What do rare desert wildflowers, digital imaging, and community college students have in common?

They’re all part of a CSN effort to preserve and share the state’s native plant history with researchers, conservationists and the public.

Thanks to a partnership with Clark County and funding through the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan, CSN has completed the digitization of more than 8,800 plant specimens from the Wesley E. Niles Herbarium. Each specimen includes a high-resolution image, precise location data, and full identification details — all now searchable through SEINet, a national biodiversity database.

“We’ve met every goal Clark County set for us, and we’re on track to deliver twice as many digitized specimens as originally planned,” said Dr. Matt Mahrt, CSN biology professor and project lead. “All credit goes to Marcus. He’s done an outstanding job managing the work, his student team, and volunteers to keep everything moving forward.”

The project specifically targeted rare, threatened and protected species, including Arctomecon californica, a bright yellow poppy found only in certain parts of Clark County. The new digitized archive includes georeferenced data, which helps conservationists track the location and health of sensitive species over time.

CSN faculty and student workers contributed to the effort, using specialized scanning equipment funded through the project. The work exceeded expectations — with nearly 3,000 more specimens processed than initially required for the reporting period.

The full collection is expected to exceed 12,000 specimens by the end of September.