Rosa Foundation

PURPOSE OF AWARD SUMMARY OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECTEXSITU RESEARCH FOR SEED SUPPLY AND PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES IN A GEOGRAPHICALLY STRATEGIC LOCATION TO SUPPORT POST FIRE RESTORATION SEED INCREASE. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE FIELD DEVELOPMENT, SEED SELECTION AND DEVELOPMENT, ALONG WITH ANCILLARY SEED INCREASE AND CONTAINER PRODUCTION SUPPLYING DOI LAND MANAGERS WITH USABLE PLANT MATERIALS. PROJECT RESULTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN IMPORTANT SEED SUPPLIER IN A GEOGRAPHICALLY STRATEGIC LOCATION ABLE TO SUPPORT MULTIPLE DOI BUREAUS.SUMMARY OF PROJECT SPECIFIC ACTIVITIESPROJECT SUPPORTS PLUG PRODUCTION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TWOACRE FIELD FOR SPECIALIZED SEED PRODUCTION TO ADDRESS A LACK OF PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY IN THE GEOGRAPHIC REGION FOR THIS TYPE OF SEED PRODUCTION. PROJECT INCLUDES PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTION FIELDS, CULTIVATION, CLEANING, AND STORAGE. PROJECT ALSO SUPPORTS DEVELOPMENT OF INSITU GRASSLAND AND POSTFIRE RESTORATION PLOTS USING PLUGS PRODUCED UNDER THIS PROJECT. PERFORMANCE GOALS INCLUDING MILESTONES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMESTHIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE AVAILABILITY OF SOURCEIDENTIFIED SEED AND CONTAINER PLANTS FROM DOI LANDS TO ENABLE WIDESPREAD POSTFIRE RESTORATION. PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE ADVANCE OF PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY FOR SEED PRODUCTION OF SPECIALIZED NICHE SEED PRODUCTION NEEDS, SEED FOR USE IN RESTORATION PROJECTS, AND CAPACITY FOR FURTHER FIELD INCREASE. TRIAL FIELDS WILL BE ESTABLISHED WITHIN ONE YEAR AND BE MAINTAINED THROUGH YEAR FIVE. BENEFICIARIESPROJECT INCREASES THE QUANTITY, DIVERSITY, AND EFFECTIVENESS OF NATIVE FORBS AND GRASSES FOR RESTORATION OF WILDLIFE HABITATS AND REHABILITATION POSTWILDFIRES AND OTHER DISTURBANCE. BEYOND ANCILLARY BENEFIT OF SEED AND PLANTS, PROGRAM SERVES A PUBLIC PURPOSE BY INCREASING RESILIENCE OF PUBLIC LANDS TO CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH ADAPTATION RESEARCH, BUFFERING INCREASES IN WILDFIRE SEVERITY AND INTENSITY USING SEEDBASED RESTORATION, AND ALLOWS FOR PUBLIC LAND MANAGERS TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE OUR NATIONS BIODIVERSITY FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF THE PUBLIC.

THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS A GLOBAL FLORISTIC BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT, BUT AS WILDFIRE SEVERITY AND BURNED ACREAGE OVER THE LAST FOUR DECADES HAS EXPONENTIALLY INCREASED, SO HAVE POST-FIRE NEEDS FOR THE RIGHT SEED IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO PROTECT THAT DIVERSITY. THIS PROJECT AUGMENTS AND ACCELERATES ONGOING COLLECTION, CURATION, AND PRODUCTION EFFORTS IN CALIFORNIA ACROSS DOI LANDS TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE SEED STRATEGY FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION (CA NATIVE SEED STRATEGY). THIS PROJECT IS ONE PIECE OF THE $3.2M FY25 FUNDING THAT THE DOI BUREAUS ARE RECEIVING.THE OVERARCHING PROJECT CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR SEEDS OF SUCCESS (SOS) COLLECTION TEAMS COLLECTING MATERIAL FROM NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) PARK UNITS, US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (FWS) REFUGES, AND FILLING GAPS IN ONGOING STATEWIDE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) COLLECTION EFFORTS. THE PROJECT WILL EXPAND EX-SITU FIELD PRODUCTIONS OF SEEDS FOR POST-FIRE RESTORATION ON NPS, FWS, AND BLM LANDS THROUGH CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS. THE PROJECT WILL CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT AND AMPLIFICATION OF A DIVERSE PALETTE OF EARLY SUCCESSIONAL AND OTHER RESTORATION WORKHORSE SPECIES, AND INVEST IN NURSERY OPERATIONS, SEED STORAGE, AND SMALL-SCALE CLEANING CAPACITY IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS TO COMPLEMENT US FOREST SERVICE (USFS) INVESTMENTS BEING MADE ACROSS THE STATE.SPECIFICALLY, THE LAGUNA DE SANTA ROSA FOUNDATION WILL USE THIS PROGRAM S FUNDING TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 1,600 S.F. OF SHADE HOUSE SPACE (20 X 80 ) AND 540 S.F. OF GROWING TABLES, A NET INCREASE OF 67% IN GROWING TABLE SPACE FOR PLUGS AND CONTAINER GROWN PLANTS. THE ADDITION WILL BE DEDICATED TO THE LAGUNA FOUNDATION S OPERATIONS WITH PRIORITY TO PROJECTS UNDER FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND FOR FUTURE SEED AMPLIFICATION OPERATIONS. A DISCOUNT CALCULATOR WILL BE APPLIED TO FUTURE PRODUCTION ORDERS UNTIL THE FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE NURSERY EXPANSION IS MET. THIS INCREASED CAPACITY WILL SERVE A GREATER NUMBER OF RESTORATION PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF DOI IN THE NORTH BAY AND BEYOND. WE WILL ALSO BE ADDING INFRASTRUCTURE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT FOR SEED CLEANING, PROCESSING AND STORAGE. LAGUNA FOUNDATION WILL HAVE IMMEDIATE ASSETS TO BEGIN SMALL-MEDIUM SCALE SEED CLEANING WHICH IS CURRENTLY A BOTTLENECK IN THE PRODUCTION OF NATIVE SEEDS. AS PRACTICAL, THE LAGUNA FOUDNATION WILL PROVIDE SEED CLEANING SERVICES FOR WILDLLAND COLLECTIONS IN COORDINATION WITH POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE SEED TEAM AND OTHER DOI COLLABORATORS THROUGH 2027.

BUTTE COUNTY MEADOWFOAM

EARLE BAUM CENTER FOR THE BLIND

THE USFWS IS PARTNERING WITH LAGUNA DE SANTA ROSA FOUNDATION TO CONTROL INVASIVE SPECIES THAT ARE INVADING HABITAT OF T&E PLANT SPECIES VINE HILL CLARKIA AND PITKIN MARSH LILY.

THE LAGUNA DE SANTA ROSA FOUNDATION?S PROJECT WILL RECRUIT 15 VOLUNTEER EDUCATORS, WHO WILL EACH COMPLETE A 10-WEEK, 60 HOURS COURSE IN ECOLOGY, ECOS