Current News on our Native Plant Program
CDOW Seed Storage Warehouse
The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) plans to construct a native seed storage facility on the Escalante State Wildlife Area, west of Delta, CO in 2010 using “Species Conservation Trust” funds. This facility will fill the need for a proper long term storage facility on the west slope of Colorado.
Utah DWR Seed Warehouse in Ephraim, UT
The UP Native Plant Program continues to make progress toward producing local native plant materials for the Colorado Plateau Region. As an example, in the fall of 2009, seed from the first commercial crop, UP Colorado Sandberg bluegrass, was purchased by the UP and distributed to 4 different agencies for use in 14 different seeding projects across western Colorado. During this effort it became apparent that there was not an adequate local location to store and distribute the seed. To fill this need, the DOW plans to build a facility for storage of seed as well as seed cleaning, mixing and planting equipment.
The facility will aid in the production of more native plant materials. Often times, commercial growers are reluctant to take on new species. By offering guaranteed buy-backs, the risk of working with new or unfamiliar crops is reduced. However, the quantities produced may exceed the immediate need. Without adequate storage facilities, excess stock cannot be properly held for future use.
Additional benefits of the facility include the ability of storing seed in a climate controlled environment. Storing seed of many species in conditions that lack some form of climate control can greatly reduce viability and in a relatively short time, render the entire stock useless.
The facility will also allow for more wildland collections of key native species. For example, sagebrush is being used extensively to rehabilitate Gunnison sage-grouse habitat, but this species quickly loses viability if not stored under temperature controlled conditions. In a good year, thousands of pounds of sagebrush seed can be easily gathered off public lands. But if conditions are not right, the seed does not ripen or set and almost nothing is available. With a climate controlled storage facility, seed may be collected in good years and stored for later use.
The UP Native Plant Program advances a western Colorado source of Sandberg bluegrass to commercial production
This fall a major milestone has been reached within the UP Native Plant Program-the commercial production of a key native grass. Approximately 20,000 pounds of Sandberg bluegrass are currently ready for purchase by federal and state agencies as well as by private companies.
Sandberg bluegrass is a principle native grass for the Colorado Plateau region. It is an early perennial bunchgrass that produces excellent spring forage for wildlife and cattle. It grows at broad range of elevations: 4,000 to 12,000 ft and on many different soil types. Sandberg bluegrass performs well in seed mixes and competes well with cheatgrass and other invasive species.
The goal of the UP Native Plant Program is to develop an adequate supply of seed of a variety of species native to the Colorado Plateau for use in restoration activities. Because the majority of the species selected have not been previously researched or worked with on a large-scale, the UP conducts studies to investigate basic plant characteristics and effective methodologies to produce profitable crops of native seed by defining appropriate seeding, harvesting, collection and cleaning techniques. The UP then provides source-identified seed and data on cultivation practices to commercial growers.
'UP Colorado Plateau', a source of Sandberg bluegrass, was collected on the Uncompahgre Plateau in western Colorado. The UP would like to assist agencies and private companies in purchasing this grass for use in restoration and rehabilitation efforts. If you would like more information, please contact us. To read more about 'UP Colorado Plateau', download the pdf document below.
The origin of the 'UP Colorado Plateau' Sandberg bluegrass
The UP delivers thirteen species to commercial growers
The UP has advanced thirteen species through our program, performing the necessary studies and seed increase process, and they are now in the hands of commercial growers. The UP has selected these species (six grasses and seven forbs) because they are considered key components of native ecosystems in the Colorado Plateau area.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Release name | Elevation (ft) |
| Grasses | |||
| Basin wildrye | Leymus cinereus | UP Cochetopa | 8,231 |
| Prairie Junegrass | Koeleria macrantha | UP Sims Mesa | 7,595 |
| Muttongrass | Poa fendleriana | UP Colona | 7,347 |
| Bottlebrush squirreltail | Elymus elymoides | UP Paradox | 5,712 |
| Indian ricegrass | Achnatherum hymenoides | White River | 5,413 |
| Mountain brome | Bromus marginatus | UP Cold Springs | 8,949 |
| Forbs | |||
| Western yarrow | Achillea millefolium lanulosa | UP Dry Fork | 8,844 |
| Oregon daisy | Erigeron speciosus | UP Dry Fork Hwy | 8,844 |
| Sulfur-flower buckwheat | Eriogonum umbellatum | UP Burn Canyon | 7,949 |
| Utah sweetvetch | Hedysarum boreale germiale | UP Uncompahgre | 6,813 |
| Dusty penstemon | Penstemon comarrhenus | UP Delta | 7,721 |
| Bluestem penstemon | Penstemon cyanocaulis | UP San Miguel | 7,175 |
| Scarlet globemallow | Sphaeralcea coccinea | UP Paradox Valley | 4,996 |
Currently these target species are either not offered on the market in quantities sufficient for large-scale projects or their costs are prohibitively high. However, the value of these species to enhancing and restoring the health of the ecosystem is such that their commercial availability is vital.
