[MPWG] ­­Plant Conservation Alliance General Meeting Summary – July 14, 2021

[Park, Margaret E]

Apologies for cross-postings.

[The following summary reflects discussions and information that was current as of the meeting. Some events or content may have concluded in the meantime.]

The meeting was hosted virtually and chaired by the Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA) Federal Committee Chair, Patricia De Angelis/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Featured Speaker
Dr. Ellen Damschen, Full Professor, University of Madison-Wisconsin, discussed her research on habitat corridors and native plant biodiversity, conducted over large spatial and temporal scales, including recent results from an 18-year study<https://science.sciencemag.org/content/365/6460/1478.abstract?casa_token=jz7EcfU8ZioAAAAA:2mcyCVmLDOJYSbsWUtYFZmAwRCdJapO3bdyyUO2-jxNLBn3urIcbL_OMahqidEQuYif2gQC1F2QXlQ>. While the importance of habitat connectivity is well known for animal species, its value to plant communities has largely been inferred. With study sites in tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, longleaf pine savanna, serpentine grasslands, and dolomite glade grasslands across the United States, her research has provided the first documented evidence that connectivity does increase the number of plant species. She further explores the roles of edge effects, isolation, and area on plant biodiversity, extinction, and colonization rates; differential impacts on bird- and wind-dispersed seeds; and positive correlations in species richness from the combined effects of connectivity and low-intensity fire in these fire-adapted ecosystems. The scale and time span for her work provides unique data to help determine drivers of species declines and strategies we can use to promote species persistence and recovery. Take-home messages: Conservation management based on area alone without considering connectivity will shortchange species richness; Restoration with seed additions promote establishment, persistence, and spread of desired plant species; Habitat connectivity and fire prevent species loss; Concurrent planning for connectivity and fire management enhances diversity and prevents species loss. View the presentation and additional resources on our PCA meetings page<http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/meetings>.

Updates on PCA Activities
Nonfederal Cooperators Committee (NFCC) Updates / Dr. Kay Havens, Chicago Botanic Garden (Chair)

  *   There are currently 406 PCA non-federal Cooperators<https://www.plantconservationalliance.org/cooperators>, which include state agencies and private organizations interested in U.S. native plant conservation. Cooperators receive regular communications to participate in PCA general meetings, as well as Non-Federal Cooperator Committee outreach and education efforts to raise awareness about the importance of native plant conservation.

  *   We had a PCA exhibit booth at the 2021 Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) World Conference, “peopled” by Maggie Park and Krissa Skogen, who fielded requests for information on PCA activities. We provided new cooperator outreach [hyperlink to that webpage?] and bookmarks focused on native seeds! (contact Maggie Park [hyperlink your email address] if you’d like copies of this information)
  *   Anne Francis is stepping down as Vice Chair of the NFCC as she leaves her position at NatureServe to work for the USDA-ARS, but will continue to engage with the PCA in new role.

Federal Committee Updates / Dr. Patricia De Angelis (Chair)

  *   The US Army Corps of Engineers is the tenth agency to renew the PCA interagency MOU<https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/PCA%20MOU%202019%208%20signed%20FULL.pdf>, to join fellow agencies: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Defense, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Botanic Garden, USDA Agricultural Research Service, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Survey.
  *   The National Seed Strategy Progress Report has been finalized and is being sent to the printers. Hard copies should be available in about 3 months.
  *   The National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) is taking a nationwide look across public and private sectors at the use and availability of native plants for ecological restoration and is expected to be completed in Fall 2021.
     *   From their website<https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/an-assessment-of-native-seed-needs-and-capacities>, they have a link to sign up for updates, as well as for the public to provide input and comments on their study.
     *   Letters went out on 12 May, to the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Department of Defense, and U.S. Forest Service to inform leadership of their efforts.
     *   To inform the effort, they’ve held a series of public meetings to talk with subject matter experts. These meetings have been recorded and are available on their website. The latest meeting (#14) featured presenters from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), who explained the role of native seeds in the agency’s emergency response after wildfires and its current efforts to have native seeds on-hand in BLM warehouses for future emergencies and planned needs.
     *   The latest meeting (#14) featured presenters from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), who explained the role of native seeds in the agency’s emergency response after wildfires and its current efforts to have native seeds on-hand in BLM warehouses for future emergencies and planned needs. View the recording here<https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/06-18-2021/an-assessment-of-native-seed-needs-and-capacities-meeting-14>.

