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PLANT CONSERVATION ALLIANCE

2005 Meeting Summaries

January 2005 | March 2005 | July 2005 | September 2005 | November 2005 | Other Meeting Summaries

Notes from PCA General Meeting
16 November 2005
NatureServe, Rosslyn, Va.
(Notes taken by P. De Angelis)

PCA Chair, Peggy Olwell (BLM) was unable to attend. Olivia Kwong (Center for Plant Conservation/PCA) opened the meeting with introductions. Sign-up sheet passed around.

New/returning participants
Scott Lambert, BLM, Boise (speaker)
Sara Dedekam – Moved here from Glacier Park (Montana), where she was a native plant nursery manager

Handouts

Events

Announcements

Updates on Activities

Speaker (Presentation)

Scott Lambert – BLM Seed Coordinator, Boise, Idaho
The Great Basin has historically been referred to as the Great American desert. It has been subjected to overgrazing, drought, mineral extraction, and other activities that have damaged the landscape.

The area is primarily public land. BLM became responsible for the Great basin in the late ‘40s. The environment was further degraded using introduced species. Erosion control and forage were the main goals at that time – and it involved planting mostly non-natives. Some natives, such as bluebunch wheatgrass and saltbush were used.

Including Alaska, 90% of BLMs land is located in 12 western states, covering approximately 265 million acres. Includes habitat for the basin big sagebrush, which is considered one of the top twenty endangered ecosystems in the US. (Side note: The twigs are used in ceremonies as an air purifier and smudging.)

In the '90s, more emphasis was placed on natives. Funding is tied to the DOI fire program and needs were driven by natural disasters. Where weeds are not a problem, they allowed natural recolonization. In 1990, about native species were being used in 1990. Last year 115 species were used, 75% of them native.

BLM requires "source identified seed." The seed storage warehouse in Boise can store 1 million pounds of seed. No noxious weeds are allowed and weed seed in lots are limited to 0.5% (this is more stringent than some states which allow up to 2% weed seed in seed lots). Over ten years, an average of 2.2 million pounds of seed were purchased.

Some of the top seeds used in 2005:

BLM uses EPA ecoregions (mostly level II, some level IV). Some seed folks were concerned about ecoregions because they were afraid their market would be limited. Turns out, that many vendors like this like this because they can specialize in certain areas – SEE SEED GUIDE BOOK (http://www.id.blm.gov/techbuls/05_04/).

Measuring success: Field office teams monitor individual projects. Developed a national strategy to conduct this monitoring but not sure if it will get funded to be implemented this year.

Discussion

Weed Seed Allowances: Larry Stritch (USFS): Scott mentioned using the 12 states noxious weed list to make sure don't get weeds. FS learned this the hard way by getting seed from another state that was weed-free in Colorado (where they bought it) but was not weed-free in Arizona (where being used).

Natives as Niche Market Opportunity: 90% of garden seeds are grown overseas (i.e Burpee) – another avenue for weed seed entry. The FS native seed needs give niche growers an opportunity to diversify income, especially on shrubs/forbs –- guarantee to buy 50% of production in first three years. Established growers are hired as "grow out" contractors and are guaranteed 100% sale.

Planning for native seed needs: Only about 15% of seed needs are known in advance because needs are still largely disaster-driven. How do producers plan if BLM/FS doesn't know their needs? Producers forecast, sometimes have extra, sometimes don't. Also, the FS is currently narrowing down a list of 15-20 "workhorse species" – so they're not asking for 100s of species.

Sara Tangren: Working with MD State highways. Is there any published information that shows how local seed needs (ecoregions) are good for local growers? Bonnie Harper-Lore has done a lot of work on using natives in highway projects. There may be a crop improvement program in Maryland and there is a USDA NRCS Maryland Plant Materials Center (John Englert).

Funding: George Washington/Jefferson National Forests is dealing with "cane" restoration and has gotten funding from NPMD; most NPMD is being done in the west.

Protocols: A problem for native seed growers is finding cultivation protocols. Many protocols have been published for western ecotypes and those protocols don't necessarily work here. The Native Plants Journal website has thousands of germination protocols there. **Vicky Erickson would be a good speaker on these issues.**

Notes from PCA General Meeting
14 September 2005
NatureServe, Rosslyn, Va.
(Notes taken by P. De Angelis)

PCA Chair, Peggy Olwell (BLM) was unable to attend.
Olivia Kwong (Center for Plant Conservation (CPC)) opened the meeting with introductions.
Sign-up sheet passed around.

New (or recently returning) participants
Freddie Ann Hoffman (HeteroGeneity LLC)
Kelly Gravuer (NatureServe)

Events

Botanical Society of Washington - Tentative field trip to Pennsylvania serpentines (Sept. 24-25, 2005). Need not be a member to attend this event. Per: Larry Morse (NatureServe)

Maryland Native Plant Society Annual Meeting (October 1-2, 2005; Cockeysville, MD); http://www.mdflora.org/. Per: Patricia De Angelis (FWS)

PCA Cooperators Conference (Nov. 7-9, 2005; St. Louis, Missouri). See Announcements, below. Per: Olivia Kwong (CPC)

Sustainable Botanicals 2006, the 3rd Symposium on Industrial Leadership for the Preservation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (Feb. 9-11, 2006; Salt Lake City, UT). See Update on Committee Activities, Medicinal Plant Working Group, below. Per: Patricia De Angelis (FWS)

Annual Drug Information Association (DIA) Meeting (Jun. 18-22, 2006; Philadelphia, PA.) - Deadline for abstracts extended. See announcements, below. Per: Freddie Ann Hoffman (HeteroGeneity LLC)

Announcements

Plant-A-Tree Program - USDA-FS (per Larry Stritch)
Individuals or groups can make a donation to have trees planted. A minimum donation of $10 will support the planting of 8-12 trees. The donor may either send donations to national headquarters (to go to the general reforestation funds) or may designate a specific forest by contacting the forest directly. Donors will receive a certificate of acknowledgement. For details, see: www.fs.fed.us/faq/- (scroll to the bottom).

