please contact Potrero Group Managing Director, Andrew Leider at aleider@potrerogroup.com with any questions.

As Seen on CPC’s Rare Plant Academy: Community Feedback Survey

The Center for Plant Conservation’s Rare Plant Academy (RPA) is a hub of learning, sharing, and discovery for the plant conservation community. The RPA serves as a training ground for the next generation of plant conservation scientists, who will be the first line of defense against plant extinction.

This community survey asks about your experience using several RPA resources, including the CPC Best Practices for Species Survival in the Wild, the Video Library, and posting tools such as the community forum.

Your feedback is important to us. A few minutes of your time will help us improve the Rare Plant Academy, to better serve our community working to Save Plants!

Take the survey!