Guidelines For Native Seed Production And Grassland Restoration

World-wide, the degradation and destruction of both natural and traditionally used semi-natural ecosystems is drastically increasing. Unfortunately, commercial seed mixtures, consisting of non-native species and genetically uniform cultivars, are widely used in grassland restoration, often with negative effects on biodiversity. Therefore, native species should be used in the ecological restoration of natural and semi-natural vegetation. This book compiles results from recent studies presented at a Special Session “Native seed production and use in restoration projects”, which was organised during the 8th European Conference on Ecological Restoration in České Budějovice, Czech Republic. The authors review the ecological and genetic aspects of seed propagation and species introduction both from a European and an American perspective, and discuss implications for the development of seed zones and for native seed production. Examples from different countries focus on native seed production in practice, and suggest different approaches for the certification of seed provenance. Best practice examples from Europe and the United States are used to indicate the advantages of using native seeds for ecological restoration of grasslands, field margins and sagebrush steppe. Finally, this volume also provides guidelines for the successful implementation of restoration projects for local authorities, landscape planners and NGOs in order to bridge gaps between research and practice.

This book was written to fulfil the need for a document to address the specifics of native revegetation that are not adequately covered by a guideline. It assists anyone in Alberta who has to plan native plant revegetation projects or carryout the revegetation. It provides specific information on native revegetation planning, information sources, final land-use considerations, salvaging or otherwise obtaining native plant materials, field operations (site preparation, seeding, planting, ensuring establishment success), management, monitoring, and assessment. Appendices include a glossary, a list of Websites & contacts for further information, a methodology for calculating seeding rates, and a table showing native plant species & their characteristics.

Across the United States, millions of acres of land have been so disturbed by human activities or severe climate events that significant portions of their native plant communities have been lost and their ecosystems have been seriously compromised. Restoring impaired ecosystems requires a supply of diverse native plant seeds that are well suited to the climates, soils, and other living species of the system. Native seeds are also in demand for applications in urban land management, roadside maintenance, conservation agriculture, and other restorative activities that take into account the connection between native plant communities and the increasingly urgent need for resilient landscapes. Given the varied climatic and environmental niches of the more than 17,000 native plant species of the United States, supplying the desired seed types and species mixes for this wide range of activities is a challenge. As the first phase of a nationwide analysis of the full scope of needs for native plant seeds, this interim report describes the participants in the native plant seed supply chain, makes preliminary observations, and proposes an information-gathering plan for the second phase of the assessment.

Ecological restoration is a rapidly evolving discipline that is engaged with developing both methodologies and strategies for repairing damaged and polluted ecosystems and environments. During the last decade the rapid pace of climate change coupled with continuing habitat destruction and the spread of non-native species to new habitats has forced restoration ecologists to re-evaluate their goals and the methods they use. This comprehensive handbook brings together an internationally respected group of established and rising experts in the field. The book begins with a description of current practices and the state of knowledge in particular areas of restoration, and then identifies new directions that will help the field achieve increasing levels of future success. Part I provides basic background about ecological and environmental restoration. Part II systematically reviews restoration in key ecosystem types located throughout the world. In Part III, management and policy issues are examined in detail, offering the first comprehensive treatment of policy relevance in the field, while Part IV looks to the future. Ultimately, good ecological restoration depends upon a combination of good science, policy, planning and outreach – all issues that are addressed in this unrivalled volume.

This book provides a general overview of the natural landscapes and vegetation types of the U.S., the key plant species that help define them, the pressures faced by natural ecosystems and the imperative for conservation and restoration. It addresses the policies that have been introduced to manage healthy ecosystems and the practical progress that is being made in restoration. A particular focus is on the production of diverse native plant materials currently required by the National Seed Strategy. Case studies demonstrate how native plant materials are essential to support the conservation of healthy ecosystems with their biodiversity and functions as well as supporting a productive and sustainable agricultural sector and healthy ecosystems for all. The authors are closely connected with major national and international networks of botanic gardens, ecologists and conservation scientists at Board level and through other professional links. Condensing a wide range of current information into a concise format, this book fills a need by experts and informed amateurs interested in the natural environment, including gardeners, botanic garden and protected area visitors, government agencies, the private sector native seed industry, and NGOs.