Project Prioritization

There is no shortage of urgent rare plant conservation concerns in Tennessee. However, as we grow we hope to systematically pursue the most critical needs first, as capacity allows. Our first prioritization method consisted of soliciting expert opinion from botanists, ecologists, biologists, naturalists, and managers who are familiar with Tennessee's rare flora on the ground and can speak to the needs of a species, population, community, or site, but also the broader needs of the conservation community in Tennessee. Experts from across the state submitted what they consider to be the top priorities, and in a series of three regional meetings we discussed the needs and began to strategize how we can begin addressing those needs. In the future, we may pursue other prioritization methods alongside expert opinion to further assess the most critical needs. The list of priorities will evolve over time--sometimes new priorities will be added while other projects may be re-prioritized. Click the button below to download a spreadsheet that summarizes the priorities determined over the course of 3 regional meetings in 2023.