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Indiana's
Plant Materials Program
 The Program
The Plant Materials Program is a dynamic program that addresses
resource problems and concerns through the use of vegetation and vegetative
techniques. The program assembles, tests, and releases plant materials for
conservation materials: arranges for commercial production; and promotes the use
of plant materials needed to meet the objectives and priorities established
locally and nationally.
The program consists of 26 plant materials centers located
geographically throughout the US, working with plant materials committees
established in the individual states. In partnership with other groups and
agencies the centers develop cost effective solutions to resource concerns.
Technology and information is transferred through the Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field offices, universities, the
Agricultural Research Service, and others, resulting in adoption by the public
and the wise use and management of our natural resources.
The Indiana Plant Materials Committee is responsible for
promoting the use of plants to reduce soil erosion, provide wildlife habitat,
restore wetlands, and to improve the environment. Currently, the Committee
is promoting the use of native plants for conservation uses. Native plant
species may perform better in many instances because they are adapted to Indiana
ecosystems, provide excellent wildlife habitat, and support the concept of
bio-diversity.
Long Range Plan
The following document requires
Acrobat Reader
Indiana Plant Materials Long
Range Plan 2006 - 2011 (PDF, 58 KB)
The mission of the Plant Materials Program is to develop and
transfer effective state-of-the-art plant science technology to meet customer
and resource needs. The purpose of the Plant Materials Program is to: 1)
assemble, test, and release plant materials for conservation use, 2) determine
techniques for successful use and management of conservation species, 3)
facilitate the commercial increase of conservation species, 4) provide for the
timely development and transfer of effective state-of-the-art applied science
technology to solve conservation problems, and 5) promote the use of plant
science technology to meet the goals and objectives of the NRCS Strategic Plan.
The Indiana Plant Materials Long Range Program (LRP) identifies and
prioritizes customer, resource, and program needs.
Ash Seed Collection Project
The Emerald Ash Borer has killed many trees in Michigan and
Northeast Indiana. Currently efforts are under way to control this serious
pest. Information on the Emerald Ash Borer in Indiana can be found at the
Indiana
Department of Natural Resources, Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology.
(This link will leave this web site.)
In the event that the emerald ash borer cannot be contained, the
Rose Lake Plant Materials Center (PMC) is taking steps to see that the ash tree
doesn't vanish forever. The PMC has entered into an agreement to store ash
seed at the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation in Fort Collins,
Colorado. If the ash tree population is completely decimated by the ash
borer, the stored seeds can be used to re-establish the ash tree for future
generations. The Rose Lake PMC is seeking volunteers to collect seed from
ash trees in Indiana and the entire Great Lakes region. Seed should be
collected only from native trees and not from cultivar street trees.
For additional information contact
Ken Collins, NRCS State Forester at
(317) 290-3200 ext. 356.
Additional information on the project and identifying and
collecting ash seed is contained in the documents linked below.
Active Plant Materials
Collections Requires
Acrobat Reader
Ash
Seed Collection Instructions (PDF, 15 KB)
Collection
Form (PDF, 275 KB)
Indiana
MLRA Map (PDF, 287 KB)
Ash
Fact Sheet (PDF, 691 KB)
Photos
of Ash Trees, Leaves, and Seed (PDF, 815 KB)
Promotion Materials
National
Ash Seed Collection Initiative Poster (PDF, 874 KB)
National
Ash Seed Collection Brochure (PDF, 205 KB)
National
Ash Seed Collection Presentation (PDF, 106 MB)
Field
Collection of Cephalantus occidentalis (Common Buttonbush) (PDF, 68 KB)
Field
Collection of Prunus americana (American Plum) (PDF, 55 KB)
Field Collection of
Arundinaria
gigantea (Giant Cane) (PDF, 142 KB)
Field
Collection of Bromus pubescens (Canada Brome) (PDF, 62 KB)
Field Collection of
Koeleria
cristata (Junegrass) (PDF, 130 KB)
Field
Collection of Andropogon virginicus (Broomsedge Bluestem) (PDF, 39 KB)
The Rose Lake Plant Materials Center (PMC), in
East Lansing Michigan, serves Indiana as well as other states in the Great Lakes
Region. Located on 40 acres of land leased from the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources, Rose Lake has room for both experimental plots and plant
production. Facilities include a greenhouse, seed cleaning equipment, and
farm machinery.
The mission of the Rose Lake PMC is to
support local resource conservation efforts by finding vegetative solutions to
identified concerns. This is accomplished through extensive collection and
evaluation of plants and through scientific studies conducted both at Rose Lake
and in field trials throughout the region. At any one time Rose Lake is
involved in fifteen to twenty-five specific studies or projects.
Other activities vary from working with
state seed certification agencies to develop native plant certification
procedures to providing commercial producers with start up stock of conservation
plants.
Where to go for Information and Assistance
Information on plant materials in use in
Indiana, and projects currently underway, is available at your local Soil and
Water Conservation District (SWCD) Office or at the NRCS office located in
a USDA Service Center.
Any staff person can bring concerns
related to plant materials to the Indiana Plant Materials Committee, who will
get help directly from the Rose Lake Plant Materials Center.
Assistance can include information,
sources of released plant materials at commercial nurseries in Indiana, setting
up a trial in you county for a particular plant material, or designing a project
on your land using plant materials to solve your resource concerns.
You may also access information on plants
on the internet at: http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov
or at http://plants.usda.gov/
Active Projects at
Rose Lake Plant
Materials Center
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Soil Bioengineering - Testing of
native species and techniques to control streambank erosion.
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Grass vegetative hedges for erosion
control.
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Native shrub willows (Salix spp.) for
streambank stabilization and soil bioengineering.
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Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) for
pasture improvement and native site restoration.
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Prairie Sandreed (Calamovilfa longifolia) for shoreline stabilization.
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Sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata)
production techniques for this culturally significant native plant.
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Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) for
streambank stabilization and wildlife plantings.
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Native Crabapple for windbreaks, restorations, and wildlife
plantings.
Indiana Committee Members
(Please direct all email for committee
members to Ken Collins, Committee Chair.)
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Ken Collins, Chairperson, NRCS Forester,
Indianapolis, IN
317-290-3200 ext. 356
Kenneth.Collins@in.usda.gov
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Shannon Zezula, NRCS State Resource Conservationist,
Indianapolis, IN
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Barry Fisher, State Agronomist, Indianapolis, IN
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Dave Stratman, State Wildlife Biologist, Indianapolis, IN
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Susannah Hinds, Grazing Land Specialist, NW Area
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Jo Hodgett, District Conservationist, NW Area
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Kelly Barkell, Soil Conservationist, NE Area
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Adam Heichelbech, District Conservationist, SE Area
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Brian Ingmire, Resource Management Specialist, SE Area
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Jenny Vogel, District Conservationist, SE Area
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Doris Scully, District Conservationist, SW Area
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