News and Stories

Another springtime of clover restoration is upon us!

Plant scientists at the Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) are working to restore Trifolium kentuckiense, commonly known as Kentucky Clover, a critically imperiled species. In collaboration with Bowyer Farm and botanist Tara Littlefield from Kentucky Nature Preserves, CREW is actively supporting efforts to revive its population.

Mairead Kennedy, CREW’s Plant Division Lab Manager and Conservation Horticulturalist, has dedicated much of this month to preparing for another significant season of clover restoration. Currently, CREW has 31 different genetic lines on propagation media, and thanks to Mairead’s expertise in tissue culture, 779 plants are on rooting media, 280 of which are already beginning the acclimatization process as they transition out of their tubes, with many more to come!

CREW’s tissue culture techniques have significantly supported the restoration of Kentucky Clover. So far, over 1,500 plants have been sent to the Zoo’s offsite property at Bowyer Farm, where they continue to grow until they are strong enough to be transferred to our partners in Kentucky for reintroduction into their natural habitat.

At Bowyer, volunteers assist in seed collection, which is then stored on-site, returned to the plant division for potential germination, or sent to Tara Littlefield to further ongoing restoration efforts.

With a bit of luck—plus plenty of hard work—CREW scientists will continue working to restore endangered plant populations for years to come.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from your favorite conservation scientists! 🍀