In 2018, I initiated the Oklahoma Native Seed Library. My plan is to collect seeds from iconic Oklahoma native plants. Our goal is to acquire seeds from around the state to represent a variety of genetic diversity of key species. In the beginning, we are focusing on easily identifiable grasses. As the collection grows, we plan to expand the species we collect and eventually we will offer seeds for native plant landscaping and restoration projects. This fall we will host an Educational Field Day centered on a seed harvest workshop to demonstrate how to collect and document seed collections for our seed library.
I was inspired by a variety of seed collecting projects that I heard about at the Texas Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration meeting in 2017. I started thinking about a seed collection program that could help to bank seeds from different ecoregions around the state.
Seeds collected could be saved in two collections – one that could be “borrowed from” to grow out for different projects and another that would be more of a permanent collection.
My current plant is to start by collecting seeds from iconic Oklahoma native plants. My goal is to acquire seeds from around the state to represent a variety of genetic diversity. As the collection grows, I plan to expand the species we collect and eventually offer seeds for native plant landscaping and restoration projects. Fall 2018 & 2019, I organized a Field Days centered on a seed harvest workshop to demonstrate how to collect and document seed collections for our seed library.
This project is in it’s early stages and could go in a variety of directions:
– repository of genetic diversity
– source of local diversity for restoration projects
– internship projects for students
– citizen science project to collect seeds from common, but important, native species across state
– collection of state rare species
Future expansions could be:
– native plant nursery for research and restoration projects
Go to the Oklahoma Native Seed Library
Priscilla H. C. Crawford 