NatureServe is pleased to announce Jame Amoroso as the 2016 Larry E. Morse Visiting Botanist Fellow. Established with support of the Botany Fund in 2012, the Larry E. Morse fellowship recognizes Network botanists both past and present, new in their career or seasoned scientists, for their commitment to plant conservation.

As botanist for the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) beginning in 1994, Amoroso spent nine years collecting, compiling, evaluating and distributing rare plant information.  During her time with NCNHP, she supervised the completion of status surveys for rare plant species and non-vascular species.  Given Jame’s long tenure, she has a deep knowledge of the methodology used by heritage biologists which she’ll draw from during the fellowship.

More recently, as a contract environmental biologist, Jame has assisted in the development of the Biotics 5 database, particularly the documentation of exemplary natural communities, rare species and their habitats.

As this year’s Larry E. Morse Fellow at NatureServe, Jame will be working to update Element Global Ranks (GRANKs) and North Carolina Element Subnational Ranks (SRANKs) for plant species ranked from G1 (Critically Imperiled Globally) to G3 (Vulnerable) that have been identified as lacking sufficient data to support state listing during their most recent review in 2010. Once updated, this information will be shared with state organizations and made available for the development of conservation prioritization and planning in North Carolina.

We look forward to supporting Jame Amoroso's efforts and are confident that the results of her work will significantly advance the science behind plant conservation while continuing the legacy of Dr. Larry E. Morse.