The FS Native Plant Materials Policy should be published within the next 30 days. There will be a 60 day public comment period. When the Federal Register (FR) notice is published, Larry Stritch will send announcement over PCA listserve.

Automated Listserve to receive Federal Register notices. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has automated listserves that you can sign up for to receive Federal Register notices about a variety of environmental issues. Go to: www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/- and click on FR Listserv (on the left-hand side of the screen) to select the categories you are interested in.

Deadline extended for submitting abstracts for the Natural Health Products (NHPs) track of the Drug Information Association (DIA) Meeting (June 18-22, 2006; Phila., PA) through the end of this week (Sept. 16). The NHP Track, which is being chaired by Freddie Ann Hoffman, will cover mostly botanicals, but also oils, etc. There will be at least ten sessions. The audience is pharmaceutical companies. Each session is about 1.5 hours and includes 2-3 speakers. For more information or to submit an abstract, see www.diahome.org/docs/Events/Events_search_detail.cfm?EventID=06001

A Coalition Congress on Plants is being considered to focus on issues specific to plants used for natural health products, including the dietary supplement-drug industry interface. May include Canada and would bring together groups of people who do not normally cross paths. Possible tracks include: Regulatory, sustainable production and efficacy issues. More information will follow. Per: Freddie Ann Hoffman

PCA Cooperators Conference (Nov. 7-9, 2005; St. Louis, Missouri). All Cooperators are invited to attend this conference, hosted by the Center for Plant Conservation, to energize the PCA cooperators. The conference aims to gain a better understanding of the needs of PCA cooperating organizations and address weaknesses in order to create a stronger profile for the PCA. Features will include a presentation by the Native Plant Materials Program office, facilitated forums on NGO needs, potential improvements, and general industry-wide discussions. Details on registering and hotel accommodations should be made available over the PCA listserves by mid-September.

Update on Committee Activities

QUESTION: Sara Tangren asked for recent publications that discuss the issue or human history of plantings to "benefit the environment" that result in the introduction of invasive species.

Such introductions have mainly been for erosion control and habitat enhancement for wild animals. Several examples, including kudzu, brown tree snake, Melaleuca, and sawtooth oaks (U.S.). Recently, a country is suing the FAO for planting an invasive tree in their country.

Suggested reading:
- Whittemore, A.T. 2004. Sawtooth Oak (Quercus Acutissima, Fagaceae) in North America. Sida, Contributions to Botany. v:21, pp:447-454. <www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=143169>
- Northeast Forest Experiment Station - publication in the 1970s that stated that bluejays can advance an oak forest 200 yards/generation (per Larry Stritch)

Speaker

Chain Bridge Flats: The Wildest Place in D.C.?
slide presentation by Larry Morse (NatureServe)

Unique flora inhabits the flood-scoured riverbank bedrock terrace along the Potomac River near (and under) the Chain Bridge between Virginia and D.C., with highlights including: wild indigo, big bluestem, fringe tree, prairie redroot (at its type locality), rock grape, Coville's phacelia, Steele's meadow-rue, and Carolina willow (or Ward's willow).

Next Meeting: Due to the upcoming PCA Cooperators Conference in St. Louis, the PCA bimonthly meeting at NatureServe Headquarters is being rescheduled from November 9th to November 16th.

Notes from PCA General Meeting
13 July 2005
NatureServe, Rosslyn, Va.
(Notes taken by P. De Angelis)

PCA Chair - Peggy Olwell (BLM) began meeting with introductions.
Sign-up sheet passed around.

New (or recently returning) participants

  • Amy Brush (Tai Sophia Institute)
  • Cliff Duke (ESA)
  • Florence Caplow (Washington Natural Heritage Program)
  • Kat Maybury (NatureServe)
  • Jessica Strother (Fairfax County Dept. Public Works & Environmental Svcs)
  • Larry Stritch (USDA-FS)
  • Kim Winter (NAPPC)
  • John Ziagos (Dept. of Energy (DOE), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)
  • Inhi Hong (DOI, Ofc. of Surface Mining (OSM))

Events

Sara Tangren (Chesapeake Native Nursery): Native Wildflower Farm Tour and Picnic/Bonfire (July 16, 2005; 3pm; Takoma Park MD) with Maryland Native Plant Society (MNPS) and Botanical Society of Washington (BSW); bring a dish and BYOB! Directions & map: www.chesapeakenatives.com

Kathryn Kennedy (Center for Plant Conservation (CPC): Aveda’s Earth Month Campaign- Presentation of signatures (July 20, 2005, 10am-press conference; Washington DC); Cannon Terrace House Office Bldg http://aveda.aveda.com/protect/you/earthmonthpartners.asp

Cliff Duke (Ecological Society of America): Ecology in an era of globalization: Challenges and Opportunities for environmental scientists in the Americas (January 8-12, 2006; Mérida, Mexico); www.esa.org/mexico

Jil Swearingen (National Park Service): Invasive Plants: Perspectives, Prescriptions and Partnerships (August 16-17; Philadelphia PA); Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Conference at Morris Arboretum; info: 215-247-5777, ext. 156 or 125; e-mail at jlm at pobox.upenn.edu; download brochure at www.ma-eppc.org

Announcements

Larry Stritch (USDA-FS): Has returned as National Botanist for Forest Service (about 1 month ago).

