Intervale Center Inc

THIS PROJECT WILL EXPAND CAPACITY TO GROW NATIVE TREES, SHRUBS, AND SEEDS TO MEET VERMONT'S STATEWIDE RESTORATION NEEDS OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. THE PROJECT SUPPORTS THE VERMONT FOREST ACTION PLAN BY STRENGTHENING NATIVE SEED COLLECTION, STORAGE, AND PROPAGATION EFFORTS. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE INVESTING IN STAFF AND OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS, IMPROVING PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION CAPACITY, COORDINATING SEED COLLECTION THROUGH THE RIPARIAN LANDS NATIVE SEED PARTNERSHIP, AND PROVIDING LEADERSHIP, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR NURSERIES ACROSS VERMONT. FUNDS WILL BE USED TO EXPAND NURSERY CAPACITY, SUPPORT STAFF AND SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS, ENHANCE STATEWIDE SEED COLLECTION AND STORAGE, INCREASE PROPAGATION OUTPUT, AND PROVIDE FREE TREES AND SEEDS TO PRIORITY CONSERVATION PROJECTS.

F18AC00280

THE INTERVALE CENTER IS PROPOSING TO BUILD ON OUR PARTNERSHIP STARTED IN 2022 WITH US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS) PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE PROGRAM TO COORDINATE A NATIVE SEEDS PROJECT WITH THE INTENTION TO IDENTIFY, COLLECT, AND FACILITATE HIGH-QUALITY NATIVE TREE AND SHRUB SEED FOR DIRECT SEEDING IN RESTORATION PROJECTS AND FOR PROPAGATION BY NATIVE TREE NURSERIES. THE INTERVALE CENTER IS PROPOSING A NEW AWARD BUILT ON SHARED VALUES AND GOALS TO RESTORE, ENHANCE, AND PRESERVE RIPARIAN HABITAT TO BENEFIT MIGRATORY BIRDS AND NATIVE FISH SPECIES. THIS NEXT STEP IN THIS WORK WILL FOCUS ON EXPANDING SEED COLLECTION TO FURTHER BOTH RESEARCH INTO DIRECT SEEDING AND THE GROWING NURSERY SECTOR. WITH THIS AWARD, THE INTERVALE CENTERS TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A CRITICAL LINK BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTITIES ACROSS VERMONT WHO COLLECT SEED, DIRECT SEED, AND PROPAGATE NATIVE PLANT MATERIAL FOR CONSERVATION PROJECTS THROUGH SCOUTING, MONITORING, AND COORDINATING SEED COLLECTION, ENSURING THAT PARTNERS, INCLUDING USFWS, HAVE THE SEEDS THEY NEED TO INCREASE PLANT AVAILABILITY AND HEALTH. THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE AND RESTORE RIPARIAN HABITAT IN THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN WATERSHED.-SUCCESSFULLY SECURE FUNDING, TRAIN AND DEPLOY SEED COLLECTION CREWS TO SECURE 60 MILLION SEEDS, IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTHWOODS STEWARDSHIP CENTER. CLEAN, PROCESS, STORE, AND DISTRIBUTE SEED TO 5 NURSERIES AND DIRECT SEEDING PROJECTS.-ADD 120 SITES TO THE SEED COLLECTION DATABASE AND CONTINUE TO REFINE DATA MANAGEMENT.-COMPLETE FOUR NEWSLETTERS, FOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, ONE BLOG POST, AND PRESENTATIONS AT THREE LOCAL AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES.-SUPPORT THE PROPAGATION OF 75,000 STEMS AND EXPERIMENT WITH FOUR SPECIES THAT ARE CHALLENGING TO PROPAGATE.

RIPARIAN BUFFER INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL PROJECT

RIPARIAN RESTORATION MONITORING PROJECT

THE INTERVALE CENTER IS PROPOSING THE CONTINUATION OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH USFW IN THIS PROJECT TO COLLECT VERMONT NATIVE TREE SEED TO RESTORE, ENHANCE, AND PRESERVE RIPARIAN NATURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS THIS PROJECT WILL INVEST IN STATEWIDE LEVEL COORDINATION OF CONSERVATION SEED COLLECTION WITH A FOCUS ON IDENTIFYING, COLLECTING AND FACILITATING HIGH QUALITY NATIVE TREE AND SHRUB SEED THE PROPOSED SEED COORDINATOR POSITION WILL PROVIDE A CRITICAL LINK BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTITIES ACROSS VERMONT WHO COLLECT SEED, DIRECT, SEED, AND PROPAGATE NATIVE PLANT MATERIAL FOR CONSERVATION PROJECTS THROUGH SCOUTING, MONITORING, AND COORDINATING SEED COLLECTION, ENSURING THAT PARTNERS HAVE THE SEEDS THEY NEED TO INCREASE PLANT AVAILABILITY AND HEALTH THE PROJECT WILL IMPROVE AND RESTORE RIPARIAN HABITAT IN THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN WATERSHED BY PROVIDING MATERIAL FOR DIRECT SEEDING AND FOR PROPAGATION BY NATIVE TREE NURSERIES, AND BY WORKING WITH PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE REGION TO INCREASE THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF NATIVE PLANT SEED AVAILABLE FOR CONSERVATION PROJECTS