NNSP to host 5th Annual Native Seed Forum

The Nevada Native Seed Partnership (NNSP) will host the fifth annual Native Seed Forum virtually on the mornings of March 16 and 17. The forum brings together growers, technical experts and land management agencies to discuss statewide and national seed strategies to support land restoration efforts.

“The forum is hosted by the Nevada Native Seed Partnership, which has worked to increase availability of native grown seed for restoration projects,” Meghan Brown, Plant Industry division deputy administrator for the NDA, said. “The goal of the forum is to bring growers and stakeholders together to discuss cultivation and native seed availability to help facilitate the success and expansion of this industry.”

Native seeds refer to plant seeds native to Nevada landscapes, cultivated in this climate. These seeds can acclimate to Nevada’s unique environment, increasing the plant’s chances of survival. The NDA supports the industry by providing wildland seed certification services and ensuring Nevada native seeds maintain purity and identity for use in land restoration efforts. These rehabilitation projects are completed by land management agencies or landowners in response to devastating land impacts from wildfires, invasive species, land development, among other activities that result in surface disturbance. Restoration efforts are critical to protecting wildlife habitat, supporting diverse land use, and in mitigating future wildfire impacts.

The forum is spread over two days and will be hosted in a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Day one will take place Tuesday, March 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (PST), and will focus on grower experiences with cultivated native seeds. Day two will take place Wednesday, March 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (PST), and will focus on how to sell and market native seeds. Interested attendees can register for the full forum or single days by emailing rwilhelm@agri.nv.gov.

About the Nevada Native Seed Partnership

The Nevada Native Seed Partnership (NNSP) includes Bureau of Land Management, Great Basin Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Nevada Conservation Districts Program, Nevada Department of Agriculture, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Nevada Division of Forestry, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, University of Nevada, Reno, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Walker Basin Conservancy.