  • The FS Native Plant Materials Policy has been cleared by FS, is being cleared by USDA and will then go to OMB to determine whether an economic impact assessment is needed. If none needed, estimate that the policy will be published as an interim rule for public comment by August 2005.

Sara Tangren (Chesapeake Native Nursery): Received funding from MNPS, Maryland State Highway Administration and University of Maryland to do a project that will use natives to prevent soil erosion. Also may be receiving grant from NRCS; have heard that made the final round of reviews.

Peggy Olwell (BLM): Peggy has been selected as the lead for a new BLM Plant Conservation Program. This will include the Native Plant Materials Development (NPMD) efforts and continued work on endangered plants. Peggy has met with others to explore their participation in developing this program. Favorable reception from Scott Fredericks, others at EPA. John Ziagos is here to explore adding Lawrence Livermore National as Cooperator. Met with the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) 2 weeks ago and they want to be involved. Bob Eschemann (NRCS) was also there. The American Association of Botanic Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA) is also excited about and interested in this effort.

Kathryn Kennedy (Center for Plant Conservation): CPC has put together an invasive plant web directory – State-by-State Invasive Webportal, with topical issues about invasives nationwide, including a link to the St. Louis Declaration and the Voluntary Codes of Conduct for government, nursery professionals, gardening public, landscape architects, and botanic gardens and arboreta– www.mobot.org/invasives - www.centerforplantconservation/invasives. NatureServe asked if there could be a link to their species assessments. Kathryn welcomes this and any other links that folks are aware of.

Inhi Hong (DOI, OSM): Kentucky – tried restoring land with native chestnut trees; will look for citation

Scott Fredericks (EPA): Journal of Environmental Ecology – Vol. 3/4- Jan-Feb 2005/no. 1 - Restoration project using designer compost originally designed for coal sites; Copies or the weblink can be obtained by contacting Scott Fredericks, (5202-G); Environmental Response Team; Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation; P: (703) 603-8771; F: (703) 603-9133; C: (703) 989-2801

Vernal Pool Endemic Plants Discussion

Kat Maybury (NatureServe) and Florence Caplow (Washington Natural Heritage Program) – Vernal Pool Endemic Plants – A recent conference in Washington in March – Canadian and Pacific Northwest attendees (Kat has full list).

Vernal pool habitat is sprinkled along the west coast and disjunct into Washington. The Washington vernal pools are less diverse than the California ones – they have a subset of the California vernal pool flora. Nonetheless, they harbor rare plants. NatureServe just completed the first of a 2-year Environmental Protection Agency project to look at isolated wetlands, which included vernal pools, and it is unlikely that the pools will get protection under the Clean Water Act.

Natural Heritage status of vernal pool endemics may not reflect actual rarity: Until recently, vernal pools were not a big focus in Washington. More and more vernal pool species are being added to the rare plant list. Vernal pool habitat is generally considered to be an imperiled system and many rare plants are vernal pool obligates, yet many of these plants are ranked as globally secure by Natural Heritage programs (G4s or G5s in the NatureServe database). This is partially a reflection of lack of information and the multi-jurisdictional nature of the problem.

Global ranks: There are many projects to focus on species ranked between G1-G3, but little attention is given to species that are ranked as globally secure. This is partially a reflection of the fact that, if they are secure, nothing needs to be done, but is also due to lack of funds and time. NatureServe tries to review the conservation status of G1-G3 once every 5 years. Some of the vernal pool species were ranked more than a decade ago. There is a good chance they have not been looked at since then. NatureServe is trying to pull together resources to take a second look at them.

Is PCA (i.e. BLM, EPA) concerned about this issue?
Yes. There are vernal pools on BLM land and Forest Service (esp. in California). According to Larry Morse (Nature Serve), there are many similar habitats in the East, but the species seem to be better-appreciated here than in the West. Prairie potholes are also similar but there is little endemism. All the same, Kathryn Kennedy states that CPC is concerned about prairie pothole habitat. The Army Corps of Engineers has a significant amount of prairie acreage. The Environmental Lab, ERDC, is conducting prairie research and presently writing a series of tech notes on this. Eventually, if this continues to get funded, we intend to look at the prairie potholes.

A primary threat to vernal pool habitat is housing developments; is this the case elsewhere in the West?
Housing is less of a threat in Washington, where vernal pools occur primarily on grazing land (BLM land). According to BLM botanist Pam Camp, limited studies show that grazing really decimates these pools. In Oregon
Oregon has vernal pools in the East and in the West; the western ones are subject to the same pressures as in California.

