The Rare Plant Treasure Hunt (RPTH) is a citizen-science program started by CNPS in 2010, with the goal of getting up-to-date information on many of our state’s rare plants, while engaging chapter members and other volunteers in rare plant conservation. Many of California’s rare plant populations have not been seen in decades, and some parts of the state have seen little to no botanical exploration to date.
This program helps conserve our rare flora by providing valuable data to the CNPS Rare Plant Program and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Treasure Hunters can join an organized rare plant search; or learn how to plan their own trips by attending one of our training events; those who already have botanical experience can start leading their own trips! You can also sign up for the mailing list to be notified of upcoming events by sending an email to treasurehunt@cnps.org.
Rare plant treasure hunt news
- Call for Work Party Volunteers at Pine Hill Preserve
- 2015 Rare Plant Treasure Hunt Awards Announced
- Rare Plant Treasure Hunt Report – February 2016
- Rare Plant Treasure Hunt Report – 2017
A California rare plant treasure hunt documentary
A documentary of a Central Coast RPTH led by Deanna Giuliano at Lobos Ranch in spring 2013. Video by Rina Shaikh-Lesko of the UC Santa Cruz Science Communication Program. Featured in Stories from the Field at cnps.org. Original video: CA Rare Plant Treasure Hunt by Rina Shaikh-Lesko from SciCom Slugs on Vimeo.
