Deadline: 07-Feb-2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is interested in potential partnerships to help collect, map, develop, monitor and restore native plants, where needed. They are also interested in engaging and educating community members, youth, veterans, tribes, students, underserved communities and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs.
They are also interested in engaging and educating community members, youth, veterans, tribes, students, underserved communities and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs.
Both partners would benefit through the sharing of knowledge, input to re-vegetation programs and priorities on national forest lands, and hands on knowledge identifying, handling, and processing native plant materials, and/or monitoring and documenting native plant re-vegetation success. Involvement in this work could also benefit others by encouraging long-term relationships with the land, highlighting the importance of native plants in the environment.
Your submission signals an opportunity for USDA Forest Service to explore with you your ideas/projects/programs and federal funding opportunities. USDA Forest Service is committed to fostering a strong, collaborative partnership that benefits native plant communities and restoration projects using locally adapted native plant seeds and propagules. These collaborations are vital for understanding re-vegetation and restoration needs, establishing shared priorities, expanding capacity, and ensuring the growth of resilient and healthy forests with native plants. By working together, all stakeholders can maximize the impact of native plant re-vegetation and restoration efforts on national forests.
Aim
- The native plants needed to restore land impacted by wildfire, drought, and invasive plants are in short supply. USDA Forest Service is reaching out to partners interested in working together to develop native plant materials and to monitor their success in re-vegetation and restoration projects. Units are identifying lists of priority plant species best suited for native plant materials development, considering resource needs, future demand, and past propagation and establishment success. Once identified as a priority, native plant materials, primarily seed sources from wild land populations, are identified and mapped, and seed is collected when the seed is at peak viability. Native seed is then, cleaned and tested, and stored, to eventually be combined and increased in production fields. The genetically diverse plant materials can then be used to meet not only the needs of the national forests, but also to create a sustained market for native plant materials across all lands.
Objectives
- The purpose of this agreement is to foster relationships with diverse and underrepresented groups to participate in re-vegetation programs on National Forest lands. Partners are desired with interest in identifying, mapping, and collecting native plant materials, primarily native seed. The native plant material collections would vary throughout the growing season and could include grasses, forbs, shrubs, and some trees. Desirable collections for native seed ensure the sustainability of wild land populations, but typically target no more than 20% of the population, and at least 10,000 pure live seed/population. To develop a genetically diverse seed source, several populations are targeted for collection throughout a provisional or climate-matched seed zone. Coordination and communication will be paramount for the success of viable collections. As needed, information on the priority plant species and phenology, known and likely locations for the species, digital data and maps, mapping programs, information on desired seed handling techniques and documentation programs and needs, will be provided.
- USDA Forest Service unit will provide support with collections and monitoring, but much of the work will be conducted by the partner.
- Deliverables could include:
- Identify, map (using mobile programs on phones or tablets) and collect viable native plant seed or other native plant materials from wild land populations following protocols agreed to by USDA Forest Service.
- Document all scouting and collection sites and ensure that all collections are clearly labeled and stored correctly prior to processing.
- Increase or produce native plants from genetically diverse sources in greenhouse settings and/or production fields.
- Develop learning networks around native plants and re-vegetation efforts.
- Implement re-vegetation plans and projects on priority project sites.
- Monitor plantings for germination and establishment and document methods and results.
- Lead citizen science, collection and monitoring opportunities involving educators, students, and volunteers. The partner would provide oversight and training with assistance from USDA Forest Service unit as necessary.
- USDA Forest Service will suggest locations, collection times, techniques, seed storage protocols, and reporting/data sharing. They will also work with the partner on any educational support and provide overall project oversight. As the partnership develops and grows, USDA Forest Service involvement can adjust as appropriate.
Areas of Interest
- Areas of interest include:
- Enhance or support on-going native plant material projects.
- Use or understand current USDA Forest Service protocols, programs, and databases to collect and develop native plant material sources.
- Offer learning networks around native plants and re-vegetation efforts, especially programs that reach out to youth, STEM, and underserved communities.
- Provide long-term monitoring of establishment of relationships for implementation of native plant materials for re-vegetation and restoration efforts.
- Involve citizen science opportunities.
Duration
- Awards under this announcement are typically 1 to 5 years in length. Projects of greater complexity may be awarded for a longer period, not to exceed 5 years.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants include for profit; non-profits; institutions of higher education; federal, state, local, and Native American tribal governments; foreign governments and organizations and special purpose districts (public utility districts, fire districts, conservation districts, school districts, and ports).
For more information, visit Grants.gov.