ReSeeding RI Collects Seeds Ethically and Sustainably from Wild Plant Populations

Why collect seeds sustainable and ethically from wild plant populations?

To sustain, preserve and protect existing wild plant populations

To capture the genetic diversity of wild plant populations to create future generations of these ecotype plants

ReSeeding RI collects seeds from wild plant population using the protocols outlined by Seeds of Success (SOS) Seeds of Success is the national seed collection program, led by the Bureau of Land Management.

We secure the appropriate written permissions from the individual or entity that owns the land, and in cases of “public lands”, comes under the authority of a government agency.
Our species are collected from healthy plant populations containing at least 50 individuals. When there are multiple plant populations, we select the largest ones. Plant populations exposed to pesticides and herbicides are not considered healthy due to possible damage to the genetic composition, the viability of the seed or the potential harm to the pollinators of these future plants.
We collect seeds only from species that are not threatened or endangered. This work is most appropriate for projects dedicated to conserving these most vulnerable species. The most up to date list of the species in these two categories are listed in Rhode Island’s Rare Plants compiled by the Rhode Island Natural History Survey in 2016. More on rare species in RI
Seeds for a single species are collected from a single population 2-3 times per season to better capture the genetic diversity of the population. To preserve the existing population, on any single day, we gather no more than 10% of the population of available seeds.
The number of seeds we collect for each species is dependent on the number of seeds the species typically produces.
The documentation of the collection process includes creating a sample (voucher) specimen of the species for identification and herbarium use and recording pertinent information such as botanical/Latin name, species identification details, population size, habitat, and location.
Preserving the viability of seed is paramount. We only collect seeds that tolerate dry storage (orthodox seeds). Before cleaning, our seeds are kept in brown paper bags to dry in a dark, cool and dry location to prevent the growth of mold and mildew. After cleaning, seeds are stored in glassine envelopes and kept in a refrigerator.

Shannon Kingsley, botanist for ReSeeding RI, collecting seeds from a wild population of gray golden rod.

• Do not purchase or accept seeds from wild plant populations unless you are sure they were sourced from seeds collected in an ethical and sustainable manner.

• Never dig plants in the wild or purchase or accepts plants that were dug in the wild.

Collecting seeds from cultivated populations of native plants?

If you are collecting seeds from cultivated populations we recommend

adhering to the 2 primary goals of ethical and sustainable collecting: protecting the existing cultivated population of plants; capturing as much of the genetic diversity of this population as possible.
following the protocols of the Seeds of Success (SOS) as much as possible.

Commonly asked questions

How do I correctly identify my cultivated plant and know where it grows natively?
Native Plant Trust’s authoritative searchable database Go Botany includes details and images of plant species and maps indicating where each species grows natively.

What does the seed of my cultivated native plant look like?
Native Wildflower Seed Gallery, a website by native plant enthusiasts and naturalists, contains seed images to scale of many native plants.

More topics to follow. Seed Cleaning Seeds to Plugs Foundation Plots

ReSeeding RI Home Species Index