New Tool Enhances Ecosystem Restoration with Climate-Smart Seed Sourcing

New Tool Enhances Ecosystem Restoration with Climate-Smart Seed Sourcing

In the face of accelerating climate change, a novel tool—the Climate-Oriented Seed Sourcing Tool (COSST)—has been developed to optimize seed-sourcing decision-making for ecosystem restoration projects.

Designed for use in any seed-based restoration context, COSST provides a data-driven, spatially explicit approach to prioritize potential and existing seed sources. It accounts for the current and future climate of the restoration site, as well as species’ climatic sensitivities.

Ecosystem restoration plays a critical role in mitigating biodiversity loss and climate change. When degradation is profound, sowing seeds can trigger ecosystem recovery, raising a key question: where to source the right seeds for the right place?

2024 SER INSR Board: Call for Nominations

2024 SER INSR Board: Call for Nominations

We are delighted to announce the opening of nominations for the International Network for Seed-based Restoration board of directors. The open positions are Secretary and two At-Large Directors. We strongly encourage nominations from individuals of diverse backgrounds and experiences to ensure our board represents our international membership from over 65 countries.

As a member, we encourage you to submit your nominations and vote electronically to help shape INSR’s strategic direction and initiatives.

'Muvuca' Direct Seeding Restoration Method for Biodiversity and People

'Muvuca' Direct Seeding Restoration Method for Biodiversity and People

Inspired by nature and learning from traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples, the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA), a non-profit Brazilian civil society organization established in 1994, has embraced the direct seeding ‘Muvuca’ restoration method through direct seeding. Muvuca is a mix of seeds from dozens of native species at different successional stages, planted all at once to mimic natural regeneration mechanisms, such as the seed soil bank and the seed rain. This innovative system employs a high diversity of species and ensures operational efficiency, enabling mechanized and manual restoration with reduced planting and maintenance time and costs.

SER INSR Board: Call for Nominations

SER INSR Board: Call for Nominations

We are delighted to announce the opening of nominations for the International Network for Seed-based Restoration board of directors. The open positions are Secretary and two At-Large Directors. We strongly encourage nominations from individuals of diverse backgrounds and experiences to ensure our board represents our international membership from over 65 countries.

As a member, we encourage you to submit your nominations and vote electronically to help shape INSR’s strategic direction and initiatives.

Seed coating improves seed germination on landslide trails

Seed coating improves seed germination on landslide trails

Landslides are severe natural disasters worldwide which are exacerbated by anthropogenic causes, including deforestation and climate change. With topsoil and soil seed bank removed, the extreme environmental condition on landslide surfaces often hinder natural regeneration. Stabilization and restoration of landslides by engineering or ecological restoration means are often hampered by the steepness and inaccessibility of the landside sites. Hence, the exposed soil surface of landslides is vulnerable to further erosion. Active forest restoration has been regarded as a potential method to repair such landslide scars. Apart from planting tree seedlings, direct seeding is a more cost effective and practical method in large-scale forest restoration. However, the effectiveness of direct seeding on landslides is not well studied. How could seed germination and seedling survival be improved on the poor soil surface on landslides?

The Brazilian native seed sector debates technological innovations and quality control procedures for ecosystem restoration

The Brazilian native seed sector debates technological innovations and quality control procedures for ecosystem restoration

The XXI Brazilian Seed Congress, the largest national event of the seed sector in Brazil, took place between 12 and 15 September 2022 in Paraná state. More than one thousand participants joined the conference, organized by the Brazilian Association of Seed Technology (ABRATES). The event approached a wide range of cutting-edge seed practices, techniques, and standards through several symposia, training courses, and working groups.

The First Seeds of Success Collections from Tennessee

The First Seeds of Success Collections from Tennessee

One of the main goals of SGI’s new Native Seed Program is to perform seed collections across the region for the Seeds of Success (SOS) program. Despite the success and broad coverage of SOS, some states still have only a few or zero collections, especially in some of the southeastern states.

Until recently, Tennessee was one of the states with zero collections. After much planning, scouting of wild populations and natural areas, networking, and getting permits, the first SOS seed collections from Tennessee have been made!

Seed and seedling supply for forest and landscape restoration

Seed and seedling supply for forest and landscape restoration

Are you involved in implementing forest and landscape restoration projects or buying or selling planting material for restoration?
If yes, kindly respond to this survey to help identify existing capacities and capacity needs in sourcing tree seeds and seedlings for diverse restoration objectives:

 

Global forest and landscape restoration commitments require large amounts of tree seed and seedlings and provide opportunities for local stakeholders to participate in seed supply. At the same time, forest loss and degradation reduce seed availability and quality, making seed sourcing increasingly difficult for individual projects.

