$18 million investment from Inflation Reduction Act benefits native seed increase projects in the Mojave Desert

Story by: Julia Mogen, BLM California Desert District Public Affairs Specialist

Photos by: Judy Perkins, BLM California Mojave Desert Ecoregional Native Plant Coordinator; Jesse Pluim, Public Affairs Specialist

With the Department of the Interior’s recent announcement of nearly $18 million in new investments from the Inflation Reduction Act, BLM California is thrilled to expand upon native seed growth improvement projects.

This historic investment will contribute to Interior’s new National Seed Strategy Keystone Initiative, built to implement the proper infrastructure, tools, research and labor needed to support a strong native seed supply chain. The National Seed Strategy Keystone Initiative outlines goals for ecosystem restoration, biodiversity support, and the reduction of climate change risks. Example projects include expanding Tribal greenhouse facilities, assisting local farmers transition from high-water crops to low-water native plant crops and connecting with underserved communities in native seed collection via the Seeds of Success program.

The Victor Valley College Native Seed Production project under the BLM Mojave Desert Native Plant Program in southern California, will benefit from the investment. Started in 2022, the BLM partnership with Victor Valley College is a joint effort to grow native plants, increase native seed output and develop seed harvest protocols for Mojave Desert habitat restoration. The project is forecasted to span five years to meet seed production goals.  

Prioritizing outreach and collaboration with the local community, staff on this project will assist local farmers transition from alfalfa farming to less water intensive native plants. The seed increase program supports farmers who are losing water rights, in turn affecting their alfalfa farming, while also contributing to habitat resilience against climate change.

“Students are developing native plant growing techniques to increase seed production,” Judy Perkins, Mojave Desert Ecoregional Native Plant Coordinator for the BLM California State Office said. “Then they will start scaling up seed increase project size to the agricultural field scale.”

BLM California is delighted to be awarded funds from the Inflation Reduction Act for seed strategy projects. These resources will help expand and sustain ecosystem restoration initiatives across the state, thereby improving the health of the habitats they manage.