In short supply, a pound of native seed is valued at $10 to $900 per pound.

National Need for Seed

Peggy Olwell, (202) 452-7764
Bureau of Land Management

Use of native grasses seed for revegetation following wildland fires has added stress to existing supplies of seed. In FY 2001, the House of Representatives Conference Report in Title IV -- Wildland Fire Emergency Appropriations directed the Departments of Interior and Agriculture agencies to develop a long-term program to manage and supply native plant materials for use in various Federal land management restoration and rehabilitation efforts. The report directed the interagency Plant Conservation Alliance to lead the effort. In the FY 2002 Appropriations Bill, Congress directed the agencies to continue to implement the Native Plant Material Development Program. The Bureau of Land management has committed $4.6 million to continue that program in FY 2002.

A Thank You

A special thanks for the support that the Florida Department of Transportation Environmental Management Office provided at the recent national Seeds for the Future Workshop held in Orlando.

The primary goal of the conference was to provide technical information to potential seed growers of native wildflower and grass seed throughout the Nation. The current market supply cannot meet the demand of Federal, State and local agencies who want to revegetate public lands with regional native plants.

I hope the conference will spark the expansion of this industry to supply Florida's needs. I also hope that the Department of Transportation will show support with additional applied research on appropriate roadside species and establishment techniques. With some effort the DOT could also support contract growing initially to help get the seed supply needed for erosion control, landscaping, mitigation, and other planting efforts. By supporting the production of native wildflower and native grass seed, transportation departments can lower maintenance costs, enhance wildlife habitat, improve roadside beauty, gain public support, and protect the natural heritage of their State. Other agencies and organizations that use native seed for reclamation, restoration, and land management programs will also benefit.

Thank you for the support your agency provided for this conference. I especially want to thank Leroy Irwin, Gary Henry and Nancy Hummel for their footwork on al the conference logistics. I heard no complaints, but only praise in the hallways of this event. Attendees were so inspired, they wanted to set a date for another conference! I also want to thank you for your help in our cooperative research effort on Florida ecotypes, public awareness effort at welcome stations, and establishment of the new Florida wildflower license plate. Florida is leading the way in its roadside wildflower program in the Southeast!

Bonnie L. Harper-Lore

Greener Roadsides is a quarterly publication of the Federal Highway Administration, Office of Environment and Planning. If you would like to submit letters, comments, or articles, please address them to:
Bonnie.Harper-Lore@fhwa.dot.gov
Editor, Greener Roadsides
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Natural Environment
HEPN-30, Room 3240
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Phone: (651) 291-6104
Fax: (651) 291-6000