The Nevada Native Seed Partnership (NNSP) will host the sixth annual Nevada Native Seed Forum on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fallon Convention Center and includes an option to attend virtually. The forum brings together growers, technical experts and land management agencies to discuss and develop strategies to increase the availability and use of native seed to support land restoration efforts.

“The goal of the forum is to bring growers and stakeholders together to discuss cultivation and native seed availability to help facilitate the success and expansion of native seed suppliers in Nevada,” said Meghan Brown, deputy administrator for the Division of Plant Health and Compliance at the Nevada Department of Agriculture, a member of the NNSP.

Native seeds refer to plant seeds native to Nevada landscapes, cultivated in this climate. These seeds can acclimate to Nevada’s unique environment, increasing the plant’s chances of survival. The NDA supports the industry by providing wildland seed certification services and ensuring Nevada native seeds maintain purity for use in land restoration efforts. These rehabilitation projects are completed by land management agencies or landowners in response to devastating land impacts from wildfires, invasive species, land development, among other activities that result in surface disturbance. Restoration efforts are critical to protecting wildlife habitat, supporting diverse land use, and mitigating future wildfire impacts.

“NNSP has worked to increase availability of native grown seed for restoration projects,” said Brown. “We’re excited to announce new resources to better connect growers with native seeds and assistance.”

Sessions will include a variety of native seed topics including permits, collection, production, testing, certification, storage, marketing and restoration. The forum is free to attend and interested individuals can register for the forum by emailing skielius@agri.nv.gov by March 11, 2022.