Purpose of award:public lands contain a diversity of native plant communities and department of interior DOI units in california contain a wide array of species and protect some of the most iconic…

Purpose of award:public lands contain a diversity of native plant communities and department of interior DOI units in california contain a wide array of species and protect some of the most iconic landscapes in the country. The goal is to increase the quantity diversity and effectiveness of native forbs and grasses for restoration of wildlife habitats and rehabilitation after wildfires and other disturbance. Without native seed we do not have the ability to restore functional ecosystems after natural disasters and mitigate the effects of climate change.summary of project specific activities:the DOI agencies are working to identify promising species for investigation or increase from multiple locations throughout california and provide appropriate seed stock through wildland collections made on DOI lands. The proposed cooperative agreement has these specific OBJECTIVES1 develop genetically appropriate native plant material for use in habitat restoration and rehabilitation through seed increase and testing 2 assist DOI programs in burned area emergency rehabilitation baer and burned area rehabilitation bar restoring public lands and integrating more widespread use of native plant materials in the postfire environment. Performance goals including milestones and expected outcomes:seed production is a long duration task that requires many years of collection curation testing and growing seed before there is an ample seed supply for postfire restoration. Initial seeding will occur in the first year with waves of plantings and harvest to occur annually for the duration. Seed specific to parks that are part of this project will start getting seed in the second year lasting for the duration of the project. We are projecting a minimum of 5000 LBS of pure live seed from over 50 different species. Beneficiaries:this project develops genetically appropriate native plant material seed for use in postfire habitat restoration that will allow public land managers to implement seedbased restoration techniques. These techniques protect biodiversity and public land from further degradation and provide for the public enjoyment of native ecosystems and biodiversity. The program serves a public purpose by increasing the resilience of public lands to climate change to increases in wildfire severity and intensity and allows for public land managers to preserve and enhance our nations biodiversity for the enjoyment of the public.