To assemble, evaluate, select, release, and introduce
into commerce, and promote the use of new and improved plant materials for
soil, water, and related resource conservation and environmental improvement
programs. To develop technology for land management and restoration with plant
materials. To transfer technology on plant materials.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Provision of Specialized Services. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Plant materials are used in all phases of the soil and
water conservation program. This program emphasizes field testing to determine
the plant's value and restoration techniques. It is limited to conservation
cooperators properties in conjunction with soil conservation districts, State
Agricultural Experiment Stations, State Crop Improvement Associations and
other Federal and State agencies. The program also provides commercial seed
growers with breeder and foundation quality seed or propagules. Other plants
or seed are not provided to the general public. Large-scale production is
conducted by cooperating commercial producers. Free plants, seed and/or grants
are not available to nurseries or individuals from the Plant Materials
Program.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility:
Cooperating State and Federal agencies and cooperators of conservation
districts where structured evaluations are conducted and commercial seed
growers and nurserymen interested in the commercial production of selected
plant materials. Applicants are also eligible in Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands. The general public is not eligible to participate in this program.
Beneficiary Eligibility:
Cooperating State and Federal agencies and cooperators of conservation
districts and commercial seed growers and nurserymen interested in the
production of selected plant materials. Applicants are also eligible in Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands.
About 450 releases of grasses, legumes, forbs, shrubs,
and trees have been developed and made available for commercial increase
through this program. Uses include erosion control and sediment reduction,
roadside and stream bank protection, wetlands restoration, buffer strip
establishment, surface-mined land reclamation, and wildlife food and cover.
The annual commercial production of NRCS released grasses, legumes and woody
plants by commercial seed growers and nurserymen is equivalent to the amount
required to establish vegetative cover on over 2,000,000 acres of land.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
"National Plant Materials Manual; "Grass Seed
Production and Harvest in the Great Plains," FB 2226; "Building,
Planting and Maintaining Sand Dunes," L 42; "Grasses and Legumes for
Soil Conservation in the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin States," AH
339. "Conservation Plants for the Northeast," NRCS, USDA Program Aid
No. 1154; "Plant Performance on Surface Coal Mine Spoil in the Eastern
United States," NRCS TP 155; "Plant Materials For
Conservation," NRCS Program Aid No. 1219; "Plant Materials For Use
On Surfaced Mined Land in Arid and Semiarid Regions," NRCS TP 157;
"New Plants For Conservation," NRCS Environmental Quality Aid;
"Grass Varieties in the United States," SCS Handbook 170.
"Native Grass Seed Production Manual," USDA-NRCS, DU-Canada;
"Vegetating With Native Grasses in Northeastern North America,"
USDA-NRCS, DU-Canada. An internet homepage with more information may be found
at: http://plant- materials.nrcs.usda.gov.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office: NRCS
State offices and field offices. See Appendix IV.
Headquarters Office: Deputy
Chief For Science and Technology, Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013. Telephone:
(202) 720-4630. Use the same number for FTS.
