Adopt a Rare Plant

 

Volunteers look for rare plants in a meadow in the Fremont-Winema National Forest. Photo credit, Eva Thiemann.

Ready to get started?

  1. Fill out our Volunteer Interest form.

  2. Sign our Data & Site Security Agreement.

  3. We will contact you with training and onboarding information.

  4. Sign the Waiver

  5. We will work with you to identify a rare plant to adopt!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need botany experience to volunteer?

A: No! Although experience working with native plants or conducting ecological surveys is helpful, it is not required to volunteer with the Adopt a Rare Plant Project. Feel free to let us know your level of plant and survey confidence/experience in the Comment box when you sign up, and we will connect you with appropriate volunteer opportunities.

Q: What qualities are you looking for in a volunteer?

A:

  1. Interested in plant conservation and stewardship

  2. Flexible attitude and eagerness to learn and share knowledge

  3. Ability to visually distinguish a target plant from other co-occurring plants (we will show you!)

  4. Ability to navigate and traverse uneven terrain in adverse weather conditions

  5. Ability to collect and report scientific data using a smartphone or tablet, attention to detail

  6. Commitment to attending training events with the Rare Plant Monitoring Network and monitoring at least one site where your adopted plant is found.

Q: What’s involved exactly, and what’s the time commitment?

A: All volunteers commit to completing our training process, which is designed to provide confidence in data collecting using our monitoring protocol. This requires use of a phone or tablet (“device”) to use our monitoring app. There are two training sessions:

  1. Virtual or in-person Orientation: We introduce you to the Rare Plant Monitoring Network and provide an overview of the data collection protocol and app. You can attend in person in the spring or view a recorded version of this talk after you sign up.

  2. Group Monitoring Practice events: These events occur roughly once per month April-June. During these full-day events, you’ll go out to a site with a small group of experts and volunteers. We will work together to identify our targeted rare plant and get real-world practice using the protocol and monitoring app on your device. Attend as many Group Monitoring events as you need to feel confident with the methods!

After training is complete, you’ll meet with our team to select a rare plant in need of adoption. We’ll provide you with a site location and everything else you need to monitor this plant. Most volunteers spend 1-2 days monitoring each site. Multiple sites and plants may be available for volunteers looking to spend more time in the field!

Volunteer Interest Form

Fill out the form below and we will send you more information about volunteer and training opportunities. Thank you!