Cafe Botanique, April 27 - GATES HALL

(Little bluestem – Schizachyrium scoparium – BLM CO932, Seeds of Success)

 Seeds of Success - Building a National Collection of Native Seeds
Peter Gordon, Ph.D., Botanist, Bureau of Land Management

Seeds of Success (SOS) is the national native seed collection program created under the umbrella of the Native Plant Materials Development Program (NPMDP), led by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). SOS was formally established in 2001 in partnership with the Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) to collect, conserve and develop native plant materials for restoring and rehabilitating public lands in the United States. The initial partnership between BLM and MSB quickly grew in scope and evolved to include many additional partners, such as botanic gardens, arboreta, zoos and municipalities. To date, SOS has well over 9,000 collections representing more than 3,000 species of wild land native plants in its National Collection.

The BLM Colorado State Office has coordinated over 500 wild land native seed collections from very diverse habitats, ranging from sub-alpine forests to sand dunes to shale cliffs and has been involved with SOS since its inception. Our staff works to collect seed, mentor interns, manage collection information and promote the development of native plant materials in Colorado. 

 Pre-registration is not required but encouraged
This lecture offers one elective credit hour in the Botanical Illustration program. Suggested donation $5.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Denver Botanic Gardens – Gates Hall
6:30 – 8 p.m.