About the TPCA

The Tennessee Plant Conservation Alliance is an action-oriented group of partners focused on the conservation of rare plants in Tennessee. Partners—including individuals, professional biologists, academic institutions, state and federal agencies, botanical gardens, commercial growers, and other organizations—voluntarily identify plant conservation projects and implement them on the ground. To support the partners in their work, we have established a loose governance structure that consists of a Coordinator and a Steering Committee. The Coordinator creates a platform to share project updates and needs among TPCA partners, assists in the planning and execution of projects, and creates opportunities to build partner capacity. The Steering Committee consists of members from various agencies, universities, and other organizations that have a stake in rare plant conservation. They work with the Coordinator to inform the strategic direction of the TPCA, provide guidance to project partners when appropriate, and facilitate TPCA-related communications. Because of their diverse expertise, the Steering Committee has a wide sphere of influence, which they leverage to recruit more project partners and improve access to additional resources for the TPCA. Ultimately, the Coordinator and the Steering Committee exist to support project leaders and to mobilize action for Tennessee’s imperiled plants.