Discussed possibility of submitting a NFWF proposal. NFWF pre-proposals only a bare bones overview of what project is all about, if accepted, invite full proposals. Concern about 1:1 nonfederal match.

Will convene a face-to-face meeting next week when both Kathryn Kennedy and Emily Roberson (California Native Plant Society) will be in town. Mtg to include: Kat; Larry; Kathryn; Peggy; Pam (by phone). Anyone else interested in participating in this meeting, let Olivia know.

Update on Committee Activities

-Alien Plant Working Group (Jil Swearingen - NPS)

  • More fact sheets on the way; new poster was discussed at last PCA meeting.

-Medicinal Plant Working Group (Patricia De Angelis - USFWS)

  • Introduced Amy Brush, a Masters student in Clinical Herbalism at Tai Sophia, who will update content on MPWG’s homepage!
  • Organized two briefings in April with the National Network of Forest Practitioners (NNFP; www.nnfp.org), as part of their “Week in Washington.” One session was with US FWS and the other with PCA.
    • Summary of US FWS Briefing: In the eight years that NNFP has held their annual Week in Washington, this year marked the first time that they received a formal briefing from US FWS. Thirteen US FWS employees, from 7 divisions and 10 programs, demonstrated the broad range of US FWS efforts to address issues relating to plant conservation: namely, invasives, landowner outreach, and Tribal participation in natural resource management. Nearly half of NNFP’s 28-person Washington delegation attended this meeting.
    • Summary of PCA Briefing: Held at the US Botanic Garden with talks by Holly Shimizu (USBG Director), Peggy Olwell (PCA), Olivia Kwong (CPC), Patricia De Angelis (MPWG). Attended 11 NNFP members, including several native Americans. Discussions included using local traditional knowledge to define conservation status of species while protecting cultural knowledge.
  • Peggy and Patricia met with Tribal Liaisons of BLM and US FWS to explore DOI resources for better coordination with Native Americans on natural resource issues (including conservation status, traditional land management practices that promote diversity, etc.).
  • Several projects identified but prevented by time constraints on part of MPWG Chair.
  • J. Ziagos recommended contacting Steven Grey, head of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Navajo Nation Telecommunications Regulatory Commission and Director for Indian Affairs in DOE’s Office of Tribal Affairs to liaise with for Native American Tribes (which includes 638 members). Each year, Diné College (Arizona) sends students from Navajo Nation to work for various agencies.
  • Compiled newsletter to MPWG Committee Chairs: Topics covered include:
    • Collaborating with the IUCN-SSC-Medicinal Plant Specialist Group to update Medicinal Plant Fact Sheets that will include a conservation perspective
    • Introduction of Jolie Lonner, volunteer Medicinal Plant Fact Sheet Coordinator
    • Plans to update our list of medicinal plants native to the U.S.: Indicators of Rarity and Threat (http:??www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal/pubs/2001table.htm) – volunteer will be sought to coordinate this effort
    • Introduction of Amy Brush, who will update the homepage (mentioned above)
    • Practitioner perspectives on medicinals – another volunteer activity to be conducted by Dr. David Kiefer and his students
    • Development of funding website with potential opportunities for medicinals
    • For more details, contact Patricia_DeAngelis@fws.gov.
  • MPWG may be selected as a Case Study for the US FWS Step Up to Leadership program, in which a 6-person team evaluates a Natural Resource topic from the perspective of leadership, partnership, vision , political savvy and strategic thinking.

-Native Plant Materials Development (Peggy Olwell - BLM)

  • Peggy Olwell is reviewing the NPMD program and in her preliminary review sees a place at the table for more federal participation. She is coordinating with FS and NPS. Will plan a future PCA meeting to focus on the NPMD program.
  • Discussed potential of getting a new interagency report to Congress before budget time (with accomplishments, etc.). All PCA agencies should be involved.
  • Forest Service NPMD money also comes from fire. FS produces a Congressional report each year. [UPDATE: The FS report was never finalized, so there is no document to distribute] BLM did not do an accomplishments report last year.
  • Action items:
    • Peggy is planning to contact the invasives folks to more fully engage with them on restoration after invasive removals
    • Contact with the National Seed Laboratory (formerly Nation Seed Tree lab), directed by Bob Karrfelt, who is looking to partner with folks

-National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (Ellen Lippincott - NFWF)

  • Pre-proposals due Aug. 15 – provide bare bones overview of what project is all about; Sept. 30 – full proposal
  • NFWF – Ellen – pre-props etc – NPCI grants – 40 to choose from; 19 projects approved in first round; intg grp projects - $371, 518 to the projects in first round

-Public Outreach (Not in attendance)

-Restoration Working Group (Not in attendance)

-MOU (Peggy)

  • Important for all agencies to re-sign MOU. Not too late! Peggy will give briefings and/or briefing books upon request.
  • Briefed EPA recently and hoping they are closer to signing
  • Ofc Surface Mining – still interested in signing

Speaker

North American Pollinator Protection Campaign & PCA: A Perfect Fit!
-Kim Winter, Coordinator (NAPPC)

Kim became Coordinator of NAPPC last year. Her graduate studies were in Environmental Anthropology from University of Georgia.

NAPPC’s membership includes primarily plant ecologists, but there are also experts on bats, managed honeybees and native bees

Why is pollination important?

