# Presentation: 914197

## The USDA-NRCSPlant Materials Program

## History

**In the 1930’s Soil Conservation Nurseries were established to grow and distribute plants for the stabilization of severely eroding lands.**
**NRCS has 65 years of experience and technology to address changing environmental needs**.

## Plant Materials Program - Today

**Develops plants and technologies for the successful conservation of our nation’s natural resources.**
**Provides vital information to private landowners and public land managers to address critical land management problems.**
**Is a network of Plant Materials Centers and Plant Materials Specialists strategically located throughout the United States.  There are 26 PMCs with service areas defined by ecological boundaries.**

## Service Areas of the Plant Materials Centers

## The Program’s Mission

**The Program’s Mission**

**Finding Plant Solutions for Conservation Needs**

##    Conservation needs include: Critical Habitats

**   ****Conservation needs include:**** ****Critical Habitats**

**Wetlands**
**Riparian corridors**
**Disturbed areas**** **
**Fire Rehab**** **

##    Management Practices

**Buffer strips**
**Soil bioengineering**
**Waste management**

## Environmental Concerns

**Native plants**
**Noxious/invasive plants**
**Yellow starthistle**
**Drought / Flooding**
**Habitat for threatened and endangered species**

## Environmental Concerns

**Soil erosion and sediment control**
**Carbon sequestration**
**Coastline stabilization**** **

## Program Products

**Printed**
**Materials**** **

**Presentations / Training Sessions / Site Visits **

**Conservation Plant **
**Releases**

**Notes:**
Check back on this slide ******

## Printed Materials

**Plant Materials Program Web Site   *****Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov***
**With links to:**
**  ****PLANTS Database**
**  ****PLANTS Species Profiles**
**Information:****	****	**
**	****   ****Publications**
**	****   ****Fact Sheets**
**	****   ****Plant Releases**
**	****   ****Plant Materials Centers**

## Presentations / Training Sessions / Site Visits 

**For individual land owners, schools, specialized groups, and interagency**

## Plant Releases – The foundation of the Plant Materials Program

**Research includes:**

**  ****Source-Identified, Selected, Tested,            ****	****Cultivar          **

** ****Native and Introduced  **

## Releases

**Cultivar**

**Tested**

**Selected**

**Source-identified**

## Origin of Plant Releases Over the Past 5 Years

## Trends in the Origin of Plant Materials ReleasesTotal Releases - 508 

## Development of a Plant Materials Release 

**Field collection occurs throughout the US**
**Timely releases for general conservation and restoration use for a limited geographic area**
**Cultivars for specific uses, such as wildlife habitat, forage or bioengineering, adapted to a wide geographic area**

## Work with a broad range of species, including grasses, legumes, forbs (wildflowers), trees, and shrubs

## Interface with the commercial seed and nursery industries to develop and release plant material for commercial availability

## The Iowa Ecotype Project

**A successful partnership and effective use of source-identified materials.**
**University of Iowa**
**Iowa Department of Transportation**
**Iowa Roadside Vegetation Program**
**Missouri PMC**

## Outcomes of this 5-Year Success Story

**Over 25 source-identified releases **
**350 acres in commercial seed production**
**24,700 lbs. seed produced in 2000 **
_**Strong partnerships developed between state and federal agencies and commercial growers**_

## Deciding when to Develop a Plant Species for Release

- What is the **demand** for Plant Material development and releases?
- Agriculture
- Conservation
- Urban Development
- Critical Habitat
- Recreation
- Other

## Agriculture

**Water Quality and Quantity**
**Water Conservation**
**Invasive Species**
**Carbon Sequestration**
**Grazing (Pasture and Rangeland)**
**Agroforestry (windbreaks, biofuels, pulp)**
**Farm Bill Programs (CRP, EQIP)**

## Conservation

**Threatened and Endangered Species**
**Fish & Wildlife Habitat**
**Native Plant Species**
**Wetlands / Riparian**
**Conservation Buffers**
**Coastal Shoreline Stabilization**
**Visual Enhancement**
**Wildfire Rehabilitation**
**Windbreaks**
**Erosion Control**

## Urban Development

**Filtering Wastewater**
**Landscaping with Native & Low Water Use Species**
**Roadside Beautification**
**Conservation Education **
**Parks / Golf Courses / Ball Fields**
**Urban / Wildlands Interface**
**Open Space**

## Critical Habitats

**Mine Reclamation**
**Timber Harvest / Reforestation**
**Highway Revegetation **
**Wetlands**
**Natural Disasters (floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes)**
**Threatened / Endangered Species**

## Other

**Native American Issues – Culturally significant plants (food, ceremony, basket weaving, etc.)**
**Limited Resource Farmers **
**Public Lands and Other Agency Needs             **
**	****USFS ****	****	****EPA****	****	****DOE**
**	****BLM        ****	****USGS****	****	****FEMA**
**	****NPS             ****	****BIA****	****	****DOD**
**	****BOR****	****	****DOT****	****	****USFWS**
**State and Local Needs****	**

## What is the VALUE of thePlant Materials Program

**What is the **_***VALUE***_*** of the******Plant Materials Program***

**The ability to develop plant materials to meet the ever-changing demand    **
**Facilities, **_**in place,**_** to accommodate the need**
**Unique nationwide network of PMCs to address all geographic variables**
**65 years of experience and plant material specialists’ expertise**
**Economic advantages for commercial growers and end-users who are unable, individually, to test and monitor plant materials **

##      Economic Program Benefit – 			6:1 ratio 

## What is required to maintain that 					VALUE?

- Increased awareness and use of the PMCs’ existing technology: 	printed material, training, 	releases

-  Increased mutual
-     agreements with PMCs:                               	multi-agency, public/private,     	conservation/commodity

** ****Only if resources are available**
-            People
-            Physical
-            Fiscal

## The Plant Materials Program can be the most efficient and effective solution to YOUR conservation needs...