The grasses that have been selected occur on a diverse range of vegetation communities. For example, mountain brome occurs at higher elevations consisting of mountain shrub to spruce-fir zones (5,000 to 10,500 feet) while bottlebrush squirreltail can occur in salt-desert shrub zones at elevations as low as 3,510 ft. All of the grass are utilized by wildlife and livestock as forage. The grasses are also useful in the reestablishment of native communities on disturbed sites, are drought tolerant and are valuable for annual weed and erosion control. In particular, prairie junegrass and muttongrass are desirable due to their early spring emergence.
The White River release of Indian ricegrass is a Colorado Plateau source that was developed by Dr. Tom Jones at the USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Laboratory in Logan, UT. White River was collected in Rio Blanco County, CO. Indian ricegrass is known to be one of the most drought tolerant perennial native grasses. However, many Indian ricegrass ecotypes have erratic germination rates. In working with collections from the Uncompahgre Plateau, the UP encountered these germination problems. Because a local ecotype of Indian ricegrass is highly needed, the UP began to work with the White River release, undertaking studies and seed increase and now releasing it to commercial growers.
The forbs selected are principle understory species for a wide range of vegetative types and are important to Gunnison sage grouse, as well as other wildlife species. In addition, Utah sweetvetch is a known nitrogen fixer, benefiting the surrounding native vegetation as a whole by supplying necessary nutrients to the soil. The majority of these forbs have never been grown commercially on a large-scale. The UP, through smaller plot studies, has found that they have the potential for cultivated production because they are long-lived and able to produce significant amounts of seed. The UP has contracted with several growers that will continue to research these important species to determine the criteria necessary for growing and harvesting these forbs at a commercial scale.
The UP has adequate seed stock in place to support commercial production of five additional forbs
The UP is committed to developing a diverse number of native species integral to the restoration of Colorado Plateau ecosystems. We now have adequate source-identified seed and have collected sufficient data on cultivation practices for five important forbs: blueleaf aster (Aster glaucodes), Lewis flax (Linum lewisii), alpine golden buckwheat (Eriogonum flavum), multi?-lobed groundsel (Packera multilobatus), hairy goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) and shaggy fleabane (Erigeron pumilus). Currently, there are no cultivars from Colorado Plateau sources available on the market.
In the wild, these forbs species are known to be well adapted to disturbed sites and provide valuable forage and cover for birds and small mammals. The UP has found that in agronomic settings, they establish well with direct seeding and produce sufficient seed crops. Lewis flax, shaggy fleabane and multi-lobed groundsel also spread well by natural recruitment.
The UP is working to expand our grower base and hopes to have these forbs in production as soon as possible.
The UP completes an Upper Colorado Plateau Native Plant Materials Assessment
The UP used an on-line survey to assess the current and potential demand for native plant materials for the upper Colorado Plateau. From August 2008 to February 2009, 31 individuals from federal and state agencies and private industry, all of whom are currently or will potentially be involved in rehabilitation/restoration efforts on the upper Colorado Plateau area, participated in the survey.
The findings from this survey will be used to:
- Modify the direction of the current UP Native Plant Program;
- Inform private growers and seed companies of the demand for native seed, encouraging this new industry; and
- Update and inform state, regional and national land management agencies as to the current demand for native seed in the upper Colorado Plateau.
Results of the survey indicate a need for local sources of native seed and a lack of adequate storage facilities.
- 56% stated that they could NOT currently obtain sufficient quantities of the native seed.
- 75% cited availability as the main limiting factor to currently purchasing native seeds.
- Cost was cited as the second limiting factor.
