Developing a Rare Plant Rescue Program for Minnesota

There are 179 plant species listed as threatened or endangered in Minnesota. By definition, these plants are rare and vulnerable to extinction. Over the past three decades, thousands of rare plants have been legally destroyed as a part of permitted development activities. In 2019, the MN-DNR created a new permit option that allowed for the rescue of individual rare plants from permitted development footprints. This new permit provides an important opportunity to advance rare plant conservation in Minnesota and from this, the Rare Plant Rescue Program was formed. The program is focused on the 1.1 million-acre Anoka Sand Plain (ASP) of central Minnesota – a biodiversity hotspot and home to at least 59 species of rare plants. The ASP is situated close to the state’s major metropolitan center and is under continual development pressure, therefore rare plant rescue opportunities are becoming increasingly frequent. The newly formed Rare Plant Rescue Program is a collaborative network with a common goal of rescuing, protecting, conserving, and expanding the collective knowledge of Minnesota’s rare plant species. To date, this group with partners and volunteers has performed 5 permitted rescue events and supported conservation activities (seed baking and research) for 16 rare plant species.