Funded by U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Rare Plant Partnership

Project Completed: 2024

Institution: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Center for Conservation & Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW)

Evaluating the genetic diversity of a micropropagated outplanting of the rare plant Minuartia cumberlandensis in Daniel Boone National Forest, USA

Introduction

An experimental out-planting of the endangered plant Minuartia cumberlandensis in Kentucky’s Daniel Boone National Forest has achieved notable success. Originally launched in 2005 through a collaboration between CREW and the USFS, the project aimed to establish a stable population of this rare species.

Project Goals

Assess the viability of using micropropagated plants to reintroduce and restore endangered species in suitable habitats. CREW and the USFS planted 63 micropropagated clones of seven genotypes to monitor survival, growth, and genetic diversity over time.

Minuartia cumberlandensis going to seed at the Daniel Boone National Forest out-planting.	Minuartia cumberlandensis in bloom at the Daniel Boone National Forest out-planting.

Key Achievements

By 2024, the population had grown to nearly 300 individuals, a number that has remained steady since 2019. A recent genetic study led by scientists from CREW and the Cincinnati Museum Center confirmed that the out-planting population retains genetic diversity comparable to its original wild population. The project’s success demonstrates that micropropagation is a viable method for supporting endangered species recovery and could be a model for similar efforts in plant conservation.