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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The bust and boom nature of the demand for native seed contributes to a volatile market already challenged by the sheer diversity of native seed needed to address restoration projects in many different geographies and climates
across the United States. Native plant seed is needed not only after disasters but also to improve the resilience of natural landscapes, including overgrazed land, roadsides, and stream valleys. Native seed are increasingly sought for “green” infrastructure
projects in urban areas and by advocates for wildlife, including native pollinators, to create the critical, diverse plant habitats that provide food and shelter. This report provides a broad overview of the demand for and supply of native plants seeds and
poses questions about the reasons for native seed shortages that lead to the use of less locally-adapted seed, including non-native plant seeds. The report sets the stage for a second data-collection phase, about to begin. </span></p>
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<span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">The interim report is available NOW from the National Academies Press. Read or download the report here:<span> <a href="https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25859/an-assessment-of-the-need-for-native-seeds-and-the-capacity-for-their-supply." id="LPlnk">https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25859/an-assessment-of-the-need-for-native-seeds-and-the-capacity-for-their-supply.</a></span></span></p>
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<span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> </span><b style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A
public webinar and Q&A session will be held on Friday, November 13 from 12:30-1:30 pm EST</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">. Register for the webinar: <a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.com%2Fe%2Fan-assessment-of-native-seed-needs-and-capacities-interim-report-webinar-tickets-125369067255&data=04%7C01%7Cmargaret_park%40fws.gov%7Ca1fc935d6e074f78eb4a08d881ae1d5a%7C0693b5ba4b184d7b9341f32f400a5494%7C0%7C0%7C637401932106770560%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=hokI0YXnmXZzn8MNEbBMjUFFIf8RWa5nbMtmSWWW3Kg%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="Verified" originalsrc="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-assessment-of-native-seed-needs-and-capacities-interim-report-webinar-tickets-125369067255" shash="RwwzzxdkpUfeDAlFz7SncMrtt4JbryiODPp+UW1S4LPquqfCcNQKp6/PuAsD3Y86rFndSFRq7I1l5npAUWnYgBhOf8QSUNqUzMv/6WazwplFoItI6Ufo2ArWAnjVT8E6gnFF22HIUsfX5YR1BhAqy0Hg/Rj3w3ggxx9oNg81Qlg=" title="Original URL: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-assessment-of-native-seed-needs-and-capacities-interim-report-webinar-tickets-125369067255. Click or tap if you trust this link.">https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-assessment-of-native-seed-needs-and-capacities-interim-report-webinar-tickets-125369067255</a>.
The webinar will be recorded but please register to be notified when it is posted.</span></p>
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<span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">In addition to the November 13 public session, Dr. Kay Havens (Senior Director of Ecology and Conservation and Senior Scientist at Chicago Botanic Garden), a member of the Assessment committee and Chair
of the non-federal PCA committee, will briefly report on the phase 2 data-collection plan and opportunities for PCA Collaborators to provide input at the PCA meeting on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 (2-4 pm EST).</span></p>
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