The New England Plant Conservation Program (NEPCoP), which is administered by Native Plant Trust (formerly New England Wild Flower Society), coordinates professional botanists and trained volunteers to monitor rare plant populations across New England to assess population size and health. The goal of this program is to prevent the extinction and promote the recovery of native plant species in New England.
The information collected during these research surveys is in partnership with the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, which maintains a database on rare plants, animals and natural communities.
For 2026, our goal is to monitor a population of Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium pusillum) located on Harvard Forest (west of Nelson Rd and north of Tom Swamp Rd). We plan to determine if the plants are present and collect data on the size and health of the population, the surrounding plant community and any potential threats. No equipment will be used to conduct the survey and we will not collect any samples or impact the site in any way.