“Conservation” is a term often heard in the context of human relationships to the environment.  While historically it has meant protecting the natural world in such a way that “resources” are used wisely and conserved for the future, nature is not best viewed one-dimensionally as a resource that should be protected for our benefit. Humans must support the natural world.

Native plants support our well-being because they are the foundation of the biodiverse habitats essential to our health; we conserve native plants and their habitats because we want to mirror and reciprocate those functions of health. Rather than give-and-take, it might be seen as give-and-give. Conservation, then, becomes a many-faceted symbol of thoughtful integration with the nature around us – which is also the nature within us – and reciprocal care: Indigenous perspectives, community efforts and partnerships, land tending in the urban environment, learning and knowledge sharing, conservation horticulture and seed conservation.

Ripe seeds of woollypod milkweed (Asclepias eriocarpa). Photo by Hannah Perez.

Theodore Payne Foundation’s history of conservation began with efforts to collect and grow the seeds of California native plants in the wake of colonization, and an applied passion for ensuring longevity in those plant lineages through garden spaces. Maintaining the presence of native plants in rapidly expanding urban areas helped promote public awareness of dwindling and disappearing natural habitats, and the potential to help care for those irreplaceable ecologies. Over time, these seed collection efforts developed further, diversifying the species that were cultivated and offered Theodore’s native plant nursery, which became a nonprofit organization in 1960.

Today, our seed and conservation program is a multi-pronged, outcome-focused applied effort that has grown in response to Southern California’s changing ecological context. In 2012 we introduced Theodore Payne Foundation’s Local Source Initiative  and expanded our field collection efforts, enabling us to provide genetically diverse, locally adapted and resilient native plants to the public and secure regionally collected seeds in storage; in 2016 we welcomed the program’s first additional employee, and in 2017 received funding from Patagonia to develop our long-term regional conservation seed bank. We’ve hosted interns who have gone on to fruitful careers in conservation and horticulture and deeply value our program volunteers.

Seed & Conservation Program Manager Genevieve Arnold delivers white sage (Salvia apiana) from TPF, grown from locally sourced seed for United American Indian Involvement (UAII). Photo courtesy of Vivian Garcia.

There is an inherent strategy of unwavering persistence in seed conservation. In nature, seeds may quietly and patiently embody an important stage in the lifecycle of a plant, support a breadth of ecological function and persist behind the scenes in what we call the soil seed bank until the time is right to germinate. In parallel, our ongoing work with seed conservation has a long and quietly dedicated living history. We recognize the contributions of those who came before us as we evolve and curate this active program to meet increasingly acute conservation needs. Seed conservation work is not easy, is never “done”, and requires consistent and diligent focus as well as wider communal vision and partnership.

We will continue to persist in our work, and to grow our capacity in these deeply rewarding efforts so that as needs arise, we are ready.

Seeds are for everyone, and we welcome you to join us in our conservation journey. What’s to look forward to in the conservation blog? Learn more about topics such as what’s involved in seed banking, rare species seed conservation, field work and mapping, conservation horticulture, Indigenous perspectives, partnership efforts for urban and post-fire seed conservation and restoration, state-wide conservation efforts and more!

Banner photo description: Ella Andersson, Botanical Technician at Theodore Payne Foundation, inspecting the fruit of Asclepias eriocarpa, or woollypod milkweed. Photo by Hannah Perez.