Managers of public lands are charged with conserving rare plants, but information about the basic life history and ecology of these plants is lacking. Each federal and state land agency has distinct mandates and regulations under which it manages public lands. Federal and state botanists assist in planning and implementing a variety of diverse projects on these lands, including timber harvest, grazing, mining, road-building, and recreation. These specialists survey project areas, report rare plant sightings to state Natural Heritage Programs, analyze projects for effects, propose mitigation measures, and monitor rare plant populations. As budgets to carryout this work continue to decrease, managers and academics need to coordinate our efforts to prioritize work and establish long-term population monitoring in order to understand each species’ response to environmental variation and habitat management.

Key words: Botrychium spp., management, public lands, rare plants