Park County’s At-Risk Native Species
Montana's Species of Concern (SOC): Priority 1 (red), Priority 2 (blue), and other species of management concern (green).
Did you know it’s Pollinator Week? As the Wild Habitat Director at PCEC, I spend a lot of time thinking about the quiet but essential relationships that shape life in Park County—particularly those between native plants and their pollinators. These species may be small, but they are at the heart of the wild landscapes we all love.
This week is a chance to celebrate them, but also to recognize the mounting challenges they face. Park County alone has 69 plant and 64 invertebrate species that are classified as “at risk” as of June 2025. Keep reading to find out what species and how you can help!
Understanding and supporting our locally adapted species becomes even more crucial as our community continues to confront unguided development, habitat loss, and climate-driven extreme weather events, alongside diminishing federal support to manage our public lands and shared resources, and lead critical scientific research.
Consider Montana's threatened bee species, such as Western Bumble Bee (Bombus occidentalis) and Suckley's Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus suckleyi). These declines are directly linked to the loss and degradation of the diverse native flowering plants they rely on. These interconnected relationships form the base of our local food webs.
Western Bumble Bee (Bombus occidentalis) (left) and Suckley's Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus suckleyi) (right)
There's a bigger story here than just flowers and bees—it's important to recognize that while these larger issues directly threaten Park County's stability and resilience, it is these often-overlooked small species that are, in fact, the foundational building blocks of the healthy ecosystems we are working to sustain.
We have plenty of ways you can get involved and support at-risk species and the ecosystems they rely on. Please check out our upcoming events! Help us protect wildlife habitat and native species while we advocate for sound policy that prioritizes the health of this landscape.
What Are Species of Concern & Greatest Conservation Need in Park County?
We are aligning our local community conservation efforts with the Montana Native Plant Conservation Strategy. This new statewide framework, published last October (October 2024), provides a roadmap to counter the impacts of rapid growth and habitat fragmentation. To assist scientists and local agency partners, we're focused on understanding key ecological signals from indicator species and protecting those already classified as Species of Concern and Greatest Conservation Need.
Greatest Conservation Need species represent our most critical conservation priorities; these are the most at-risk species, often considered at the state and global level as Species Of Concern in severe trouble, identified by their vulnerability (or "rank"), specific threats, and unique habitat needs.
Park County has 69 plant and 64 invertebrate species classified as Species of Concern, including Greatest Conservation Need keystone species like Whitebark Pine and the intricate Quaking Aspen communities. Beyond these prominent examples, a wealth of lesser-known species such as One-flowered Gentian, Oregon Checker-mallow and Dwarf Purple MonkeyFlower are also classified as Greatest Conservation Need plants.
Explore the comprehensive Park County Species of Concern excel list for plants and invertebrates as of June 2025, download full list from our website.
We need to know if you’ve seen any of these species!
One-flowered Gentian (Gentianopsis simplex): Gentians often have unique, complex floral structures that restrict access to nectar, favoring long-tongued bumblebees as primary pollinators.
Oregon Checker-mallow (Sidalcea oregana): Sidalcea species are pollinated by a variety of bees (including bumblebees and solitary bees), wasps, flies, and beetles. Black-fronted turret bee (Diadasia nigrafrons) is a specialist bee that relies heavily on plants in the Sidalcea genus for food and nesting.
Dwarf Purple Monkeyflower (Mimulus nanus): Several Bombus species (bumblebees) have been reported as pollinators of Mimulus nanus. Primary pollinators of Dwarf Purple Monkeyflower are semi-social bees and native solitary. This species requires pollinators to maintain gene flow and effective reproduction.
Ready for a scavenger hunt? Help us keep an eye out!
Understanding precisely where native plants and their pollinators exist is essential for their protection, and you can directly contribute to these vital mapping and monitoring efforts.
It's simpler than you think; download a tool like iNaturalist or Seek by iNaturalist (both excellent for identifying and logging Species of Concern), head out for a hike, snap a photo, and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you're making a tangible difference. This community-sourced data directly empowers scientists and land managers to protect our native plant and pollinator populations. PictureThis is another great resource for plant identification.
For further training, you can also watch the most recent Livingston Loves Bees, Bee City Committee training on pollinator tracking by local bee expert Michelle Toshask from Xerces Society: [watch YouTube clip here].
Join us in taking direct action for Park County's future!