  • Plant reproduction
    • Seed set
    • Fruit development
      • Pollinators are important for seed set and fruit production
      • 80% of plants in world pollinated by animals - only 20% by wind
      • pawpaw – bee and fly pollinated
      • apples – if properly pollinated, the fruit will be symmetrical and, if sliced in cross-section through the middle, you should find ten seeds
  • Ecosystem health & biodiversity
    • Plants + Animals = food web
      • recent research in California on watermelon fields with a “rough” (natural area) around them showed better number and size of melons than those without; suggested that using 5% of your land area as a rough, even if you have to take some land out of production, will result in greater production. Question is, to what extent are these results applicable to other agricultural products, other ecosystems, etc. Kim will look for citation.
  • Human dependency on products of pollination
    • Foods
    • Fibers
    • Pharmaceuticals
    • Oils
      • food production: USDA estimates that $10 billion of our food is owed to pollinators; if you include forage fed to animals (alfalfa), the annual agricultural revenues are estimated at $40 billion

Causes of pollinator decline

  • Habitat destruction & fragmentation
    • Development activities
    • Agriculture (monocultures, pesticides)
      • habitat destruction/degradation – reduces food availability and nesting sites
  • Misuse and overuse of pesticides
    • home use is greater than companies
    • Per P. Olwell: newspaper article about blueberry farm in Maine that will stop aerial spraying – will look for citation
  • Competition from invasive species
    • including competition from non-native pollinators and plants
  • New diseases and parasites
    • Varroa mite, a parasite from Asia that parasitizes honeybees (http://www.uoguelph.ca/~inesp/news/news.html), is negatively affecting almond crops in California (http://www.enviroag.org/Headline%20News/beeshortageimpactspollination.htm
  • Lack of public awareness/support
    • Per S. Tangren - Many new commercials show all bugs as “bad”
    • NAPPC tries to produce outreach material that helps people better understand that all bugs are not bad

Implications of decline in pollinating species: Breakdown of co-evolutionary processes

  • Less visitation by pollinators
    • less visitation can decrease productivity of land
  • Lower plant abundance
  • Ecosystem degradation / Loss of biodiversity

What is the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC)?

  • (Some) NAPPC Partners
    • tri-national – Can, US, Mex
    • 80+ participating organizations
    • Conduct Working Meetings (by invitation only): Annual meetings in US; first Canadian Regional Mtg will be in Spring 2006; first Mexican regional meeting will be in Fall 2006
  • What does NAPPC do?
    • Compiles cross-disciplinary research & information for synthesis & distribution to appropriate audiences.
    • Serves as a networking and information resource for issues affecting pollinators (Pollinator Listserv).
    • Reviews gov’t. & international policies to ensure that pollinators are considered.
    • Develops strategies & forms task forces and committees to affect collaborative, balanced change.
    • Science-based, inclusive, and action-oriented.
  • NAPPC Committees
    • Working & Wild Land Conservation
    • Garden & Urban Habitat Conservation
    • Consumer Outreach
    • Policies & Practices
    • Partnerships (Corporate, Gov’t & NGO) and Advancement
    • Research
  • Task Forces
    • International Expansion (Canada, Mexico)
    • Bee importation issues (B. terrestris white paper)
    • EPA (Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program)
    • Data collection (Research Protocols)
    • Food consumer outreach
    • 4-H curriculum
    • Farm bill input and state conservation input
    • Land Managers (provide pollinator-friendly info to federal land managers to consider in land mgmt plans – if restore plants, you may need to restore restore pollinators

NAPPC Successes in Progress

  • National Academy of Sciences study: “Status of Pollinators: Monitoring & Prevention of their Decline in North America”
    • National Academy of Sciences will conduct study: Status of Pollinators: Monitoring and Prevention of their Decline in N America; lots of anecdotal info but no hard evidence – baseline info needed – study should be done next year
  • MOU with the US Department of Agriculture – Forest Service
  • MOUs in progress with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serve, Bureau of Land Management, National Gardening Association
  • Awarded 2005 EPA Pesticide & Environmental Stewardship Program “Champion”
  • Commemorative Stamp series: (U.S., Mexico, and Canada)
  • White paper on the potential consequences of Bombus terrestris importation
  • Restoring pollinator function in agricultural ecosystems: (NCEAS - Nat.Ctr. for Ecol. Analysis & Synthesis)
    • Restoring pollinator fxn on agrtal land – study funded by National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (Claire Kremen/Neil Williams) – showed that agricultural land near a native area almost doesn’t need services of managed pollinators vs. more degraded managed landscape which almost can’t survive w/o bringing in managed honeybees
  • NBII (Nat. Bio. Info. Infrastructure) Pollinator Website
    • National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) Pollinator Website – Ecological Society of America will develop for NBII and will look to NAPPC for input

