A 70 Year Perspective on the Use of Vegetation for Natural Resources Conservation

1. A 70 Year Perspective on the Use of Vegetation for Natural Resources Conservation John Englert USDA-NRCS, National Plant Materials Center Beltsville, MD

2. The Early Days Severe erosion called for emergency conservation efforts……….

3. The Early Days ………and “heavy duty” vegetation.

4. The Soil Conservation Service • Created in 1935 • Core Principles • Conservation Planning • Soil Surveys • Snow Surveys • Plant Materials

5. A Brief History of NRCS Plant Selection 1930s-40s: The Dust Bowl Days Soil Conservation Nurseries are formed to grow plants for windbreaks and soil conservation

6. A Brief History of NRCS Plant Selection 1950s-60s: Comparative Selection Plant Materials Centers evaluate collections “Nature has evolved a plant for every purpose.” - Dr. Franklin J. Crider

7. A Brief History of NRCS Plant Selection 1970s-80s: Native vs. Introduced Emphasis placed on native species for conservation work.

8. A Brief History of NRCS Plant Selection 1990s-present: Alternative Releases Pre-varietal releases are important in getting products out for conservation.

9. The selection of plants for natural resource conservation has evolved as agriculture management and our understanding of the ecosystem as evolved.

10. The Plant Materials Program • We select plants and develop plant technology for the successful conservation of our nation’s natural resources. • We provide vital information to private landowners who need assistance in addressing critical land management problems. • We are a network of Plant Materials Centers and Plant Materials Specialists strategically located throughout the United States.

11. Locations of Plant Materials Centers

12. Program Products Printed Materials Presentations / Training Sessions / Site Visits Conservation Plant Releases

13. What is “native” • Selections may range from small scope (multiple counties) to serving large portions of a region. • In many cases, there are enough choices for the end-user to decide which plant selections are most appropriate to get the job done.

14. Plant Selection - Switchgrass

15. Types of Plant Releases • Cultivars • Tested • Selected • Source-identified

16. The Plant Selection Process • Define • Collect • Select • Test • Increase • Release

17. The Plant Selection Process • Define a need and area

18. The Plant Selection Process • Collect germplasm

19. The Plant Selection Process • Select for the desired traits

20. The Plant Selection Process • Test for adaptation and applicability

21. The Plant Selection Process • Increase for demonstration and distribution

22. The Plant Selection Process • Release to commercial growers for large-scale production

23. Plant Materials Program Conservation Plant Releases • Total of over 650 releases over the past 65 years (about 2/3 are native) • About 450 of these are still active • About 350 of the releases were commercially produced within the past 3 years • Annual commercial certified seed production is enough to cover an estimated 2,000,000 acres

24. Critical Areas • Soil erosion and sediment control • Drought & Flooding • Coastline stabilization

25. Management Practices • Buffer strips • Soil bioengineering • Waste management

26. Restoring Habitats • Wetlands • Riparian corridors • Disturbed areas • Fire Rehab

27. Environmental Concerns • Native plants • Noxious/invasive plants • Yellow starthistle • Carbon Sequestration • Habitat for threatened and endangered species

28. Highlights of Current Plant Materials Efforts with Native Plants

29. The Iowa Ecotype Project • A successful partnership and effective use of source-identified materials. • University of Northern Iowa • Iowa Department of Transportation • Iowa Roadside Vegetation Program • Missouri Plant Materials Center

30. The Iowa Ecotype Project • 3 zones – each about 300 miles east to west by 60 miles north to south

31. The Iowa Ecotype Project • Collections made from natural remnants • All seed is certified as to collection location • Wide genetic variability within in each zone – this is being analyzed • No purposeful selection made • Over 40 species from 1800 locations are currently being increased

32. The Iowa Ecotype ProjectOutcomes • 48 ecotypes (22 species) released for commercial production to date • 3,000 acres in commercial seed production • 60,000 lbs. seed produced in 2002 • Strong partnerships developed between state and federal agencies and commercial growers

33. South Texas Natives • A collaboration between • Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute • Texas A&M University-Kingsville • Kika de la Garza Plant Materials Center • Dozens of partners from federal, state, and local government, non-profit groups and private industry

34. South Texas Natives • 2 collections per species for each of the 33 counties in the South Texas region • Over 70 species of grasses, forbs and shrubs targeted • Collected species are evaluated for commercial seed potential along with vigor, good fruit and seed production, and persistence under drought.

35. South Texas Natives

36. National Park Service Projects • A 15+ year collaboration between NRCS and NPS – over 15 Plant Materials Centers working with over 30 different park units • Focus is on preserving the genetic materials within the parks when revegetation is done after disturbance. • Materials are collected from the park and returned to the park

37. National Park Service Projects • Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (TN-VA-KY)

38. National Park Service Projects • Great Smoky Mountains National Park (TN) • Acadia National Park (ME) • Big Bend National Park (TX) • Yellowstone National Park (WY) • Glacier National Park (MT) • Yosemite National Park (CA)

39. Native Grasses for the East US • Historically, most native grasses were selected from the central US • Recent interest in selections made east of the Mississippi River on a regional basis • Most new plant releases are multiple-source composites within a given region

40. Native Grasses for the East US • Great Lakes States – Michigan PMC • Southlow Germplasm (Michigan) • Prairie View Indiana Germplasm • Icy Blue Germplasm Virginia wildrye

41. Native Grasses for the East US • Southeast – Georgia PMC • Union Germplasm purpletop (Tridens flavus) • Durham Germplasm switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) • ‘Americus’ indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

42. Native Grasses for the East US • Mid-Atlantic – New Jersey PMC • Suther Germplasm (North Carolina) • Coastal ecotypes of grasses and forbs • Mid-Atlantic – Maryland PMC • Indiangrass (VA-MD-DE) • Cool-season grasses

43. Diversity of Plant Communities • Grasses which have already been selected are adequate for a range of uses • Focus is on “minor” species for greater plant community diversity • Additional benefits to wildlife, pollinators, and soil health

44. Trapper Germplasm snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) - Montana Spirit Germplasm sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata) - Montana Diversity of Plant Communities

45. San Juan Germplasm narrow leaf penstemon (Penstemon angustifolius) – New Mexico prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) - Missouri Diversity of Plant Communities

46. The Natural Resource Conservation Service focuses on using the most appropriate plants to solve the resource problems of a specific site.