From Bird’s Eye to Grass Roots: Implementing the National Seed Strategy

Peggy Olwell, Fred S. Edwards and Sarah Kulpa

This webinar will provide a brief introduction to the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration through real life, “hands-on” examples of implementation. The 350+-member Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA) released the National Seed Strategy in 2015. It represents an unprecedented partnership effort of national, regional and local public and private collaborators.

Three speakers from three different federal agencies will discuss implementation opportunities and challenges from a national, regional and local perspective. Examples will relate to strategy goals (producing and providing needed seed, conducting research, expanding tools for land managers and communications).

Although stories will primarily focus on work being done in the Great Basin, concepts and practices will be of interest to land managers, conservationists and botanists nationwide.

Presenters Peggy Olwell, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Plant Program Lead, Washington, D.C., and Chair of the Plant Conservation Alliance Federal Committee, will provide an overview of the National Seed Strategy. Fred S. Edwards, Bureau of Land Management - Nevada State Office, will provide a regional perspective from the Great Basin Native Plant Project. Sarah Kulpa, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Restoration Ecologist/Botanist with the USFWS Reno Office, will provide a “grass-roots” perspective, drawing from her work with the University of Nevada – Reno and others to support restoration of local native plant communities.