Safeguarding Imperiled Orchid and Carnivorous Plant Species of Puerto Rico Following Hurricanes Irma and María
Puerto Rico’s island geography, subtropical climate, rich volcanic and limestone soils, and varied elevation is home to more than 2,300 native plant species with 245 species listed as endemic.
The Garden's efforts to advance research collaborations and native species recovery programs led to a partnership with the Arboretum Parque Doña Inés to ensure safeguarding strategies of many imperiled native Puerto Rican species (4-6 carnivorous plants and 4-6 orchid species) hit hardest by Hurricanes Irma and María.
The goals of this three-year collaboration are to:
- Collect wild seed collections for safeguarding.
- Develop germination and propagation protocols.
- Outplant plant material at identified protected and natural sites with long-term monitoring.
These efforts ensure long-term conservation safeguarding for many endemic Puerto Rican species, which is especially important as this region is expected to incur more frequent and intense natural disasters in the future.