[PCA] NEWS: BLM plants 'Seeds of Success' - Using native plants for restoration

Tue Sep 4 11:50:00 CDT 2007

Bonnie and Tony make good points: 1) There isn't enough to go around and 
2) Maybe there's an alternative to full re-seeding (even in cases where 
the seed banks get destroyed by fire).

The Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA) held a workshop with the American 
Seed Trade Association in March 2007, which provided an excellent 
synthesis of the types of research and questions that are being looked at 
across PCA member agencies when it comes to using native plants in 
restoration work.  The problem of not having sufficient seed to restore 
the large amounts of land was variously addressed by each of the 
presenters.  The agenda and presentations are available at: 
http://www.nps.gov/plants/meetings/bimonthly/mar2007/index.htm

I was particularly excited about Vicky Erickson's presentation 
(http://www.nps.gov/plants/meetings/bimonthly/mar2007/erickson/index.htm), 
which discussed new planting methodologies to make best use of the limited 
resources.   Unfortunately, the presentation on the web does not include 
some of the information that she provided in her oral presentation (and my 
notes are on my home computer). 

So, I will cc: Vicky here to see if she could recap a bit about that 
research, including the size of the burn area, the size of the plantings, 
the amount of seed used, and the outcome of that work.

-Patricia

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural 
resources.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

"Harper-Lore, Bonnie" <Bonnie.Harper-Lore at fhwa.dot.gov> 
Sent by: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
09/04/2007 10:23 AM

To
"Addsum-Tony Frates" <afrates at addsuminc.com>, 
<native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org>
cc

Subject
Re: [PCA] NEWS: BLM plants 'Seeds of Success'

Roger is likely correct.
I think we need to stop wasting precious native seed on burned areas,
and put down a weed free mulch or annual grass at most as a cover crop.
The seed bank will recover with some protection.  This would save
taxpayer dollars, save valuable native seed, and most likely get just a
good of a revegetation result after a fire.

Bonnie
Restoration Ecologist
Wetlands and Ecosystems Team
FHWA USDOT, HEPN-30
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE
Washington D.C. 20590
(651) 291-6104

-----Original Message-----
From: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
[mailto:native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of
Addsum-Tony Frates
Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 4:21 PM
To: native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject: Re: [PCA] NEWS: BLM plants 'Seeds of Success'

Olivia - thank you for the post.  If this quote is true from the other
article you also just posted:

 "Roger Banner, a range specialist at Utah State University in Logan,
says native plants can't reclaim burned range on their own. "There's not
enough native plant seed to re-seed 2% of the areas that burned," 
he says."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2007-08-29-cheatgrass_N.
htm

then the importance and need for programs like "Seeds of Success" 
seems to be stunningly understated and unappreciated (and I suspect 
poorly funded).   Will it even scratch the surface of the problem? 
The program seems to fall far short of what is needed.

Tony Frates

Date sent:                       Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:29:37 -0500 (CDT)
From:                            Olivia Kwong 
<plant at plantconservation.org>
To: native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org,
sos at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject:                         [PCA] NEWS: BLM plants 'Seeds of Success'

> http://www.elynews.com/articles/2007/08/29/news/news11.txt
> 
> BLM plants 'Seeds of Success'
> The Ely Times
> 
> In its ongoing effort to improve the health and productivity of the 
> public lands, including those recently affected by wildfire, the 
> Bureau of Land Management has initiated a native seed collection 
> effort that is part of an interagency "Seeds of Success" program.
> 
> See the link above for the full article text.
> 
> 
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