October 17, 2024
Kate Loughran, recipient of The Garden Club of America’s (GCA) Catherine H. Beattie Fellowship in Conservation Horticulture, has analyzed the genetic diversity of all North Carolina populations of swamp pink (Helonias bullata), a threatened wetland species in the Southern Appalachians. “Through my work with the state of North Carolina,” says Loughran, a master’s student in Conservation Genetics at Appalachian State University, “I have seen firsthand the crisis that many rare plants are currently facing for long-term survival.”
Before starting her master’s degree, Loughran worked for six years professionally focusing on plant conservation, monitoring, collecting data, and restoring habitat for numerous imperiled species. Loughran comments, “When starting my master’s degree, my overarching goal was to contribute to rare-plant research and aid in conservation initiatives.”
In addition to her current master’s research, Loughran works for the North Carolina Plant Conservation Program as the Western Region Land Management Technician, managing state plant preserves in western North Carolina. Loughran’s research has identified plant populations in North Carolina that are experiencing genetic drift and loss of genetic diversity due to habitat loss and subsequent isolation. Additionally, her research data will inform future management decisions and conservation of imperiled plant populations.
Loughran is one of 100 recipients in the GCA’s Class of 2024 Scholars. In 2024, a record $459,000 was awarded to young people in fields including botany, landscape architecture, horticulture, and urban forestry. Applications for the 2025 GCA Scholarship season opened on September 1.
Applications for the GCA’s Catherine H. Beattie Fellowship are due January 31st, 2025, and are accessible through the GCA website : https://www.gcamerica.org/scholarships.
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