NAPPC Accomplishments

  • U.S. Botanic Garden pollinator exhibits (2004) : “The Great Pollination Partnership” (700 visitors/day)
    • The exhibit will start traveling to other gardens; incl. Denver Botanic Garden
  • Represented N. American pollinators at International Pollinator Initiative (FAO-United Nations)
  • Raised the profile of pollinator issues at the Federal level: Dear Colleague letters; Congressional & Inter-agency Briefings
    • Providing information to food outlets, etc. that they can incorporate into consumer outreach
    • Outreach to farmers/layperson and how it will affect pollinators
    • Submit questions to pesticide applicator exams
  • Comments during review period for NRCS Farm Bill
    • To ensure that pollinators are considered
  • NRCS MT Native Plants for Pollinator-Friendly Plantings brochure – pushing to replicate in all states
    • Download a copy at: http://www.mt.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/ecs/plants/pollinator/
    • NRCS developing a database for plant-pollinator interactions
  • Created NAPPC-Wildlife Habitat Council Award for Pollinator-Friendly Corporations.
    • See http://www.wildlifehc.org/pollinatorpractices/award.cfm
  • Established NAPPC website (www.nappc.org)
    • Tri-lingual (English, French, Spanish)
    • Developing Eastern native bee – online guide
    • Partnering with green rooftop
    • Draft Pollinator Fact Sheets –ready for review; wants input on format, content, target audience

NAPPC Needs You!

  • Partnership in NAPPC
    • Interested in developing MOU with PCA
  • Joint projects to investigate & promote pollinators
  • Expert advice for developing content & reaching appropriate audience
  • Collaboration to reach broader audiences with pollinator-related information
    • Use PCA connections to 250+ partners (Native plant folks etc) and vice versa
  • Networking

Current Projects

  • Native Plant-Pollinator Bibliography - Center for Plant Conservation (Mo. Bot. Garden)
    • Will be weblinked to PCA, NAPPC and CPC
  • Pollinator Fact Sheets - Topics, content, development
    • Pollinator fact sheets – potential to collaborate (i.e. medicinal plant fact sheets). If we are looking at a plant, tell Kim which plant, target audience and she will research pollinator issues
  • NAPPC Task Force & Committees
    • Working & Wild Land Conservation
    • Garden & Urban Habitat Conservation
    • Research
    • Land Managers
    • Farm Bill

The address for the Pollinator listserve is: http://lists.sonic.net/mailman/listinfo/pollinator
Website (currently under construction): www.nappc.org
E-mail: nappc@coevolution.org

Closing Remarks

Green Roof (www.greenroofs.org):

  • Peggy will explore having PCA meeting with Green Roof folks; Strother has contact person;
  • Green Roof display at USBG; USBG exploring getting a green roof over USBG looking to have green roof;
  • Chicago – new buildings need to consider green roof
  • Green Roof – National Conference in Boston MA – May 10-12, 2006 (see website above)

Meeting adjourned.

Notes from Plant Conservation Alliance Meeting
9 March 2005
NatureServe, Rosslyn, VA
(Notes taken by P. De Angelis)

PCA Chair - Peggy Olwell (BLM) began meeting with introductions.
Sign-up sheet passed around.

New/returning participants

Announcements

Gary Krupnik (Botany Dept, Smithsonian Institution): "Barcoding the Plants and Their Crawling Parasites of Costa Rica: Mechanics, Reality, Hopes and Preliminaries," Dan Janzen speaking at the USBG. 4pm. Register via USBG website.

Sara Tangren (Chesapeake Native Nursery/Maryland Native Plant Society): Submitting bid to use native species for a soil stabilization project to NRCS Conservation Innovation program – An annual grant program entering its 2nd year with goal to transfer information to the public. Will need to ID the plants; figure out who will do it and transfer the info to the people. Requires 50% match; 25%-50% = nonfederal;25% in cash. Proposal due Mar. 28th; See: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cpi/

Virgil Meier (USDA-APHIS): AIS has requested deregulation of glyphosate-tolerant creeping bentgrass; planning a "scoping" meeting in DC (May); West Coast (1-2 wk later). Working with Carol DiSalvo (NPS) - IPM Coordinator. Have received much info in 2 rounds of public comments. Would like more information on the use of Round Up in natural areas; will send FR notice announcement to listserve. Would like to know more about glyphosate use and information as to its indispensability in some cases. APWG and NatureServe could send questions out. Peggy will send list of PCA member agencies to Virgil.

Discussion of PCA contacts to ask about the issue. Suggestions to:

Larry Morse (NatureServe): National Park Service has field trips on their land; also Botanical Society of Washington is having a field trip to Great Falls in April

Olivia Kwong (BLM/SER): New native flowers poster by John Pitcher - Good Nature Publishing

Rachel Muir (USGS): Rachel has succeeded Sharon Gross (who retired) as new Imperiled Species Coordinator

Ellen Rubin (EPA): 3rd International Phytotechnologies Conf. - Apr 20-22; free student housing; Ga.; discounted hotel if register by end of this month; field trip to Savannah Rivers; poster sessions (60); Georgia Native Plant Alliance (Affholter/Georgia PCA)

Patricia De Angelis (FWS): Attended Weeds Week (lat Feb.) with PCA materials and was approached by someone who’s interested in updating a publication by Smithsonian, called Biodiversity. Rachel Muir was Asst. editor of the document. Peter Raven also involved. Rachel has several copies and could bring copies to another meeting. Bonnie Harper-Lore (who also attended Weeds Week) has copies. Send request for information to Bonnie <bonnie.harper-lore@fhwa.dot.gov> or Rachel <rachel_muir@usgs.gov>.

Scott Fredericks (EPA): Trying to incl. Jim Van der Klut, who was quantifying the value of using Natives in plantings; Greg Eckert - Restoration Working Group;

Kathryn Kennedy(CPC): NGO survey draft is ready and, pending approval by the steering committee, will go out late July or August.

