[SOS-PCA] FEDERAL INPUT REQUESTED on accomplishments using locally adapted plants in habitat restoration in the USA (deadline Sept. 1)

Tue Aug 4 11:15:28 CDT 2020

Add your project to a comprehensive national federal activity report for the National Seed Strategy!

Visit the information portal to get started: https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/national-seed-strategy-report

Deadline Sept. 1.

Further details below.

WHAT: In 2015, 12 federal agencies and 300+ cooperators of the Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA) released the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy> (National Seed Strategy) to address widespread shortages of native plant materials. Today, the PCA Federal Committee is collecting information for a comprehensive report on all Federal activities from 2015-2020 that are related to the goals of the National Seed Strategy.

WHY: Reporting progress on the National Seed Strategy is important to demonstrate effective interagency collaboration and achievements; highlight joint problem-solving for natural resource challenges; and highlight effective land management tools to sustain native ecosystems, improve wildlife habitat, promote recovery from natural hazards and other disturbances, and sustain multiple types of land use.

The National Seed Strategy 2015-2020 Report will synthesize accomplishments and highlight areas where more work is needed. You will be able to use the report to inform, highlight, and increase your efforts.

WHO: The National Seed Strategy Reporting Team would like your help by reporting on projects that your agency has been involved in. This effort covers any activity where a federal agency was involved.

WHY ONLY FEDERAL AGENCIES? The Paperwork Reduction Act requires that federal agencies obtain approval before collecting information from the general public. This approval process takes up to a year. Because the 2015-2020 report is timely, we decided to collect information from federal agencies only. We regret that some of the important work being done by non-federal partners may not make it into the report. If a federal agency collaborated on a project, please make sure a federal representative submits a project report. The PCA Federal Committee is working on obtaining approval to include non-federal partners in future reports.

WHAT IS AN ELIGIBLE PROJECT? As long as the project National Seed Strategy goals, it is eligible. The goals are 1) Identifying and quantifying seed needs; 2) Undertaking research and improving technologies for seed production and use; 3) Developing tools for land managers; and 4) Ensuring good communications. Examples of projects include research, working groups, planning, education, outreach campaigns, and on-the-ground actions.

Basically any cross-cutting activity related to plant conservation, fire mitigation, wildlife habitat, invasive species, disaster recovery and preparedness, and more is eligible.

In addition, the project needs to have occurred between 2015-2020. Projects that started before 2015 or are going beyond 2020 are eligible as long as part of them existed between 2015-2020. If you submitted a project to the previous “Making Progress<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy>” document, please re-submit it to this report.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE A PROJECT? This is largely up to you, but here are some considerations:

You may want to report on projects separately if they were funded from separate proposals, or if you plan to produce multiple separate products (e.g., publications and tools) from the projects.

Alternatively, since this report will summarize the numbers of projects completed under each action of the National Seed Strategy, consider if multiple of your projects cover the same actions (in this case, you may want to separate so as to ensure the numbers of projects by action are fairly represented), or will they cover different actions (in this case, you might combine since projects don’t overlap and won’t wash-out the results). There is a question that asks if the project is tied to a larger effort, so that all projects affiliated with a single larger effort can be tracked together.

HOW BIG IS THIS ASK? The estimated time to complete the form is 30 minutes or less and the form walks you through the goals so you don’t need to know anything about the National Seed Strategy to submit a project. If helpful, you can find more information on the goals and explanations for each action here<https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/program_natural%20resources_seed%20strategy_quick%20link_seed%20stregy.pdf> [pdf].

See a list of the submission form questions below. You will be asked for a brief summary; links to related products such as articles, websites, or tools; an estimate of project costs; and a list of project partners. You will need to complete the form in one session. You will also have an opportunity to submit photos and publications, as well as success stories. See additional information on each of these below.

In an effort to avoid duplicate entries, we ask that project leads fill out the form or designate someone to represent the project. Please talk with your collaborators to make sure you do not duplicate entries. Entries can only be submitted by federal employees and federal contractors.

HOW: Report your projects through the National Seed Strategy reporting portal<https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/national-seed-strategy-report>.

