It is with great pleasure that we introduce this special issue of the Natural Areas Journal (NAJ), entitled “Using Native Plant Materials in Restoration.” This publication is the result of two years of hard work by the NAJ editorial team, authors, volunteers, and Natural Areas Association (NAA) staff. We are indebted to everyone who participated in the development of this one-of-akind publication. We are also grateful for the funding that the Bureau of Land Management provided to make this special issue a reality.
We see this as much more than a quarterly issue of the NAJ. It is a tool that NAA, our partners, and other organizations and agencies that are conserving and restoring native plant communities will use on an ongoing basis to actively promote and educate decision-makers on the importance of using native seed and plant material in managing and restoring habitat.
This special issue (plus other special issues to come) fulfills NAA's goal of advancing natural area conservation by providing access to the latest research findings, management techniques, and conservation practices.
Because the articles include the latest research, concepts, and best management practices for development and use of native plants in ecological restoration, this special issue of NAJ will serve as a go-to reference for land management professionals: wildlife biologists, botanists, restoration ecologists, fire rehabilitation specialists, and land managers. It will help guide these managers and scientists in their decisions to use native seed and plants in their native plant community/habitat restoration work.
Several thousand copies of this publication will be widely distributed to NAA partners (federal agencies, state agencies, land trusts, and academicians), in addition to NAA members, to inform the use of native plant materials in the restoration of private and public land across North America. Importantly, the issue will be used to educate land management professionals and other key decision-makers on the value of using native seed and native plant material.
This special issue comes at a good time. The Bureau of Land Management, a key NAA partner, is leading a consortium of federal agencies in developing an Interagency Seed Strategy. This strategy will support the plants, pollinators, and wildlife that are integral to building resilient natural communities. The Interagency Seed Strategy will be coordinated through the Plant Conservation Alliance, whose members will be using this special issue to educate their staff and the public on the need for using native plant material in ecological restoration.
We hope that you find this issue informative, applicable, and useful to your work. As always, we are eager for your feedback as we continue to strive to provide products and resources that support you in your professional pursuits.
yours in the conservation of natural areas,
