Dr. Robert Wernerehl is the State Botanist of Massachusetts where he leads the botany program at the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP), Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Through the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA), he helps protect and monitor populations of over 500 species of vascular plants state-listed as Endangered, Threatened, Special Concern, Watch List and Historic, including four federally-listed threatened and endangered species. Dr. Wernerehl has over 20 years of conservation experience. Previously, he served as an instructor at University of Wisconsin-Madison and has over 15 years of private consulting experience. Dr. Wernerehl earned a PhD in Plant Ecology and a Bachelor of Science in Botany from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.