Native Plant Restoration
on National Forests
in the Pacific Northwest
Vicky Erickson
Regional Geneticist
USFS
PNW Region
PNW Region:
• 25 million acres
• 16 forests
• 1 grassland
• diverse ecosystems
& flora
Restoration Needs
• wildfire/flooding/volcanoes/vandalism
• fish/wildlife habitat enhancement
• invasive plant prevention & management
• road construction & decommissioning
• timber sale mitigation
• rangeland improvement
• trail & recreation site development
• mine site rehabilitation
National Native Plant Materials Policy
(FSM 2070, 2008)
“Native plant materials are the first choice
in revegetation…”
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/nativeplantmaterials/policy.shtml
NATIONAL NATIVE PLANT MATERIALS POLICY
• Genetically appropriate native plant materials are given
primary consideration
• Restrict use of persistent, non-native species
• Non-native spp. will not hybridize or adversely affect the
recovery of native spp.
• No invasives!
• Rx (spp. & source) is developed by trained plant
material specialists
• A reliable source of plant materials is essential
Building a PNW
Native Plant Restoration Program
Priority 1: Species & seed need projections
Priority 2: Plant material development/production
Priority 3: Funding & partnerships
Priority 4: Education, technology transfer
Priority 5: R&D
Private Seed Producers
• Willamette Valley (western OR)
• Columbia Basin (eastern OR/WA)
PNW Seed Production Contract
• 5 year, IDIQ commercial services
• USFS & BLM (OR, WA, ID)
• Contract is open every 3 years
 3rd award, Spring 2009
• Contractors submit proposals/respond to
evaluation criteria
Qualifications/experience/performance
• A pool of qualified growers is selected
PNW Seed Production Contract
•
Meets State certification standards for:
– Source Identified Class
– Isolation distances
– Prohibited or restricted weeds
– Purity
– Germination
• Cleaning/bagging/labeling requirements
• Straw bale specifications/standards
TASK ORDER NO.
Task Orders
IF THIS ORDER IS GREATER THAN $2,500.00, IT IS
NOT VALID UNTIL SIGNED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER
Contract No.
• Specify species & quantity
• Additional requirements
• Performance period
( ~2-3 years)
• Two price structures:
1) $/lb: “easy” to grow spp.
2) $/acre
- high risk spp.
- small quantities
7
Project
Name:
54-04R3-1-42
Contractor:
Issuing and Billing Office:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Item
No.
Subitem
No.
7
9
10
11
12
County:
Native Grass Seed
Production
7.2
9.2
10.2
11.2
12.2
Description
ELGL-1606 Yr2
DECA18-1606 Yr 2
KOMA-1606 Yr2
BRCA5-1606 Yr2
DACA3-1606 Yr2
Umatilla National Forest
2517 SW Hailey Avenue
Pendleton, OR 97801
Quantity
to Date
Quantity
Order
0
0
0
0
0
200
200
200
500
100
Required Delivery Date or Number of Calendar Days: 10/30/2004
Contractor: (Name and Signature)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Requested By: (Name and Signature)
/s/ Karen M. Prudhomme
Contracting Officer’s Represenative
Fund Authorization: (Name and Signature)
Line Officer
Ordered By: (Name and Signature)
Contracting Officer
Order Date: 9/18/02
Job Code:
Original to CO, CC to Contractor, B&F and COR
Unit
lbs
lbs
lbs
lbs
lbs
Unit
Price
Amount
9.00
14.00
13.00
9.00
9.00
$ 1,800.00
$ 2,800.00
$ 2,600.00
$ 4,500.00
$ 900.00
Total Price:
$12,600.00
Grasses:
• Blue wildrye
• Bluebunch wheatgrass
• Mountain brome
• Sandberg’s bluegrass
• Great basin wildrye
• Idaho fescue
• Squirreltail
• Prairie junegrass
• Stipa spp.
• Slender hairgrass
Forbs:
• Yarrow
• Pearly everlasting
• Buckwheat
• Blue flax
• Lupinus spp.
• Penstemon spp.
• Aster spp.
Task Orders, cont.
• Submitted through local FS/BLM
contracting office
• Competed among growers
• Awarded (~7 day turnaround):
 price
 technical merits
 experience
 past performance
• Payment upon delivery
• Govt. has first right of refusal for
excess seed
Advantages
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Time & stress saving
Flexible & fast
Funds obligated “up front”
Payment guaranteed
Pre-qualified (really good) contractors
Strong quality control
Develops industry expertise
Benefits rural economies
Builds long-term partnerships
Contributes to secondary (non-FS) market
http://fsweb.r6.fs.fed.us/nr/native-plants
Coming
Soon!
Restoration Services Contract
Pre-solicitation: 3/10
• Planting/seeding
• Hydroseeding
• Invasive plant treatment
• Vegetation monitoring
• Seed/vegetative collection
• Plant propagation (container/bareroot)
“Restoration of Disturbed Sites with Native Plants”
• January 12-14, 2010 (Vancouver, WA)
• June 15-18, 2010 (Wenatchee, WA)
Program:
•Defining project objectives
•Conducting vegetation assessments
•Delineating revegetation units
•Selecting reference sites
•Defining desired future conditions
•Identifying limiting factors
•Creating species lists
•Identifying target plant requirements
•Selecting plant materials
•Developing revegetation plans
Sponsored by: Western Forestry & Conservation Association
http://www.westernforestry.org
For additional information, contact:
Vicky Erickson
541-278-3715
verickson@fs.fed.us