Pam Bailey (Army Corps Engineers): Environmental Natural Resource Conference - May 3-6 - St. Louis, Missouri; open to all

Rachel Muir (USGS): Technical Symposium & Workshop: Threatened, Endangered, and At-Risk Species (TER-S) on DoD and Adjacent Lands, June 7-9, 2005 (Baltimore MD). Sponsored by DoD/DOE/EPA. Will cover ES of all ilk.
http://www.serdp.org/TESWorkshop/

Pam Bailey (USACE): The National Military Fish and Wildlife Association conference was held on March 14th-18th. It was well-attended conference by military natural resource managers. Highlights from the meeting will be posted in the next few weeks at: http://www.nmfwa.org/2005_Meeting/index.htm.
On the 18th, while in the Washington D.C., I gave a presentation entitled "The Role of Native Plants in the Corps Mission" at the US Army Corps of Engineer Headquarters which incorporated information on PCA and requested the Corp's to sign the MOU. Mr. Tim Toplisek, my contact there, is working within Headquarters' on native and invasive plant issues, and is working towards the Corps command signing the MOU. See US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Species Protection and Management System website at: http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/tessp/index.cfm

Update on Committee Activities

-Alien Plant Working Group (Jil Swearingen - NPS)

-Medicinal Plant Working Group (Patricia De Angelis - USFWS)

-Native Plant Materials Development (Not in attendance)

-National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (Ellen Lippincott - NFWF)

-Public Outreach (Not in attendance)

-Restoration Working Group (Greg Eckert - NPS)

-PCA MOU

Speaker

United States Botanic Garden
John Mugglestone - Conservation Horticulturist

USBG became PCA cooperator within past 6 months

History – original conservatory was built in 1820; housed collections for 8 yrs and building torn down.
1837-1842 - no conservatory on the mall.
1832 - US exploring expedition (Wilkes Expedition) - Wilkes traveled around world and brought back specimens (including plants). Built a conservatory.
USBG was established in 1933; the building was renovated from 1998-2002.

The USBG includes the conservatory, 5 acres of exterior grounds (Bartholdi Park and a 3 acre-site where constructing the national garden). They have support greenhouses in Anacostia. The greenhouses are not generally open to the public but would be able to arrange a PCA visit there. They occasionally have open houses.

Mission:

Collect, Grow, Display and Distribute plants.
Today they are focusing on use of plants; more emphasis on displaying and education about threatened plants. They get about a quarter of a million visitors each year. Staff - 55 people in all; falls under the Office of the Architect of the Capital

Collections:

World Botanic Gardens Congress – held in Asheveille NC (2000) – launched the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation – an important document for botanic gardens that focus on conservation work and challenges them to utilize resources to effect conservation worldwide. USBG decided to focus on 1) education, 2) collections of threatened plants, and 3) local partnerships.

EDUCATION

COLLECTIONS

PARTNERSHIPS

How's National Garden coming along?
They've excavated and still appear to be on track for projected opening date.

Does USBG cooperate with other local volunteer groups?
Yes - eager to hook up with other groups doing good work.

S. Fredericks – In Arlington County, working on 4 mile run and struggling to get proper expertise on invasives, restoration, etc.

What educational opportunities do you see for the National Garden?
An environmental learning center was in original plan but there is no funding for that; interpretation will be main education

Closing Remarks

S. Tangren - MNPS wants to set standards and review the nurseries on the list – but, there is no manpower. There are some groups that certify (Kallowee group). Perhaps self-certification is the key.

R. Muir – What about an A list and a B list. Could make a tag that says “I'm native friendly for Mid-Atlantic - Delaware;” Behnke’s may be interested.

P. Olwell - AABGA – Board of Directors coming to USBG in April

R. Muir – Any news from the Garden Club of American (GCA) National Affairs and Legislation meeting in February? Three is a history of cooperation between GCA and USGS; also with PCA, MPWG - Partners for Plants; Kathryn Kennedy is an honorary member of GCA and was here for those meetings.

Kathryn noted that the meetings were very vibrant and upbeat, the attendees very well informed and passionate. Major items discussed were possible changes to the laws for tax benefits from conservation easements making it very hard for property owners to benefit from giving Conservation Easements. Also high on the agenda were water quality, clean air standards, possible drilling in ANWAR, subsidence in the New Orleans area, Chesapeake preserve efforts, and the GCA program Partners for Plants. See also: http://www.pgcinc.org/LegisUpdates.htm.

P. Olwell - Asked Stoddard/Wise to come talk with us; July not good month to do it - September meeting? Gives us 6 months before next time they come for annual meeting.

Meeting adjourned.

Notes from Plant Conseration Alliance Meeting
12 January 2005
NatureServe, Rosslyn, VA
(Notes taken by P. De Angelis)

PCA Chair - Peggy Olwell (BLM) began meeting with introductions.
Sign-up sheet passed around.

New participants
Rita Beard (US Forest Service)
Rhonda Stewart (US Forest Service)
Mary Paterson (US Forest Service)
Rachel Muir (USGS-BRD)

Announcements

Peggy (BLM) - Teleconferencing the PCA Meeting: One participant on phone today (Bailey). Teleconference will be offered to Federal Members at the next meeting.

