• Reduce soil erosion• Improve soil health• Improve water quality• Improve air quality• Improve wildlife habitat• Improve pollinator habitat

• Wetland restoration• Upland restoration• Protect riparian areas• Stabilize coastal areas• Produce biomass and

forage

USDA NRCS East Texas Plant Materials CenterLongleaf Understory Plant Development

Alan Shadow, Manager, USDA-NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center, 6598 FM 2782, Nacogdoches, Texas 75964 alan.shadow@tx.usda.gov

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

The success of large-scale restoration depends on many variables, some of which are out of our control. One important variable within our control is the use of tested and proven seed sources. The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Plant Materials Program was initially established in 1935 as the Soil Conservation Service Division of Nurseries to grow and distribute plants for the stabilization of severely eroding lands, but has since evolved to address multiple conservation issues.

Introduction

Mission of the Plant Materials Program

The USDA-NRCS, through its strategically located Plant Materials Centers, delivers needed plants and plant technology throughout the United States to address resource concerns.

USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Centers

The NRCS operates 25 Plant Materials Centers (PMCs), each based in ecologically distinct regions, to evaluate plants and vegetative technologies to support USDA conservation programs and practices.

• Coastal Plains Germplasm little bluestem released and in commercial production 2016

• Pinehill bluestem in commercial production 2016

• Pineywoods dropseed in seed increase

• Splitbeard bluestem in seed increase, release 2019

• Adaptation trials for Coastal Plains Germplasm and pinehillbluestem

• Gayfeather in seed increase, release 2019

• Swamp Sunflower in evaluation• Indiangrass has been evaluated • Seed Collections in progress• East Texas Natives on board

• Consist of dominate species in east Texas and Louisiana understories

• Well adapted across LLR P• Contain multiple fine fuel species• Wildlife and pollinator component• Economical to produce• Develop partnerships

ETPMC Longleaf Pine Understory Seed Mix Goals

• Decreased from 92 million to 4.3 million acres• One of the most diverse habitats in North America• Fire driven ecosystem, fine fuels are important• Critical habitat for endangered species• Economically valuable• Productive grasslands similar to silvopasture• Protective buffers for streams and rivers

Longleaf Pine Ecosystem

Longleaf Pine Fire Dependent Restoration

• Reforestation with loblolly pine reduced the use of fire across the southeastern US.

• Loss of fire creates brushy understories; increasing fuel loads, fire intensity, and chances of wildfire.

• Frequent fire heals the ecosystem, restores diversity, and reduces fuel loads.

• Adapted fine fuel species are needed for restoration.

Plant Release Process

The Plant Materials Program uses an extensive plant evaluation process to release native seed and plants to address specific resource concerns. The process includes:

• Identifying specific plant species with attributes to address resource concern

• Assembling germplasm specific to eco-regions

• Collecting plant data including: Adaptability Plant architecture Tolerance to environmental

stresses Phenology Productivity Seed germination and

production Harvestability

• Select superior plants to meet the resource concern

• Increase seed and vegetative materials

• Release plant materials for NRCS conservation plantings

• Provide seed and vegetative material to commercial growers

Evaluating collections

Coastal Plains Germplasm little bluestem

Planting collections

Collecting from the wild

Winston 8 Tree Farm Nacogdoches, Texas

PMCs Find Vegetative Solutions For

Michael McCloy

US Forest Service Southern Research Station

ETPMC Longleaf Pine Understory Current WorkWork

Pinehill bluestem

Pineywoods dropseed

Gayfeather

Splitbeard bluestem Swamp sunflower evaluation

Coastal Plains

Pinehill ‘Aldous’OK Select

Adaptation trial Americus, GA

Longleaf Pine Range

LRR P

USDA- NRCS

US Forest Service Southern Research Station