[SOS-PCA] SOS Collector Call for December is now an Email - PLEASE RESPOND

[Sarah Hill]

Hello SOS collectors, mentors, and support people,

Happy December, what a year! The 2023 SOS season has been our largest and most expansive to date - over 60 teams working across three federal agencies have made hundreds of native seed collections in support of restoration, conservation, and research projects across the country. Collection teams faced many challenges including fire, drought, flooding, and vehicle issues, but were also rewarded with incredible views, wildlife encounters, new skills, and the knowledge that they are making significant contributions to the future of our public lands. As we get closer to the solstice and the shortest days of the year, I hope we can all rest and reflect on the good work that has been accomplished. As light returns and the days get longer, I also hope that we can recharge and reset for 2024, which is sure to be another monumental year for SOS.

In lieu of the December collector call, Please fill out this 2023 End Of Season Wrap Up form.
Only one copy needs to be filled out per team. This form will also register people for the 2024 collector calls.
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=pftQAjhAXkuK4lsLQZkvU0BNZz9BFqBFhx5lbfZ1E9BUNzM5VVZNMjRZRjVYSjRGU1ZQRE5VTE83Mi4u


As we close out 2023, please keep the following in mind:


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All seeds, vouchers, and data should be sent to their respective places by Dec 15th!
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Bend has a HARD deadline of Jan 15th for receiving any surprise collections that come up. Any collections that need to be sent in after the regular Dec 15th deadline should not be sent until checking in with Sarah Hill, sehill at blm.gov.
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Bend will have electrical work done in the late winter/early spring, so please do not send them material for cleaning at that time. If you will have collections that need to be cleaned from Jan 15 - March, please let Sarah Hill know so arrangements can be made.

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2024 data collection will be going all-digital (with rare exceptions). Please send any extra layers / data you will want on your maps to Kristy Snyder, ksnyder at blm.gov, by Dec 15th. Any questions or concerns about moving to digital data collection can be directed to Sarah Hill.


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If you want your 2023 seed back from a cleaning facility, you must fill out a clearance form. Current forms for both Bend and Dorena are on the SOS website blm.gov/sos<http://blm.gov/sos> .

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Please use the most current version of the annual report template and reference the current end of season checklist - the most up to date materials are always on the SOS website.

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Final QC and end of season data
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Follow directions on the end of season checklist<https://www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2023-08/SOS%20End%20of%20Season%20Checklist%20August%202023.pdf> from the SOS website
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Reminder - photos must be JPEG, not HEIC
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Make sure you have reviewed all your data in either the data portal (for paper data collection) or the geoplatform and QC dashboards (for digital data collection) BEFORE sending end of season materials to your agency coordinator.
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DOUBLE CHECK YOUR LOCATION DATA (no points in asia/africa/ocean)
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If no vouchers were collected, enter "no voucher collected" in herbarium field
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NPS - voucher copies held for the Smithsonian should say "voucher reserved for Smithsonian, not sent" in herbarium field
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Herbarium vouchers - please follow instructions on how to send vouchers to the Smithsonian<https://www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2021-10/Guide%20to%20Herbarium%20Specimens%20for%20SOS.pdf>


Our collector calls will resume February 6th, 2024 at the usual time (10am MST) and repeat on the second Tuesday of every month.  More information about the 2024 training schedule will be sent out in the next few weeks, as will the invite for the 2024 call.

Thank you all so much for all your hard work and dedication in 2023 and have a great transition to 2024!

For the seeds,
Sarah Hill


Sarah Hill

she/her/hers

Seeds of Success National Curator

Chicago Botanical Garden
Bureau of Land Management - contractor


National Seed Strategy<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy>

Plant Conservation Alliance<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy/pca>

Subscribe to the SOS and PCA listservs<http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo>

I respectfully acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Nuwe/Nume (Paiute, Shoshone, Bannock) people who have stewarded this land throughout the generations.
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