Wendy Gibble—Rare Care Program Manager

Washington’s rare plants comprise nearly 15% of the native plants species in the state and are found in just about every habitat type and county, yet they are seldom encountered and therefore poorly documented. With the continuing expansion of the state’s population, degradation of habitat, and changing weather patterns due to climate change, these plants face an uncertain future. In this talk, Wendy Gibble will present an overview of the conservation efforts to protect rare native plants by the Washington Rare Plant Care and Conservation (Rare Care) program and introduce some of the rare plants of Washington, with a focus on the Columbia Basin.