South Carolina Plant Conservation Alliance (SCPCA)
Conserving rare plants for future generations
Category: Conservation
Three species of ferns found for the first time in South Carolina at Lake Jocassee
Patrick D. McMillan, PhD I am constantly surprised by the diversity we have yet to uncover in the Jocassee Gorges. One of the most profound discoveries was made over 80 years ago by botanists, William Chambers Coker, Henry Totten when…
Read MoreIntroduced Biodiversity at the Colosseum
The most amazing Twitter thread…. When botanists started exploring the Colosseum in the 1800s, they discovered it was full of plants that were not at all native to the region. How did they get there? Could it have been as…
Read MoreNatural History is Back
Natural history, including botany, has been out of fashion at universities for years, pushed aside by biochemistry, genetics, and the sexy high-tech disciplines. Now it appears to be making a comeback. Undark reports that zoology, botany, and natural history are…
Read MoreVenus Flytraps – Endangered?
The Venus flytrap, one of the most distinctive plants on the planet and a South Carolina native, isn’t yet listed as an endangered species but it is certainly at risk. Venus flytraps grow in the coastal plain and sandhills, in…
Read MoreNWRA releases at-risk species assessment for southern areas
The National Wildlife Refuge Association has just released its nwra-at-risk-report-2017 on Southern national forests, refuges, and other protected areas. This report attempts to quantify the role that protected areas play in supporting at-risk species, finding knowledge gaps, and encouraging cooperation…
Read MoreOct. 22-28 is NC Native Plants Week
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has declared October 22-28, 2017, Native Plants Week in North Carolina, and has commended its observance to all citizens.
Read MorePlanting forests, land management could cut carbon significantly
Looking for a reason to keep trying? So-called natural climate solutions could mitigate a substantial part of the damage done by carbon emissions, according to a report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Planting forests, land…
Read MoreBotanic gardens and plant conservation
The BBC reports that the world’s botanical gardens currently are helping to protect 40% of the world’s plant diversity. This report comes from research published in the journal Nature Plants, alas hidden behind a paywall but you can at least…
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