Horning Native Plant
Development Partnership
Developing a Successful Native Plant Program Workshop
April 1, 2009
Ontario, Oregon.
Prepared by Claire Hibler
Walter Horning Seed Orchard
(HSO)
Partnered native plant development history at HSO goes back
more than a dozen years!
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BLM facility established 1964
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Located SE of Portland near
Estacada
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Established partnerships
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Heavy use of contracts,
subcontracts and volunteer labor
The Situation
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Western Oregon Seed Orchard Consolidation
Reduced staffing levels
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Greenhouses aiming for being mothballed
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Native Plant Development Program
investments (>$500,000) at risk of being lost
What is at the facility of interest to
folks with NPMD needs?
A quick visual tour of the facility….
Native Plant Materials Development Area at
Horning Seed Orchard
Nursery Work Building
Three Greenhouses
New Storage Building Provides Work Space and
Frees Greenhouse Growing Space
2002
Building Transition
Space
2003 - 2004
Using Transition Space
2009
Land cleared, fenced and tilled in
preparation for Native Plant Production
2001
Luzula campestris
Picture April 2005
West Eugene Wetlands lot – plugs planted 2004
Multi-agency Brome Genetic Study
Study planted May 2002. Morphological and genetic data collected in 2002 - 2004
Lupinus latifolius
Picture 2007
Willamette NF lot – Direct seeded Fall 2004
Harvesting of Columbia Brome and
Oregon Sunshine with a Small Plot
Combine
Shaded Water Beds
Newly developed water beds at Horning (2003 - 2004)
Two 20’ x 50’ houses hold 24 beds of 15 growing trays each
Seed Extractory
More to the facility
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Office space
Lunch room & kitchen
Cold & dry storage areas
Shop
Heavy equipment
Seed lab, drying loft, more to seed extractory
Primordial Soup
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Some Native Plant Materials Development needs aren’t
and will not be met by private industry
Existing partnerships still using HSO
NRCS Plant Materials Center, Corvallis capacity issues
USFWS & Institute For Applied Ecology: T&E plants &
nectar resource plants for T&E butterflies
NPS, Lewis & Clark National Historical Park near Astoria:
Otter Point Restoration
Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development Inc.:
interested in serving as a fiscal agent
Management and program support at all levels in BLM
Action Plan
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Field tours led to determining the niche HSO can fill & letters
of interest from potential partners
Proposals for funding included USDI Interagency Native Plant
Materials Devlopment Program & USFS Service First
Steering Committee Charter, MOU and Position Description
for the Native Plant Program Manager are nearing completion
Assistance Agreement between Cascade Pacific RCD & BLM
is in draft
The Vision
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Vision: To pursue the coordination of native plant
development projects at Horning Seed Orchard for a wide
variety of governmental and non-governmental clients.
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Mission: To develop the most cost-effective and ecological
methods of native plant production and establishment for
restoration of native habitats.
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We aim to have a Native Plant Program Manager at HSO, they will be
a contractor under CPRCD working under the direction of the
Steering Committee.
Partnership Goals
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Establish multi-agency steering committee.
Secure funding and staff for the Horning Seed
Orchard
Maintain clear communication between BLM, Native
Plant Program Manager, clients and Steering
Committee on nursery workload and progress
Establish and maintain native plant partnerships with
governmental agencies and non-governmental
organizations
Identify and secure new funding for projects and
partnership management
The Partners
U.S. Department of Interior – Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Forest Service
Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development
U.S. Department of Interior - National Park Service
U.S. Department of Interior – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Institute for Applied Ecology
Natural Resource Conservation Service; Plant Materials
Center
The Nature Conservancy
Thanks for your attention