Endangered plant species need help too
May 27, 2011
The U.S. Botanic Garden recently hosted its annual Endangered Species Day. In an new infoZine report, several plant species are highlighted as endangered, as conservationists hope that plants can receive the same amount of attention as animals do when it comes to protection.
"Most of the reason that you probably see for species to become threatened or endangered is loss of habitat. This is the number one reason. Conserving their habitat is the most important thing that can be done," said Lewis Gorman III, the partnership's coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Taxus floridana as well as the Florida yew are among the species that need close attention in order to prevent categorization as "threatened" or "endangered."
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service work together to oversee the Endangered Species Act. According to the New York Times, the Endangered Species Act currently protects about 1,400 plants and animal species.