By Justin Walker
Communications Specialist
A project focused on collecting seeds from native grass and forbs around the state will expand to East Texas this year.
“The vision (of Texas Native Seeds) is to find and collect important native plant species and increase them to meet demand for restoration,” Forrest Smith, the Dan L. Duncan Endowed director of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, told AgriLife Today.
The project began in 2000 when private landowners in South Texas wanted to restore regional ecosystems that support native wildlife by re-establishing native grasses and forbs. The program began its statewide expansion in 2010.
Researchers gather seeds from specific locations and also document soil type and adjacent species. About 1,200 native species in West Texas and 750 in Central Texas were collected over the past few years. About 2,000 species have been gathered in South Texas since the beginning of the project.
The plants are evaluated for traits such as survivability, germination, aesthetics and seed production, Smith said. Researchers hope to increase a diverse seed mix of native species that would be available for commercial production.
The project covers various regions of Texas due to the diverse ecology of the state. Certain seeds gathered in South Texas would not be suitable for other regions. While many native seeds are available to the public commercially, Smith said it is crucial to local ecosystems that researchers find the best-suited plants for Texas.
“Much of the available native seed sold in Texas today is not regionally adapted to the areas it is used in,” Smith said. “And furthermore, there are quality concerns with some of that material.”
During the project’s expansion, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) provided a grant to move into Central and West Texas. TxDOT views native grasses and forbs as a way to reduce roadside maintenance costs.
“They saw it as a way to potentially reduce the number of times they have to mow each year and to sustain diversity,” Smith said.
He noted TxDOT has made changes to their seeding specifications for rural areas in the state as a result of this program.
Contact Smith at forrest.smith@tamuk.edu for more information.
Thanks for reporting on this project. Native herbaceous vegetation needs restoration in many areas where invasive species are taking over road sides and pipeline corridors. KR bluestem, Bahia grass, and Bermuda grass are just a few of the plants that spread easily, choke out native plants and are worthless to wildlife species.