Since 2019 the understory initiative, in partnership with the US fish wildlife service, has worked to increase native plant habitat along oregons coastline

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $200,306 Cooperative Agreement to The Understory Initiative, a woman-owned non-profit organization based in Medford, Oregon, under the Endangered Species Recovery Implementation Federal Grant Program (CFDA 15.657). The three-year project, running from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027, aims to increase native plant habitat along the Oregon coastline. The funding will support technical assistance, procurement of native seed from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and long-term planning for established native seed production beds. This initiative is focused on developing a self-sustaining native seed marketplace in the Pacific Northwest to enhance wildlife habitat, increase native seed availability, and foster collaboration between federal agencies, non-profits, and seed farmers.

This project leverages financial support, ecological expertise, and seed increase farmers to address the decline of native plant populations caused by habitat loss, invasive species, and historic land management that degrades oregons wildlands along the coastal strand. The requested funding will support three years of activities including technical assistance provision, foundation seed lot procurement from USFWS, and long term planning for established production beds. This work is focused on developing a selfsustaining native seed marketplace along the PNW coast. This initiative will enhance wildlife habitat by increasing the availability of native seed, increasing seed production collaboration across federal entities, nonprofits, and seed farmers in the pacific northwest.