Or use these links to access each reporting form directly:

Submit project here.<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdy6Qc5bWC2jUjilGBP58aV35J0WpYfloasuFMaroqMKNrBRg/viewform>

Reporting is requested for each project affiliated with a goal under the National Seed Strategy. Any project that occurred between 2015-2020 and had federal partners is eligible.  The lead federal agency should do the reporting or appoint a federal partner to so.

Submit “Success Stories & Lessons Learned” here.<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfG3v_Yil51BVi0GQ4QyS0Erhydet0CYHOIAsxieZ_v7Z8oww/viewform>

Have a great success story or lesson-learned you think should be highlighted in the Report, but wasn't captured in the report form? This is an opportunity to speak more broadly about your National Seed Strategy efforts. We are looking for inspirational stories, stories about unexpected value-added outcomes (i.e., engaged a new audience), or lessons-learned.

Upload photos here.<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-p9XZOuHuNatRof3oMwKniV7igch4uHjYPwwQfoxvVG07dg/viewform>

Please be sure to include the title of project affiliated with the photo, a brief caption, location of photo, name of photographer, and if the PCA has permission to use this photo as public domain with photo credit.

If you don’t have a gmail account, you can email photos to <NSSReport2020 at gmail.com<mailto:NSSReport2020 at gmail.com>>; and be sure to include the requested information about each photo. We are looking for ONE photo that represents your project.

Upload documents here.<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAWCE-8e0VLyqdZ0foSdVLWg9LNhSGCkBFGPQvkpJW1Hurzg/viewform>

Documents and other products related to projects can be added using the link below (presentations, PDFs, documents). You will be asked for the project name affiliated with this document.

If you don’t have a gmail account, you can email documents to <NSSReport2020 at gmail.com>. Please be sure to include the affiliated project title in the email.

WHEN: DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS SEPTEMBER 1.

SHARE: Please share this announcement with any federal agency partner doing National Seed Strategy-related work. It is important that you share this entire email as it contains important information for respondents.

QUESTIONS & COMMENTS: Contact the National Seed Strategy Report Team Chair, Molly McCormick at <mmccormick at usgs.gov<mailto:mmccormick at usgs.gov>>

Full links from the document above:

Reporting Portal: https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/national-seed-strategy-report

Project Submission Report Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdy6Qc5bWC2jUjilGBP58aV35J0WpYfloasuFMaroqMKNrBRg/viewform

Upload Photo: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-p9XZOuHuNatRof3oMwKniV7igch4uHjYPwwQfoxvVG07dg/viewform

Upload Document: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAWCE-8e0VLyqdZ0foSdVLWg9LNhSGCkBFGPQvkpJW1Hurzg/viewform

Success Story & Lesson Learned: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfG3v_Yil51BVi0GQ4QyS0Erhydet0CYHOIAsxieZ_v7Z8oww/viewform

Questions in the submission form:

IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION

  1.  What is your email?
  2.  What is your name?
  3.  What is your job title?
  4.  Which agency do you represent?

PROJECT INFORMATION

  1.  What is the name of your project?
  2.  Brief project description.
  3.  What was the start date of the project?
  4.  What was the actual or expected completion date of your project?
  5.  How much did this project cost?
  6.  What was the funding source type?
  7.  Who funded the project?
  8.  Does the project have a webpage? 
  9.  Please provide web address. 
  10. Is this project part of a larger effort?
  11. What is the name of the larger effort?
  12. Is there a website or link?

GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

  1.  What is the scope of your project: national, state-wide, regional, local?
  2.  Which eco-region is your project in? [Map provided]
  3.  Which state(s) is your project in?
  4.  What are the coordinates of your project location [Website to obtain coordinates provided.]
  5.  What non-federal partners were part of your project?

ASSIGNING PROJECT TO NATIONAL SEED STRATEGY

  1.  Sections asking about National Seed Strategy Goals, separated by Goals and Objectives. [Check mark boxes]

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  1.  Provide links, citations (format provided) to products.

_______________________
Molly McCormick<https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/molly-mccormick?qt-staff_profile_science_products=0#qt-staff_profile_science_products>
RAMPS<http://www.usgs.gov/sbsc/ramps> Coordinator & Ecologist
Plant Conservation Alliance<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy/pca> USGS Rep.
Cell: 928-821-5100 /// Office: 928-556-7305

Sign up to receive the RAMPS newsletter<https://listserv.usgs.gov/mailman/listinfo/ramps>.

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