Getting Plant Conservation Right (or Not): The Case of the United States

Effective plant conservation includes addressing basic needs such as information about species distribution and rarity; research, management, education, and training capacity to mitigate threats facing threatened species; policy and funding to support continued capacity and conservation; and, ultimately, a public that understands and supports the importance of plants and the need for their conservation. Coordination of plant conservation efforts is also needed to ensure that resources and expertise are used in a strategic, efficient, and effective manner. We argue that no country is currently getting plant conservation right; plants are becoming increasingly rare around the world. Plants are often not fully protected by policy, their conservation is underfunded, and their importance is underappreciated. However, some countries have progressed further than others. Here we outline areas where the United States is strong and highlight components that need work to meet the country’s plant conservation needs.