  *   A “National Seed Strategy 2.0” Steering Committee has formed to review and update the Strategy (as recommended in Goal 4) to reflect progress and current needs. Section Teams include members of the PCA Federal Committee and Nonfederal Committee, as well as Federal Implementation Working Group Subgroup Leads. Participants and overall timeline are below.
     *   Steering Committee:
Name
Affiliation
Section Lead
Patricia De Angelis
USFWS
Front Matter
Peggy Olwell
BLM
Front Matter
Nancy Shaw
USFS
Goal 1
Kay Havens
CBG
Goal 1
Vicky Erickson
USFS
Goal 2
Francis Kilkenny
USFS
Goal 2
Sarah Kulpa
USFWS
Goal 3
Greg Eckert
NPS
Goal 3
Gary Krupnick
SI
Goal 4
Molly McCormick
USGS
Goal 4
Maggie Park
USFWS
Coordination
Mandie Carr
BLM
Coordination

     *   Overall timeline:
        *   June/July: Section Leads doing initial edits
        *   September: National Academies' report is expected
        *   October/November: Final revisions
        *   Input from Federal Committee
        *   Feb/March 2022: Finalize the revised Strategy

Native Plants Roundtable

(Time ran short, so the following provides additional information that could not be fully elaborated in the meeting.)

The CITES* Animals and Plants Committee Meetings were held virtually the entire month of June. These meetings inform the scientific work undertaken between CITES meetings. A range of issues were discussed, including guidance about the term “artificially propagated”, a resolution on CITES & Forests, and joint items with the Animals Committee specimens produced through biotechnology, etc. The U.S. delegation was led by the USFWS and included representation from several US agencies, including Department of State, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and National Marine Fisheries Service.

*The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species<https://cites.org/eng> (CITES) is an international treaty among 180+ nations to ensure that international trade of certain animal and plant species is not detrimental to their survival in the wild and their legal trade is regulated through a system of permits. The USFWS is the lead agency implementing CITES for the United States.

  *   Many well-known plants and animals are regulated under CITES, from orchids to elephants, and tree ferns to emperor scorpions. Currently, the CITES Appendices includes U.S. native 616 plant taxa and 1123 animal taxa (including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa). U.S.-native species include the Venus flytrap, black coral, the ruby-throated hummingbird, and the humpback whale.
  *   The next meeting of the Conference of the Parties is scheduled for November 2022, in Panama. The USFWS regularly seeks public input and shares information about species or issues we plan to propose or support at the meeting. A notice published in the Federal Register seeking public input on possible species proposals closed on May 3 and received suggestions regarding 160 animals and 180 plants. We are reviewing these suggestions and will report our plans which will be published in a federal register notice. See the Federal Register notice to learn more:
     *   Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// www.regulations.gov<http://www.regulations.gov>
     *   Search for FWS– HQ–IA–2021–0008

“America the Beautiful” initiative: The DOI/USDA/Dept of Commerce/Office of the President issued a joint press release<https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOI/bulletins/2d7d475> on May 2, with an initial report<https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/report-conserving-and-restoring-america-the-beautiful-2021.pdf> describing a vision for a 10-year, locally led and voluntary nationwide conservation goal to restore and 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. "This report and the recommendations that follow are anchored in a simple truth: nature is essential to the health, well-being, and prosperity of every family and every community in America."

     *   The report emphasizes engagement with landowners and natural resource managers. Among the first priorities will be to develop the American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas, a tool that will better reflect the voluntary contributions of farmers, ranchers, forest owners and private landowners; the contributions of fishery management councils; and other existing conservation designations on lands and waters across federal, state, local, Tribal, and private lands and waters across the nation.

