The U.S. Department of the Interior has launched a program aimed at streamlining efforts to distribute seeds and native plant material to areas damaged by wildfire. What’s known as the National Seed Strategy will bring together 12 federal agencies and several non-federal partners.
Officials hope the effort will improve the seed production process and increase the availability of locally adapted plant materials.
Peggy Olwell is with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. She said the first step in the process is to assess all of the federal agencies that deal with seeds, figure out what they have and in what capacity.
"We’re trying to develop the materials and the network of growers and facilities so that we will have the appropriate genetic material for restoring the native plant communities in the west," Olwell said.
Olwell said when damaged landscapes sit barren for too long, they’re vulnerable to issues like erosion and invasive species. She said the ultimate goal is to get the right seeds in the right places at the right times.
