New York
At-risk and Protected Plants
Some of the plants available through the Plant Buying Collective have protected status or are considered at-risk in New York State. To make things easier for our NY users (and regional neighbors), plants with protected status under New York Law, or that are considered at-risk by the New York Natural Heritage Program, are highlighted in different colors.
Color-key and definitions
To filter the listings in our online shop and show only New York At-risk and Protected Plants, use the button below. (Note: not every event will have at-risk or protected plants.)
New York Protected Statuses
Plants with the following designations under New York Law have certain protections, and are outlined in the corresponding color.
Endangered
Native plants in danger of extirpation throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges within the State and requiring remedial action to prevent such extinction. Listed plants are those with five or fewer extant sites, or fewer than 1,000 individuals, or restricted to fewer than four U.S.G.S. 7½ minute series maps, or species listed as endangered by the United States Department of Interior in the Code of Federal Regulations.
Threatened
Native plants that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges within the State. Listed plants are those with 6 to fewer than 20 extant sites, or 1,000 to fewer than 3,000 individuals, or restricted to not less than four or more than seven U.S.G.S. 7½ minute series maps, or species listed as threatened by the United State Department of Interior in the Code of Federal Regulations.
Rare
Native plants that have from 20 to 35 extant sites or 3,000 to 5,000 individuals statewide.
Exploitably Vulnerable
Native plants likely to become threatened in the near future throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges within the State if causal factors continue unchecked.
New York Natural Heritage Program Statuses
The lists of plants with NY Protected Status are written into law and not easily updated. They have not been updated in a while, and are somewhat out-of-step with current science. The New York Natural Heritage Program provides more up-to-date assessments, however at-risk plants listed only by the Natural Heritage Program have no legal protection under New York Law.
Plants that are considered at-risk by the New York Natural Heritage Program, but don’t have protected status in NY, are outlined in blue. (If a plant has NY protected status in addition to NY Natural Heritage Program at-risk status, it will be color-coded according to its NY protected status above)
NY Natural Heritage Program Codes Explained
SX - Presumed Extinct or Extirpated
Species is believed to be extinct in the wild (GX) or extirpated from the state/province (SX). Not located despite intensive searches of historical sites and other appropriate habitat, and virtually no likelihood that it will be rediscovered.
SH - Possibly Extinct or Extirpated (Historical)
Species or community occurred historically in the state/province, and there is some possibility that it may be rediscovered. Its presence may not have been verified in the past 20-40 years. A species or community could become SH without such a 20-40-year delay if the only known occurrences in a the state/province were destroyed or if it had been extensively and unsuccessfully looked for. The SH rank is reserved for species for which some effort has been made to relocate occurrences, rather than simply using this status for all elements not known from verified extant occurrences.
S1 - Critically Imperiled
At very high risk of extinction (G1) or extirpation from New York (S1) due to very restricted range, very few populations or occurrences, very steep declines, severe threats, or other factors.
S2 - Imperiled
At high risk of extinction (G2) or extirpation from New York (S2) due to restricted range, few populations or occurrences, steep declines, severe threats, or other factors.
S3 - Vulnerable
At moderate risk of extinction (G3) or extirpation from New York (S3) due to a fairly restricted range, relatively few populations or occurrences, recent and widespread declines, threats, or other factors.
