ORONO — The public is invited to participate in a project to expand knowledge about wild leeks in Maine and improve opportunities for the conservation of the species.

Wild leeks (Allium tricoccum) are part of the onion family and grow in rich hardwood and floodplain forests. Also known as ramps, leeks are listed as a species of special concern due to limited distribution and total numbers.

The Maine Wild Leek Project is a collaboration between University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Natural Areas Program. In coming months, participating citizen scientists will receive more information from University of Maine Extension about wild leeks, including research on the effects of harvesting and a fact sheet about how to establish a wild leeks patch.

For more information on the Maine Wild Leek Project, visit maine.gov/dacf/mnap/features/alltri.htm.

Additional information about the project, including the reporting form, is available online in the April 2016 Maine Home Garden News website at extension.umaine.edu/gardening/blog/2016/04/01/maine-home-garden-news-april-2016/#article-1. More information also is available from David Fuller, 207-778-4650, dfuller@maine.edu.