Regional Initiatives and the CPC Reintroduction Database

CPC’s involvement in regional initiatives California Plant Rescue and Florida Plant Rescue has produced an exciting data resource in the form of CPC’s Seed Collection Targeting Module. This database resource synthesizes ex situ collection data with in situ occurrence records from natural heritage programs and government agencies, allowing for more streamlined targeting of priority species and populations. This module is being expanded to include Nevada through an agreement with the Nevada Division of Natural Heritage, Arizona and New Mexico in collaboration with USFS Region 3, and several Intermountain states through a new agreement with the Department of the Interior (NPS, BLM, USFWS). Combining resources into this exciting new tool allows us to help facilitate high-priority seeds making their way into banks.

For seeds already secured in storage, the next step is safely and thoughtfully getting them back out. The revamped CPC Reintroduction Database is up to an impressive 480 reintroduction projects documented. Data from these projects, spanning nearly 40 years of conservation work throughout the CPC network and beyond, is contributing to analyses to better understand what contributes to reintroduction success.