5. IDENTIFYING PRIORITY SPECIES TO COLLECT

The collecting focus of this program is on species needed for emergency fire rehabilitation and restoration.  Initial target species lists were determined at the ecoregion level by BLM, PCA and RBG, Kew after consultation with field office staff; the Society for Ecological Restoration International; State Heritage Program botanists; non-profit organizations including The Nature Conservancy and state native plant societies; university botanists and ecologists; and researchers from botanic gardens that are members of the Center for Plant Conservation network.  See Section 7. Requesting Species for Collection for information on how to make additions or changes to the lists.

The SOS priorities have expanded to include species need in a variety of restoration and rehabilitation projects.  Collecting teams are encouraged to work with local federal land managers to develop and execute priority lists.  Projects may include emergency fire rehabilitation and restoration, water way stabilization, landfill and corporate land recovery, wildlife habitat, threatened and endangered species habitat, and roadside revegetation.