BLM OR/WA Rogue Native Plant Partnership

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The National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration (2015-2020) identifies a need to â¿¿be better prepared to respond appropriately to large-scale disturbances and other stressors that threaten important plant communities and the ecosystem services they provide on Federal, state, local, and private land. The stressors include the spread of invasive plant species, altered wildlife regimes, habitat modification, land overuse, and climate change. The key component to achieving this vision is improving the availability of appropriate native seed, seedlings, and container stock. These materials are currently difficult to acquire in sufficient quantities across the Rogue Basin, often resulting in the use of non-native plants, cultivars, or native plant materials that are not adapted to local site conditions, thus limiting restoration success. The proposed project would fund a partnership of regional land management agencies, nongovernmental organizations, tribes, seed growers, nurseries, and restoration practitioners who would work together to implement the National Seed Strategy, thereby improving restoration outcomes across the Rogue Basin. To meet the growing need for genetically appropriate native plant materials for restoration projects in the Rogue Basin, the BLM-Medford District has funding available to facilitate establishment of a regional native plant materials partnership. The partnership would focus on addressing the current supply gap for native seeds and other plant materials, with a secondary emphasis on developing prescriptions, best management practices, outreach materials, and other tools to improve restoration success. The partnership would provide a centralized structure, increase cooperation, and leverage the strengths and resources of partners to more effectively develop and distribute native plant materials for land managers.

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