Researchers are conducting watershed by watershed surveys for lichens and vascular plants in the park, especially to note locations of new and rare species.
In 1999, this team visited Raven Fork and Cosby Watersheds. In 2000, this team visited Big Creek, Indian Camp Creek, Straight Fork, and Cosby Watersheds. In 2001, this team visited Big Creek, Panther Creek, Twentymile Creek, Abrams Creek, Parsons Branch, and Cataloochee Watersheds. No new park records were found these years.
In 2002, this team visited primarily Shop Creek, Tabcat Creek, Twentymile Creek, and White Oak Sinks watersheds, also Little Tennessee River, Panther Creek, Cataloochee Creek, Little River, and Abrams Creek watersheds. They found 4 new species: leatherwood (Dirca palustris), a spurge (Euphorbia mercurialina), a wild lettuce (Lactuca hirsute), and false garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve); and two historic species: a knotweed (Polygonum setaceum) and a gerardia (Agalinus setacea).
In 2003/4, visited watersheds north of Fontana where they found 8 new plants and 1 new lichen species.
In 2005, visited Cataloochee Creek, Oconaluftee River, and Jonathan Creek (Purchase Knob) watersheds, and White Oak Sinks where they found one new park species: the Plumeless Thistle (Carduus acanthoides).
In 2006, this team visited Baskins, Middle Prong Little Pigeon River, Oconaluftee River, and the West Prong Little Pigeon River watersheds. They found one species of sedge (Carex conjuncta) that was new to the park.
In 2007, this team visited Copeland, East Prong Little River, Le Conte, Oconoluftee, Ramsey, Soak Ash, and the West Prong Little Pigeon River watersheds.
In 2008, this team visited East Prong Little Pigeon, Forney, Noland, Oconaluftee River, and West Prong Little Pigeon watersheds. They found no new park records these years but documented many new populations of rare species.
In 2009, this team visited East Prong Little River, West Prong Little Pigeon River, and Middle Prong Little Pigeon River Watershed.
In 2010, this team visited West Prong Little Pigeon River and Mt. LeConte during October.
In 2011, this team revisited the West Prong Little Pigeon River and LeConte Creek watersheds, as well as the Indian Camp and Cosby Creeks watersheds, finding a number of rare or scarse taxa, some of which are non-native.
To date, they have discovered 16 plant species new to the park, rediscovered 2 historic species, found one sedge new to TN, 2 lichens new to the park (Cladonia brevis and Byssoloma c.f. leucoblepharum), and documented many new populations of rare species.