Spores have been collected from several Vermont populations for spore banking by the New England Plant Conservation Program (New England Wild Flower Society, Framingham, Massachusetts). Plants were successfully grown from some of these spores, but most plants died following transplantation. However, there is at least one nursery in New England that is successfully propagating the plant. Several plants and a small amount of seed (from one population) in cold storage are currently in the New England Wild Flower Society's rare plant collection.

Ongoing genetic studies by Dr. Catherine Paris (University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont) have established electrophoretic protocols for distinguishing Adiantum viridimontanum from its congeners that overlap with its distribution. Dr. Paris is also studying the distribution of the fern along environmental gradients, and how it interacts with other members of the Adiantum pedatum complex (see her web site, http://www.uvm.edu/~plantbio/faculty/paris.html, for more information).

Adiantum viridimontanum is known only from serpentine areas of northern Vermont and southeasern Quebec. There are a total of 40 occurrences. Most of the Quebec sites are in active or inactive asbestos mines. 2 sites are Historic.

Mining -- While most mining of serpentine for asbestos has ceased in the United States, this activity continues in Quebec and can threaten ferns directly. The use of former quarries in Vermont is of some concern, as well; one was formerly proposed to b

21 occurrences of Adiantum viridimontanum are recorded from Vermont and Quebec. Vermont occurrences are estimated to contain a total of approximately 2000 plants.

Ongoing genetic studies by Dr. Catherine Paris (University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont) have established electrophoretic protocols for distinguishing Adiantum viridimontanum from its congeners that overlap with its distribution. Dr. Paris is also studying the distribution of the fern along environmental gradients, and how it interacts with other members of the Adiantum pedatum complex (see her web site, http://www.uvm.edu/~plantbio/faculty/paris.html, for more information). Dr. Geoffrey Hall, Botanist with the Quebec office of The Nature Conservancy - Canada, is leading an effort to document and evaluate populations of Adiantum viridimontanum in Quebec in order to prioritize protection and management efforts (Hall 1998). Spores have been collected from several Vermont populations for spore banking by the New England Plant Conservation Program (New England Wild Flower Society, Framingham, Massachusetts). Plants were successfully grown from some of these spores, but most plants died following transplantation. However, there is at least one nursery in New England that is successfully propagating the plant. Several plants and a small amount of seed (from one population) in cold storage are currently in the New England Wild Flower Society's rare plant collection.

One site in Lowell, Vermont is protected by The Nature Conservancy (Vermont Chapter), which has been actively working with landowners there since 1983. The Vermont Nongame and Natural Heritage Program, as well as volunteer task forces of the New England Plant Conservation program, have monitored several populations of the fern throughout Vermont for several years, but no assessment of population viability or trends has been performed to date. Only one serpentine site in Quebec is currently protected (Tremblay 1994). According to Ruesink (2001), the Quebec Ministry of the Environment and The Nature Conservancy Canada recently purchased a large serpentine area with a large maidenhair fern population, at Mont Caribou, which will be designated an ecological reserve.

Collaboration with transportation authorities and private mining interests to encourage activities compatible with conservation of this species and its required habitat International cooperation between Canadian and U. S. conservation organizations to protect the fern Regular monitoring for the presence of invasive species that can outcompete the fern Standardized techniques for quantifying population size Population viability analysis Genetic studies to determine homozygosity levels and effects of inbreeding on populations and to assess interactions among members of the Adiantum pedatum complex Studies of factors limiting sporophyte establishment, including light, moisture, soil chemistry, microclimate, and pathogens

Studies are needed of improved techniques for long-term spore banking and fern propagation