Call for papers on "Impacts of Climate Change on Long Term Viability of Trees Species with Recalcitrant Seeds"

Narkis Morales San Martin, Adjunct Professor in the Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, is co-editing a new article collection, “Impacts of Climate Change on Long Term Viability of Trees Species with Recalcitrant Seeds” on the journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. You can learn more about the scope of the topic and its accepted article types here: Impacts of Climate Change on Long Term Viability of Trees Species with Recalcitrant Seeds.

If you are interested in contributing to the special issue, please feel free to register via the link above. Frontiers will shortly provide further details.

Whilst not mandatory, you are encouraged to submit an abstract (or short outline of the manuscript) by 12 August 2022. The deadline for submissions is 12 October 2022, but Frontiers will aim to accommodate extensions on a case-by-case basis.

For further queries you can reach the dedicated specialist, Lily Campbell at orestsandglobalchange.submissions@frontiersin.org should you need any help.

Native Seed in Restoration Workshop 2022: Native Seed Programs and New Technologies

Native Seed in Restoration Workshop 2022: Native Seed Programs and New Technologies

More than 900 individuals from 25+ countries registered for the March 8, 2022, Native Seed in Restoration Workshop, which brought together experts working in seed-based restoration around the world to discuss key elements of the native seed supply chain. This virtual event was organized by the International Network for Seed-based Restoration, the Nature Conservancy, SER, and the US Bureau of Land Management, with assistance from the Great Basin Fire Science Exchange.

Please Kew, don’t drop the SID (Seed Information Database)

Please Kew, don’t drop the SID (Seed Information Database)

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SID (SEED INFORMATION DATABASE) AND HOW YOU CAN HEL

In December 2021, RBG - Kew announced that, due to an agency compliance issue regarding accessibility, they will discontinue the Seed Information Database (SID) in March 2022.

SID has been an invaluable and reliable source of information on native seeds for countless stakeholders for many years. It provides user-friendly access to essential information on seed weight, storage behaviour, germination requirements, and other traits for more than 50.000 plant taxa. This wealth of information has supported everyday operations in scientific research, seed use in ecological restoration, seed collection and propagation, and teaching (just to name a few). Upon learning about the plans to discontinue SID, members of the native seed community expressed their concern about this news.

Genetic differentiation of populations restored using regional seeds

Genetic differentiation of populations restored using regional seeds

When restoring vegetation, especially in patchy landscapes, we often cannot simply rely on natural succession. Active restoration measures are needed, often involving the sowing of seeds. There is a growing consensus that seeds should be of at least regional provenance, but regional seeds are a limited resource and direct harvesting might damage existing ecosystems. That is where agricultural propagation and the commercial production of regional seeds come into play. It raises the question to what extent agricultural propagation alters the seeds’ genetic composition. In the end, however, what matters is how different the restored populations are from surrounding natural populations (if there are any left).

Proposal to Institute Membership Dues

Proposal to Institute Membership Dues

During the May 2021 monthly Board meeting, the INSR Board (with support of SER) proposed a variety of changes to our membership structure and fee rates in order to better serve our Section. During the October 2021 INSR membership meeting, the INSR Board moved this Proposal to the Section for a vote. The Section voted overwhelmingly in favor of implementing membership fees (74% in favor). The introduction of membership dues will enable the Section to continue its current services and tools, as well as expand our work to meet member needs. The Board will continue to submit proposals seeking additional funding for larger projects. The following changes will take effect 1 December 2021.

2021 annual membership meeting

On October 18, 2021, INSR hosted its annual membership meeting. In the meeting, we presented an Introduction of INSR and 2021 highlights, the new proposed fees for members, the treasury report, the nominations and elections for the INSR board, the ambassador program, and the website: resources, news articles; Social media. The short presentation was followed by a Q&A discussion with members

If you missed our last meeting in October 2021 you can watch it here. SER has kindly provided the recording of the meeting.

Networks and Other Strategies for Developing Regional Native Seed Supply to Meet Restoration Needs, June 17, 2021.

Networks and Other Strategies for Developing Regional Native Seed Supply to Meet Restoration Needs, June 17, 2021.

The workshop, organized by Stephanie Frischie, featured seven representatives of native seed networks from three continents who gave lighting round presentations to explain the rationale, activities, funding and future outlook for their respective networks. Several common themes are working with a variety of stakeholders, from indigenous, government, private companies, organizations, farmers, conservationists, botanists, seed banks to build an appropriate supply of seed for their region while minimizing the pressures that are put on wild populations.