- Only 31% of participants stated that their current storage facility is of adequate size.
- Only 22% have temperature-regulated storage facilities.
The UP partners with CSU and the San Juan National Forest to initiate a new study of perennial native forbs and early emergent species.
The goal of the proposed project is to research and develop economically viable techniques to commercially produce seed of key perennial forbs and pioneer species for use in restoration and re- vegetation efforts. Methodologies will be defined, including appropriate seeding, harvesting, collection and cleaning techniques. Once viable processes are developed, a cost benefit analysis will be prepared to assist commercial and private growers. In Fall 2008 several forbs were planted at Colorado State University -Yellow Jacket Research Facility, CO (located approximately 20 miles from the Dolores Public Lands Office of the San Juan NF). Seed produced from the study will be provided to commercial growers and land management agencies. The results of the study will be shared with commercial growers, public land managers, and others involved in restoration efforts.
Dusty penstemon
A Native Grass Finds its Way Home
In Fall 2008 , Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association purchased 180 pounds of mountain brome from Kenny Hines, a farmer from Delta, to reseed areas along its power line on the Uncompahgre Plateau. Tri-State is clearing hazardous vegetation along the power line corridors to reduce the likelihood of wildfires. Disturbed areas, including staging areas, will be replanted with a native grass seed mix in late fall. Work on the power line is funded in part by a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation – Keystone Initiative Grant.
Jim Free, UP Project; Mac Fellin, Tri State; Tim Garvey, USFS; and Kenny Hines, local grower touring the power line project.
In 2002, when the UP began to implement large-scale projects it became clear that one important aspect of active restoration is to reestablish vegetation that is native to the area using sources that originated from the area, “local ecotypes”. Unfortunately, seed from local ecotypes of many key native species was either not available or the supply limited and extremely expensive. The UP initiated its Native Plant Program to fill this need.
Through the UP Native Plant Program, forty different species of native grasses, forbs and shrubs were collected on the Uncompahgre Plateau. Many of these species had never been grown on a large scale so they were entered into numerous research studies to learn more about growth characteristics, cultivation and production methods. Once adequate information was collected and sufficient amounts of seed produced in increaser fields, the seed was made available to local growers.
Merchantable timber is extracted during the clearing and thinning of hazardous fuels adjacent to the power line.
With the help of a $170,000 grant from the Western Sustainable Agriculture andEducation (WSARE) Program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Colorado State University – Rogers Mesa Research Facility, several local farmers were engaged to determine if native species from the Uncompahgre Plateau could be grown under cultivated conditions to supply state and federal agencies with seed.
Dr. Ron Godin, research scientist at Rogers Mesa and coordinator of the project, stated that, “The information gained from this project shows that native seed production can be a profitable addition to growers’ crop diversification”. By participating in the WSARE project, Kenny Hines received financial and technical support from Dr. Godin and his staff. Last spring he successfully grew and harvested enough mountain brome seed to sell to Tri-State.
Dr. Godin and the UP Staff visit Kenny Hines’ mountain brome field last spring.
Mountain brome was chosen because it is an excellent grass for revegetating disturbed areas. It is also an exceptional food source for wildlife and livestock. With the purchase of this local seed for its project, Tri-State is accomplishing more than reducing the risk of wildfires damaging or destroying the transmission line that delivers electricity and telephone service to the area. They are also enhancing the health of the ecosystem, improving wildlife habitat, decreasing the spread of noxious weeds, and supporting a local agricultural producer. “Tying multiple objectives and benefits into one effort is the concept for which the UP is most recognized “, stated Jim Free, Technical Coordinator for the UP .
Mac Fellin, Tri-State Line Maintenance Supervisor stated, “In my opinion this project is a shining example as to how the collaborative process works. To be able to purchase and utilize developed native seeds as part of the restoration phase on our transmission line fuels treatment project demonstrates that the UP Native Plant Program has come full circle.”
As this seed’s journey reaches its completion, the participants of the UP are enthusiastic about the future possibilities. “There are still many challenges ahead in growing and providing the native seed needed for large scale restoration efforts on the Colorado Plateau. With 15 forb and grass species currently available for commercial production and more coming on line in 2009, we hope that this example establishes a new approach and can be the beginning of a steady supply of local native seed for our area.”, Free stated.
To learn more about our Native Plant Program, click here.
