Native Plant Development for

Reclamation in Alaska

Paul Krabacher, Bureau of Land ManagementMike Duffy, AK Natural Heritage Program

OBJECTIVE

To supply seed for BLM and its partners with native species - collected, cleaned, increased, and stored in Alaska

Native Plant Materials Development Program

Increase the diversity and amount of native seed available for stabilization, rehabilitation and restoration efforts on lands managed by various agencies

Native Plant Materials Development Program

In light of perceived climate change impacts and human-caused disturbance:

1. Collect workhorse species2. Collect range margin and

other species of interest

•Part of the National Native Plant Materials Development and Conservation Program

•National Native Seed Collection ProgramCoordinated by BLM

Alaska’s ListCollections made

•2002 – 2008100+ collections

Seeds of Success - Species Lists

2009

•Focus on early seral stages•As well as Royal Botanic Garden

•Over 150 species early-mid seral list

Heracleum lanatum = Heracleum maximum

Hierochloe alpina

Hordeum brachyantherum

Juniperus communis

Lathyrus japonicus

Lathyrus palustris

Leymus mollis

Loiseleuria procumbens

Lupinus arcticus

Lupinus nootkatensis

Mimulus guttatus

Orthilia secunda

Oxytropis borealis

Oxytropis campestris

Oxytropis nigrescens

Parnassia kotzebuei

Parnassia palustris

Pedicularis labradorica

Pedicularis langsdorfii

Pedicularis parviflora

Petasites frigidus

Petasites saggittatus = Petasites frigidus var. sagittatus

Phleum alpinum

2009

Total collections44

2010

Total collections244

165 species

2010Collections with the

assistance of Chicago Botanic Garden Interns

2010Collections with the assistance of Chicago Botanic Garden Interns

2010 Collections of Conservation Significance

• Botrychium alaskense (G2G3 S2S3) is new to the Seward Peninsula; it is widely disjunct and represents the most northwestern occurrence in the state.

• A large population Botrychium virginianum (G5 S2) plants was found on Turnagain Arm.

Iowa State Herbarium

2010 Collections of Conservation Significance

• Astragalus agrestis (G5 SP) from the Copper Center area, which is apparently new to the state.

• Potentilla cf. fragiformis (G4 S1S2) was collected from Salmon Lake, Seward Peninsula - sent to ALA for review (gap-filling/few records for N America)

2010 Collections of Conservation Significance

Range Extensions:• Vahlodea atropurpurea was found on the

Seward Peninsula. This represents a range extension of over 600 km.

• Aquilegia brevistyla, Carex bicolor, Carex eleusinoides, Carex supina ssp. spaniocarpa, Rumex sibiricus, and Silene taimyrensis represent smaller range extensions or additional records of recent range extensions.

• Two aquatic liverworts, Riccia fluitans and Ricciocarpus natans uncommon in the state, were also encountered.

2010 Notes: TRACKED OR SIGNIFICANT RANGE EXTENSIONS

• Artemisia senjavinensis G3 S2S3• Astragalus agrestis G5 SP, new to Alaska• Botrychium alaskense G2G3 S2S3, large range extension• Botrychium virginianum G5 S2• Carex phaeocephala G4 S3• Draba ruaxes G3 S3• Lycopus asper G5 S1• Papaver walpolei G3 S3• Potentilla drummondii G5 S2• Potentilla fragiformis (if so) G4 S1S2• Riccia fluitans rare (?)• Ricciocarpus natans notable• Stellaria dicranoides G3 S3• Vahlodea atropurpurea large range extension• Viola selkirkii G5 S3

Palmer PMCPalmer PMC

Cleaning, storage

Cleaning, storage

Seed increase

• Carex mertensii• Chamerion

latifolium• Artemisia tilesii• Oxytropis

campestris• Sanguisorba

canadensis• Wilhelmsia

physodes

• Agrostis scabra• Achillea sibirica• Agrostis

mertensii• Poa alpina• Hedyasrum

alpinum

Field increase – Palmer

Private Producers

•Wildland seed collection•Seed increase with

(commercial) growers•Research and development•Public and private partnerships•Germplasm seed collections

Native Plant Materials Development Program

Seed Increase Suggestions

•OTHERS??

• Carex mertensii• Chamerion latifolium• Artemisia tilesii• Oxytropis campestris• Sanguisorba canadensis• Wilhelmsia physodes• Agrostis scabra• Achillea sibirica• Agrostis mertensii• Poa alpina• Hedyasrum alpinum