Rare and May-Be At Risk Plants
The definition of a rare or may-be at risk plant can depend on the geographic area being considered. Maps of globally rare plants (i.e., found only in the NWT or else in very limited other areas world-wide) can be viewed here. May-be at risk plants are extremely rare, at least regionally, but have not yet been assessed by COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada).
Species are generally rare or may-be at risk because of very specific habitat requirements. For example, some plants have adapted to the high levels of mineral salts found in the water and soils of hot or cold springs, and therefore would normally only occur in those specific circumstances. However, low sampling effort throughout the territory may lead to some plant species being misclassified as rare or may-be at risk, simply because there are very few records.
The PAS Science Team is working with the Ecosystem Management Biologist from the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) to compile a database in order to document the occurrences of rare and may-be at risk plants in the NWT. To date, the database includes all the plant records from the Canadian Museum of Nature and the herbarium at Agriculture and Agri-food Canada in Ottawa. The map showing this information can be used to assess how well existing and proposed protected areas protect rare and may-be at risk plants, a first step in discussions to determine if additional protection is needed for some rare and may-be at risk plants.
For more information on rare and may-be at risk plants contact ENR at nwtsoer@gov.nt.ca. Researchers and residents are encouraged to send their records to the same address.
