Native Plant Materials

Photographer: Mary O'Brien

Note: No Native Plant Materials Alternatives to proposed Plan in DEIS

GOALS

Conservation Alternative Goals (FW-NPM-GL): 01

1. Cooperate and coordinate within the Forest Service and with other federal agencies, Tribes, state, public groups, and commercial growers in the development of native plant materials and supplies.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Goals (FW-NPM-GL): 01-02

1. Support and accommodate research by federal, state, and private entities that improves native plant seed genetics as well as increases native and locally-sourced plant material selection, production, and distribution for ecological restoration.

   
   

2. Cooperate and coordinate within the Forest Service and with other federal agencies, tribes, state, organizations, and private industry in the development of native plant materials and supplies program.

DESIRED CONDITIONS

Conservation Alternative Desired Conditions (FW-NPM-DC): 01

1. Native plant materials are available and routinely used in revegetation, rehabilitation, and restoration of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Desired Conditions (FW-NPM DC): 01

1. Locally-sourced, site-appropriate native plant materials are available and routinely used in revegetation, rehabilitation, and restoration of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Seed mixes will be determined based on ecological site, availability, and economic feasibility.

OBJECTIVES

Conservation Alternative Objectives (FW-NPM-OB): 01

1. Within two years of plan implementation, and in partnership with federal, state, and public organizations; commercial growers; and Tribes, develop core lists of native plants and short- lived non-native species and menu-based seed mixes by community type, planting guidelines, plant material sources and seed caches and seed storage facilities. Revise every two years.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Objectives

No Native Plant Materials Objectives are proposed in Plan or DEIS

STANDARDS

Conservation Alternative Standards (FW-NPM-ST): 01-04

1. Utilize native seeds or seedlings only (but see Standard 02) of local genetic stock whenever possible.

   
   

2. Non-native seeds/plants are used only in limited, emergency situations (i.e., a situation that, if action is not taken, would result in the immediate, severe degradation of soil, hydrology, or biotic conditions).

   
   

3. If sufficient native seeds/plants are not available, revegetation projects will rarely be undertaken until native plant seed or plants become available, except as an intermediate step to achieve native restoration. Non-native plants selected will be short-lived nurse crop species that are not competitive with natives, will not persist longer than two years, and do not have the potential to spread from the project site. They will be combined with native species to facilitate the ultimate establishment of native communities. Species that are prohibited for seeding include, but are not limited to, crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), smooth brome (Bromus inermis), intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium), timothy (Phleum pratense), orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), wild oat (Avena fatua), Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys juncea), and forage kochia (Kochia prostrata).

   
   

4. Maintenance of past non-native seedings with non-native seeds is prohibited.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Standards

No Native Plant Materials Standards are proposed in Plan or DEIS

GUIDELINES

Conservation Alternative Guidelines (FW-NPM-GD): 01-05

1. To ensure the re-establishment of native vegetation and limit the spread of invasive plants following vegetation, road, or other management activities which disturb or expose soil, reseeding with native plants should occur promptly, ideally within the same growing season. 

   
   

2. Seeding should occur during optimal seeding windows for germination and survival and should utilize weed-free native seed. 

   
   

3. Seed mixes should be approved by a botanist and should include, among other native species, species that have proven capability to compete with invasive plants. 

   
   

4. Revegetation techniques which promote establishment of native species should be incorporated into revegetation planning.

   
   

5. Use a variety of measures to protect planted and naturally regenerated seedlings from the effects of trampling, browsing, grazing, and girdling by livestock and wildlife. Such measures will typically include temporary suspension of grazing, and may include fencing, tubing, netting, and/or animal repellants.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Guidelines (FW-NPM-GD): 01-03

1. To ensure ecological integrity, resilience, and function and reduce or eliminate invasive plant species, all rehabilitation management activities should use native plant materials, including plant materials that are pollinator species friendly. Nonnative plant materials should only be used in plant communities where ecological integrity, resilience, and function have already been compromised by, or are susceptible to, invasive plants. If used, nonnative plant materials should have moderate to high resource values with proven capability to compete with invasive plants, but they should not invade and displace neighboring resilient native communities.

   
   

2. To reduce or eliminate invasive plant species, revegetation should occur within one year of any ground-disturbing activity. Seeding should be carried out with plant materials that are proven to outcompete invasive plants species.

   
   

3. To reduce or eliminate invasive plant species after fires, seeding should occur within the same growing season as the fire. Seeding should be carried out with plant materials that are proven to outcompete invasive plant species.

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ABOUT THIS COMPARISON

All text in this chart is copied and pasted from the Conservation Alternative, the MLNF proposed Management Plan, and the MLNF DEIS except for any text in brackets and in italics font.

YELLOW HIGHLIGHTED TEXT

Provisions for Native Plant Materials and At-Risk Plants that were submitted in the Conservation Alternative. 

Yellow-masked text: Conservation Alternative provisions that are particularly important, but since the Conservation Alternative was not included in the DEIS, they have not been offered to the public as options for their comment. 

BLUE HIGHLIGHTED TEXT

Provisions for Native Plant Materials and At-Risk Plants in the Forest’s proposed Management Plan (which is Alternative B in the DEIS)

Blue-masked text: Forest Plan provisions that differ in important ways with the Conservation Alternative.

 GREEN HIGHLIGHTED TEXT

Alternatives to the Management Plan in the DEIS for Native Plant Materials and At-Risk Plants 

Green-masked font: Anything noteworthy re: “All Alternatives” and/or Alternatives B, C, or D.