Larry Morse (NatureServe): Botanical Society of America (BSA) - Lewis Ziska (Feb. 1, 2005, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, 7pm) - open to all

Ellen Rubin (EPA): International Phytotechnologies Conference (April 20-22, 2005, Atlanta, Georgia) - open to everyone - invites PCA involvement in conference planning** - contact Ellen Rubin (rubin.ellen@epa.gov, 703-603-0141)

Gary Krupnik (Botany Dept, Smithsonian Institution): The Future of Floras - New Frameworks, New Technologies, New Uses (April 15-16, 2005, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC) - registration begins December 6, 2004 - see http://persoon.si.edu/sbs/

Pam Bailey (US Army Corps) Biogeography of Wetlands (March 20-23, 2005, Cook Conference Ctr. & H otel at LSU)
http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/wetlands/

Ev Byington (USDA ARS) - Draft report from native legume workshop held in Dec. 2004 will be available soon. A 5-year plan for rangeland - $200 million. Ev mentioned that it lacks information on medicinal plants. Input welcome; will send to PCA.

Bob Eschemann (NRCS) - Planning a meeting with ASTA (American Seed Trade Association) and Fed partners; March 15-17; USDA Cafeteria; about 30 people

Rita Beard (FS) - FS is trying to get directives out on native plant policy to give direction to implement laws and regulations, incl. exec orders. Have had strict policies for trees and seeds - none for native plant materials. She'll make it available to PCA when ready.

Carol Spurrier (BLM) - Pollinating partners stamp - Will send out on listserve to support a request to Postal Service for a special stamp for pollinators

Upcoming speaker schedule:
GCA - Moved to November
Lewis Gorman -July - FWS T&E Liason with DOD
Donna House - May/July - National Museum of the Native American Indian
NAPPC - Suggestion to ask NAPPC to make a presentation; Patricia will send Kim Winter's contact info to Peggy

Pam Bailey (US Army Corp) - First National Conference of Ecosystem Restoration (NCER) - Held in Orlando, FL. - Dec. 6
Hosted by US Army Corps, USGS, Univ of Florida, Society for Ecological Restoration, David Packard Foundation, et al. More than 1000 attendees. Excellent! There were five tracks (such as planning projects, restoration projects). Some presentations from people doing restoration with natives - esp. in Everglades. Every attendee got a book of abstracts (see conference link at: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/ecosystem/). List of participants will also be available from the website.
Next conference: 2007 - Mississippi Valley - You can get on the list to get info for the next mtg.

Update on Committee Activities

-Alien Plant Working Group (Olivia Kwong -SER - for Jil Swearingen - NPS)

-Medicinal Plant Working Group (Patricia De Angelis - USFWS)

-Native Plant Materials Development (Carol Spurrier - BLM)

-National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (Olivia Kwong for NFWF)

-Public Outreach (Not in attendance)

-Restoration Working Group (Greg Eckert - NPS)

-PCA MOU

 

Speaker

North American Botanic Garden Strategy for Plant Conservation
-Dan Shepherd (Botanic Gardens Conservation International (US))

BGCI - a non-profit based in London focusing on conservation and advocacy issues. Includes 118 countries; 500 institutions; regional and international program offices in 11 countries - the US office is at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

BGCI is involved in variety of projects, such as legislative to grants for restoration. In US, the focus is primarily on education work.

International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation- 1998 - resulted in the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) - with 16 global targets to create strategic framework to curb threats to plant biodiversity around the world

Issues in North American Botanic Garden Strategy for Plant Conservation being discussed include: Species recovery; discussing creating a list of employees and areas of expertise; list of experts within the garden network.

Target 14 in the GSPC - BGCI is sole consulting organization for promoting educational awareness about plant diversity; we would like botanic gardens across US to help; new education officer just hired - building two programs - one for adult gardeners; children ages 9-12; teachers ask for info; working with National Gardeners Association; PCA and NFWF funded a teachers' guide for Washington State, which was produced by Cascades Institute; ethnobotany curriculum

Loss of botany programs, herbaria, botanic gardens - many disciplines are moving away from generalists with no broad scale information;

ESA- crisis in taxonomic capabilities - EO Wilson - Univ of Chicago; no single taxonomy course for freshman

Target 8 in the GSPC - what is in ex situ collections; current database has 91K taxa; accessions; encouraging gardens to get involved in that.

R. Muir (USGS) - Muir coordinates the movement of material from ex situ environments back to the wild; has several suggestions for this.

2006 - no child left behind - science kicks in - new national academic standards may not mention emphasis to teach native species; make sure there's something on native species.; empower - go to education subcommittees on that,

P. Olwell: Where's the money to support the North American Botanic Garden Strategy for Plant Conservation? Will BGCI get more involved in asking for the funds?
See Section E of NASPC Building capacity for Conservation of Plant Diversity

P. Olwell: PCA also has a nexus with Mexico and Canada because PCA serves as the IUCN North American Plant Specialist Group (NAPSG).Have the other countries within NA done a botanic garden strategy for plant conservation?

Mexico already has action plan - no strategy
US - has a strategy (this draft) but needs to develop an action plan
Canada has neither but fewer gardens and all are involved

PCA would be happy to work with both Mexico and Canada to facilitate the development of NASPC across our borders as needed.

Meeting Adjourned.

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