Project Profile: Produce Seed for Intermountain Grasslands and Restore Intermountain Central Grasslands

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
National Seed Strategy, Invasive Species | FY24 $360,000

A grassland in Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

NPS Photo / L.Carter

The National Park Service (NPS) will restore grassland ecosystems in select national parks in Arizona and Colorado to advance landscape conservation actions, mitigate the overall loss of these systems, and build a strong core of healthy grasslands to benefit the species and communities who rely on them. The process includes collecting and increase native seed for restoration in central grasslands, supporting the National Seed Strategy. The NPS will also survey and control the highest priority invasive plant species that threaten ecosystem function, collect and increase native seed, provide training and resources for restoration practitioners, and implement site specific actions (e.g., direct seeding) to improve wildlife habitat and biodiversity.

Why? Grasslands have seen massive declines across the western US and continue to be threatened by multiple stressors, such as increased and more intense fires, invasive species, and encroachment by land development. These stressors, exacerbated by climate change, have resulted in largescale increases of invasive species. The introduction and increase of native seeds will help push out and overwhelm the invasive species of plants that have infiltrated these grasslands.

What else? A critical component needed to advance these initiatives includes collaborative, cross jurisdictional partnerships. NPS will work together with other federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service, and Native American tribes to improve availability of native, locally adapted seed for restoration in grassland ecosystems.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes critical investments in the resilience and restoration of America’s lands, skies, and waters, and enhances conservation and recreation opportunities. Visitors will see tangible results such as repaired and upgraded trails and campgrounds, removal of invasive species, as well as healthy wetlands, grasslands, and forests.