[RWG] WEB: Forest Service Native Plant Material Directive Released

[Olivia Kwong]

Forest Service Manual 2070 is attached and can also be found on the web at 
<http://www.fs.fed.us/cgi-bin/Directives/get_dirs/fsm?2000!..>
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Native Plant Material Directive Released

The Forest Service is releasing a final directive on native plant 
materials. The manual direction was initially issued as 'proposed' in the 
Federal Register and was available for a 60-day review and comment period. 
This is new policy. With the exception of reforestation policy there was 
no previous policy for the use of native plants.

Native plant communities are essential to ecosystem health. The Forest 
Service has been active in the development and use of native plants for 
decades, specifically reforestation, rangeland management, and watershed 
restoration. There have been major strides in genetics research; seed 
collection and storage, monitoring, and designing appropriate management 
practices especially involving native trees.

Recognizing the need to maintain plant communities as fully functioning 
ecosystems, Chief Abigail Kimbell directed natural resource professionals 
from the National Forest System, State and Private Forestry, and Research 
and Development to develop an invasive species policy. This policy 
promotes the use of native plant materials within Forest Service lands. 
The native plant materials policy is designed as one of the components in 
the implementation of the Chief.s priorities to combat invasive species 
and facilitate wildland restoration efforts. The policy's major points:

* Native plants are defined as all indigenous terrestrial and aquatic 
plant species that evolved naturally in a defined native ecosystem.
* Native plant materials will be the first choice in revegetation for 
restoration and rehabilitation of native ecosystems where timely natural 
regeneration of the native plant community will not occur.
* Non-native, non-invasive plant species may be used when:
   - Needed in emergency conditions to protect basic resource values.
   - As an interim, non-persistent measure designed to aid in the
     re-establishment of native plants.
   - When native plant materials are not available.
   - In permanently altered plant communities.
* Under no circumstances will non-native invasive plant species be used as 
plant material for restoration, rehabilitation or reconstruction of native 
ecosystems.
* Forest Service staff will use the best information available to choose 
genetically appropriate native plant materials for the site to be 
restored.
* It is recognized that a reliable supply of native plant materials, 
either as seed or other vegetative propagules is essential for the 
successful implementation of the native plant materials program.

This is direction that will be followed by all Forest Service units in the 
selection, development and procurement of native plant materials. The 
Forest Service will collaborate with partners and other interested publics 
in the implementation of this policy. This benefits the public, seed and 
nursery industries and other partners and cooperators in providing 
uniformity in the selection, development and growing of native plant 
materials.

Additionally, the policy promotes revegetation of native ecosystems with 
the use of native plant materials so that those ecosystems are 
self-sustaining and provide improved habitat for a broad range of species 
including threatened, endangered and other rare species.

Lastly the policy encourages the forests and grasslands to cooperate with 
other federal agencies, states, tribes and other organizations in the 
selection of native plant species; identifying sources of genetically 
appropriate plant materials and in the grow-out of these species so that 
they are readily available in large quantities and economically feasible.

The Forest Service will collaborate with other federal agencies, states, 
tribes, and other interested organizations and publics as the process of 
selecting and developing native plant materials for revegetation, 
restoration and rehabilitation projects begins.
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