b'ing on developing plants for seeds thatThe demand is coming not just from can be grown or eaten, she is focusing onthe BLM but utilities that are cutting rights cultivating seed to generate resilient plantof way for new green generating systems communities. as well as for riparian management and For restoration, the seed is noterosion control.the final product. The final product isWere cleaning up the mountainsides a plant that grows from that seed thatplus fixing up the watersheds to help keep can then maintain a population forever,the lake blue, Kleiner said of Comstocks she explains. The seed is really only thework at Lake Tahoe. The markets never beginning, and so for that reason, weend.need to keep all of the variability we can. A lack of information is hampering Leger and her colleagues have sur- market development, however. Solid veyed plant populations across thousandsestimates of demand for seed for recla-of square miles, identifying those whichmation and conservation purposes are on are best at establishing in challengingthe American Seed Trade Associations environments and outcompeting weedswish list.and other interlopers. Elizabeth (Beth) Leger, University ofGrowers have capacity, according Ill find a population where most ofNevada, Reno; Owen Baughman, precisionto the National Academies report, but them do this but theres still variability inrestoration scientist with The Naturebetter communication is needed to help there, because the reality is every yearConservancy; Sarah Kulpa, restorationthem meet the requirements of the BLM is different, she says. We have plantedecologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service. and other federal agencies to be more a bunch of populations from all over theproactive at anticipating seed demand. place in some really challenging, realisticUniversity of California-Davis has alsoLeger says agencies could plan to stock restoration conditions, and we have foundshown that wildflowers have the traitsseeds for the areas that burn the most some above average populations thatrequired to withstand drought, bank- to ensure they have seed on hand when do really well. ing seed underground when condi- theyre needed, rather than placing orders Some of those are being plantedtions arent favorable for establishment.afterwards.at BFI Native Seeds in Moses Lake,Seed production continues even whenThe BLM tends to be very reactive. Washington. Cooperators there willit declines for grasses, allowing them toThey seed in response to emergencies, collect and return the seed to Leger forspring to life when the right conditionsand they dont know when those emer-distribution to growers in the Great Basinreturn. Seed banking also allows them togencies are going to happen, she says.who will scale up production under localburst forth after wildfires, kickstarting theThe National Academies say new conditions. renewal process. federal programs designed to support Using seed mixes that include nativeThis is critical in grassland habitatswildfire recovery are a starting point for forbs and wildflowers rather than relyingwhere larger perennials may not thrive asanticipating future demand.on grasses is important for several rea- well as in fire-ravaged forests, where theyWith new federal resources for sons. While grasses can establish quickly,naturally give way to larger species asrestoration, federal and state agencies research indicates that they can reducepart of seral succession.should plan restoration projects on a fire return intervals in traditional sage- A lot of the front-end research rightfive-year basis, ensure that stock seed has brush ecosystems from 30 to 100-plusnow is pointing to local genetics forbeen made available to suppliers, and set years to 5 to 15 years. Repeated burnsrestoration work, and its backing upannual purchase targets for the collection mean less chance of native ecosystemswhat we always thought was why theseand acquisition of needed ecotypes of recovering. things survive the long-term where theynative plant species, the reports states as Grasses are also not necessarily thedo, says Ed Kleiner, founder of Comstockpart of 10 recommendations for improv-first or best species that take root inSeed LLC in Gardnerville, Nevada (nowing access to native seeds. Public-sector natural succession scenarios. Wildflowerspart of the S&S Seeds, acquired bybuyers of native seed should amend their and other flowering plants often thriveHeartwood Partners LLC of Connecticutpolicies to enable contracting for pur-because of their different root systems, inin March 2023). They may not be thechases before the seed production cycle turn attracting and supporting pollinatorsstrongest, essentially, at the beginning,begins. Forward contracting, in which the that contribute to the overall health andbut with some time and some goodbuyer agrees to purchase specific seed diversity of the renewing landscape. effort with what you put down on theat a future date, reduces grower risk by Research a decade ago at theground, the persistence is there. ensuring them a market.SWFEBRUARY 2024SEEDWORLD.COM /11'