[PCA] PCA General Meeting Summary – January 13, 2021

Park, Margaret E margaret_park at fws.gov
Fri Jan 29 17:25:17 CST 2021 

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

Introductions were made. We welcomed a large number of online participants for this meeting.

Featured speaker: Dr. Jared Margulies, Assistant Professor of Political Ecology in Department of Geography at the University of Alabama, spoke about Illicit succulent plant trade and pathways towards sustainability. His research explores environmental inequalities, human-nature relationships, and how contemporary social issues intersect with pressing environmental questions. The presentation described drivers and stereotypes of illegal trade in succulent plants, providing two case studies (Mexican-endemic Mammillaria bertholdii and U.S.-endemic Dudleya farinosa) that have been illegally harvested and traded to East Asian and Southeast Asian countries. The presentation and contact information are available on the PCA meetings page<http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/meetings>.

Updates on PCA Activities

NFCC Committee Updates / Kay Havens (NFCC Chair)

  *   PCA Cooperators<https://www.plantconservationalliance.org/cooperators>: We now have 399 nonfederal Cooperators, which include state agencies and private organizations interested in native plant conservation in the United States. Cooperators are invited to attend the PCA general meetings and participate in PCA Working Groups. Cooperators also receive regular communications that allow them to participate in Non-Federal Cooperator Committee outreach and education efforts to raise awareness about the importance of native plant conservation.

  *   Transition Letter<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VWtPjIeL4DgpqcsdXpxESLoUNUY01zss/view>: A number of non-federal PCA Cooperators are among those who sent a letter to the new Administration to outline need for the conservation and restoration of native plant species.

  *   Subnational PCAs: We are working on two projects related to sub-PCAs.
     *   For the first part of this project, we are working with a small number of sub-national and taxon-based conservation alliances to inform our nationwide progress under the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration (see below) and highlight areas where more work is needed. This work is underway and expect to finish within the next month.
     *   The second part of this project will improve mutual awareness and create connections among the national and subnational Plant Conservation Alliances and Native Plant Conservation Initiatives around the country to facilitate connections and idea sharing on a national scale. We hope to develop a webpage to emphasize the subnational PCAs. We’re aiming to complete this part of the project in the spring.

Federal Committee Updates

  *   PCA Federal MOU: The US Forest Service is the ninth agency to renew the PCA interagency MOU<https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/PCA%20MOU%202019%208%20signed%20FULL.pdf>. Other agencies that have signed on include: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Defense, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Botanic Garden, USDA Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey.

General Updates


·         2021 PCA Speaker Series: The full speaker schedule has been finalized and can be found on the PCA meetings page<http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/meetings>; a printable pdf table is available here<http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/sites/default/files/2021%20Dates%20%20Spkers_final%20PCA.pdf>. Many thanks to Gary Krupnick and our organizing team for arranging a fantastic lineup on a variety of timely native plant topics. Details for the next meeting can also be found below.

  *   National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration<https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/docs/2020-12/NationalSeedStrategy_2015-2020.pdf>: (Seed Strategy)
     *   Progress Report: USGS is leading development of a progress report covering 2015-2020; see the Progress Report portal<https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/national-seed-strategy-progress-report>. A brief overview of progress will be completed soon and a full report is expected in the spring.
        *   National Assessment: The Seed Strategy calls for a national assessment of seed needs and capacity to fulfill those needs across all sectors (federal, state, tribal, private sector). The National Academies of Sciences has started the second phase of their study to An Assessment of the Need for Native Seeds and the Capacity for Their Supply<https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/an-assessment-of-native-seed-needs-and-capacities>, which to gather information that will assist organizations and agencies to identify steps to improve the number and diversity of commercially available native plant species to use in restoration. The study should be completed by August 2021.

  *   UPDATE: The committee is seeking public comments related to challenges and potential solutions for improving our native seed supply. Please see the website<https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/9a0d6419b9b9477b83fbc46167fc779e> for details.

  *   Federal Implementation Working Group (Co-Chair, Lara Kobalt/BLM)
     *   The FIWG is an interagency team of the Plant Conservation Alliance that is facilitating federal implementation of the Seed Strategy.
     *   Making progress on filling out the sub-groups (Assessment, Decision Tools, Research, Communications/Outreach, and Funding)
     *   Exploring prospects to develop a white paper on post-fire restoration.
     *   Next meeting will be January 28, from 4-5pm; open to federal agencies

  *   UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration<https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/>: The United Nations has declared 2021-2030 the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The UN Decade on Ecological Restoration will foster a global restoration culture. The goal is to create a transformative positive impact on preventing, halting, and reversing degradation of ecosystems worldwide. They stress science-based ecological restoration across all ecosystems. Official unveiling in early summer.
     *   PCA Federal committee is exploring ways to participate in the Decade.

Native Plants Roundtable

The National Park Service reported on the following: contact greg_eckert at nps.gov for further information

  *   Developing an agreement with Institute for Applied Ecology: native plant material coordination in the NM/AZ area. This is planned to be a multi-partner agreement and are letting the institute for applied ecology coordinate this with other agencies at this point.
  *   Single repository agreement and park permit language: working though issues to promote the California Plant Rescue Project—in communications with the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service.
  *   Wind Cave National Park completed construction of a seed storage facility for use in a multi-park annual brome management project.

Upcoming Native Plant Events

  *   SER2021<http://www.ser2021.org/>: A New Global Trajectory: Catalyzing Change Through the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
     *   June 21-24, 2021
  *   Smithsonian Virtual Botanical Symposium: Planning is underway by the Museum of Natural History and the U.S. Botanical Garden. This year’s theme is symbioses. Stay tuned for updates.

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/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy/pca> and the current MOU<https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/PCA%20MOU%202019.pdf>.



PCA Discussion Lists<https://www.blm.gov/site-page/pca-discussion-lists-0>: 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 in because we generally do not cross-post information. – learn more and subscribe here<https://www.blm.gov/site-page/pca-discussion-lists-0>.


Follow us on Social Media!

  *   PCA Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/PlantConservationAlliance> page
     *   #BotanicMonday<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23BotanicMonday>: Our weekly series on Botanic Gardens and Arboreta
     *   #GoodNewsTues<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23GoodNewsTues>: We’re starting a new series on Tuesdays where we post about good news in plant conservation.
     *   #WildflowerWednesday<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=Wildflowerwednesday>: Our weekly series on wildflower identification and facts
     *   #FloraFriday<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=florafriday>: Our weekly Friday series on all things flowers.
     *   #PlantID<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=PlantID>, #PlantFacts<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23plantfacts>, #SeedNeeds<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23seedneeds>, #SeedsofSuccess<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23seedsofsuccess>, #EcologicalRestoration<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23ecologicalrestoration>, #NationalSeedStrategy<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23NationalSeedStrategy>, #NativeSeedStandards<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23NativeSeedStandards>, #RestorationEcology<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23RestorationEcology>, #NativePlants<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23NativePlants>, #BotanicalGarden<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23BotanicalGarden>, #Arboretum<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23Arboretum%20>, #NativeSeed<https://www.facebook.com/page/128655947211666/search/?q=%23nativeseed>
  *   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: March 10, 2021, Dr. Thomas R. Easley on "Relationships, history, hip hop and forestry”. Details will be shared via the PCA Discussion Lists<https://www.blm.gov/site-page/pca-discussion-lists-0> and PCA meetings page<http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/meetings>.

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.

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