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The Sentinel Plant Network
Welcome to the Sentinel Plant Network!
Who We Are
Funded through the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the Sentinel Plant Network (SPN) is a collaboration between the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) and the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN).
Participants in the Sentinel Plant Network strategic planning retreat gathered in the conservatory of Longwood Gardens.
Photo courtesy of Jim Stack, Kansas State University.
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This partnership makes it possible to extend NPDN’s diagnostic and “First Detector” training expertise to the diverse collections and public outreach programs of the more than 500 APGA member gardens across the country. The two organizations work hand in hand, with NPDN taking the lead on content development and APGA working to disseminate this information through its membership by recruiting gardens to participate in the Sentinel Plant Network, conducting training workshops for professionals, and producing educational outreach materials.
Our Mission
The Sentinel Plant Network contributes to plant conservation by engaging public garden professionals, volunteers, and visitors in the detection and diagnosis of high consequence pests and pathogens.
What We Do
- Provide public garden professionals with training and diagnostic support to better monitor and protect their collections;
- Enhance garden outreach efforts to educate their communities on the impact of high-consequence plant pests and pathogens and engage individuals as First Detectors;
- Facilitate greater collaboration about invasive pests and pathogens among public gardens and with other organizations through improved databases and communication protocols.
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| Asian Longhorned Beetle, Kenneth R. Law, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org | Emerald Ash Borer, David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org |
Who Has Already Joined SPN & How You Can Participate
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The Sentinel Plant Network now includes over 100 member gardens in 33 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces.
Find out who is already participating and how you can enroll your garden!
The Sentinel Plant Network Toolbox
As a resource of the Sentinel Plant Network (SPN), APGA members are encouraged to access the SPN toolbox. Here you will find a number of informative documents, articles, links and training materials.
Developed by APGA as part of its work with the Sentinel Plant Network, the Plant Heroes website is specifically designed for young learners and aims to increase their knowledge about plant pests and diseases and ultimately engage them in protecting the plants in their own yards, neighborhoods and communities from emerging threats. As such, it is a valuable resource for public garden professionals, parents and educators looking for innovative ways to teach K-12 audiences about this important subject.
Workshops
The Sentinel Plant Network is periodically conducts regional workshops to introduce staff from participating gardens to new SPN resources and build working relationships amongst public garden professionals and with other stakeholders engaged in the early detection of high-consequence plant pests and pathogens. Read more about these workshops.
Other agencies involved with the Sentinel Plant Network include:
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