Native Plant Conservation Campaign News: Rare Kentucky Goldenrod Declared Recovered

November 18, 2016

 

On October 11, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found the White-haired Goldenrod (Solidago albopilosa) to be recovered, and removed it from the federal endangered species list. The flower, found only in the Red River Gorge area of Kentucky, was federally protected in 1988. The Goldenrod co-occurs with other rare glacial relict plants in an Important Plant Area. It was imperiled primarily due to trampling from recreationists.

 

After listing, botanists from the Kentucky Natural Heritage Program and the NPCC Affiliate Kentucky Native Plant Society (KNPS) mapped and fenced the plant’s populations on the Daniel Boone National Forest, and signs were erected to educate visitors about how to protect the plant. As a result of these actions, the plant's population has stabilized.

 

The Forest Service has allocated staff to monitor the plant and continue the new protections, and KNPS, USFS and the Kentucky Natural Heritage Program will establish a citizen science program to monitor the area and further educate the public.

 

The plant’s story is similar to the recovery of the Robbins Cinquefoil which had also been threatened by trampling by visitors to New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest. The plant, which had been on the brink of extinction, was removed from the federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants in 2002. The recovery was achieved by a coalition including botanists from the New England Wild Flower Society and the U.S. Forest Service.

 

Despite these successes, both species remain threatened by accelerating climate change.

 

These success stories show the importance of both the Endangered Species Act and of public lands as refugia for rare species. They also highlight the need for trained botanists to properly manage, monitor and conserve botanical diversity.

 

 

White Haired Goldenrod Photo (c) Center for Biological Diversity

 

 

More information:

 

Effective Date: November 10, 2016

Web site: The October 11, 2016 FWS Federal Register Final Rule is posted at

The final post-delisting monitoring plan will be posted at

The February 26, 2016 FWS Federal Register Proposed Rule is posted at

The September 1, 2015 FWS Federal Register Proposed Rule is posted at

A Species Profile for the White-Haired Goldenrod is posted at