**Keep your ears to the ground and perhaps you can participate in this effort from your neck of the woods, so we can ensure that plant species and their habitats are given due consideration and focus in this effort.

Global Consultation on Restoration Principles: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) are soliciting feedback from the global restoration community on principles for ecosystem restoration. See the proposed principles and an online survey to provide feedback (survey closes 19 July 2021 at 6 PM CEST): https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/global-consultation-restoration-principles

Estimating the Economic Impacts of Ecosystem Restoration: Methods and Case Studies, USGS, 2016:  This report provides data on the meaningful economic contributions of ecosystem restoration projects to local economies and to broader regional and national economies, and estimate that between 13 and 32 job-years* and between $2.2 million and $3.4 million in total economic output are contributed to the national economy per million dollars invested in ecosystem restoration. (*Job-years measure the total number of annualized full and part-time jobs accumulated over the duration of a restoration project.) These results demonstrate how investments in resource restoration support jobs, small businesses, and rural communities. See: https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20161016

PCA Resources

PCA Nonfederal Cooperators website<http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/cooperators>: To join as a non-federal cooperator, go here<http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/join-us>. You can see the meetings page here<http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/meetings>.
PCA Federal Committee Website<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy/pca>: Read about the National Seed Strategy<https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/docs/2020-12/NationalSeedStrategy_2015-2020.pdf> and the current MOU<https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/PCA%20MOU%202019.pdf>.
PCA Discussion Lists<https://www.blm.gov/pca-discussion-lists>: The PCA has several national discussion lists focused on different topics that are free to join and open to all: native plants, medicinal plants, alien plants, and restoration working group. Consider joining each list you are interested, because we generally do not cross-post information. – learn more and subscribe here<https://www.blm.gov/pca-discussion-lists>.


Follow us on Social Media!

  *   PCA Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/PlantConservationAlliance> page
     *   #BotanicMonday: Our weekly series on Botanic Gardens and Arboreta
     *   #GoodNewsTues: We’re starting a new series on Tuesdays where we post about good news in plant conservation.
     *   #WildflowerWednesday: Our weekly series on wildflower identification and facts
     *   #FloraFriday: Our weekly Friday series on all things plants.
     *   #PlantID, #PlantFacts, #SeedNeeds, #SeedsofSuccess, #EcologicalRestoration, #NationalSeedStrategy, #NativeSeedStandards, #RestorationEcology, #NativePlants, #BotanicalGarden, #Arboretum, #NativeSeed
  *   Follow us on Twitter<https://twitter.com/natseedstrategy>
     *   #SeedNeeds<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SeedNeeds%20(from%3Anatseedstrategy)&src=typed_query>, #SeedsofSuccess<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SeedsofSuccess%20(from%3Anatseedstrategy)&src=typed_query>, #EcologicalRestoration<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23EcologicalRestoration%20(from%3Anatseedstrategy)&src=typed_query>, #NationalSeedStrategy<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NationalSeedStrategy%20(from%3Anatseedstrategy)&src=typed_query>, #NativeSeedStandards<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23nativeseedstandards%20(from%3Anatseedstrategy)&src=typeahead_click>, #RestorationEcology<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23restorationecology%20(from%3Anatseedstrategy)&src=typed_query>, #NativePlants<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23nativeplants%20(from%3Anatseedstrategy)&src=typed_query>, #NativeSeed<https://twitter.com/search?q=%23nativeseed%20(from%3Anatseedstrategy)&src=typed_query>

Next Plant Conservation Alliance Meeting September 8: Dr. Sam Droege Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey/Patuxent Wildlife Research Center “Replacing lawns with native plant communities: The Native Bee Perspective.” Details are available on the PCA meetings page<http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/meetings>. RSVP to margaret_park at fws.gov

Meanwhile, please share your native plant information! We encourage PCA listserv members to post meetings, webinars, and research on the discussion lists as we continue our collaborative mission to protect native plants by ensuring that native plant populations and their communities are maintained, enhanced, and restored.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.plantconservation.org/pipermail/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org/attachments/20210831/a77c1ed1/attachment-0001.html>