Bridger PMC Long Range Plan Reprioritized 2006

The Bridger Plant Materials Center (PMC) State Conservationist Advisory Committee meeting was held April 27, 2006. In attendance was Dave White, Montana State Conservationist and Adolfo Perez, Wyoming State Conservationist, along with the respective State Resource Conservationists, the Bridger PMC staff, and the Montana/Wyoming Plant Materials Specialist. The purpose of the meeting was to review the PMC staffing, budget, current projects, and the 2001 Bridger PMC Long Range Plan (LRP). The 2001 Bridger PMC LRP is based on local conservation problems and needs, and was developed with input from a variety of sources, including private land owners/managers and Conservation District Supervisors. The committee reprioritized the 2001 Plan, placing emphasis on current critical issues that can be addressed with plants and plant technologies by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) PMC program. The plant solutions for the conservation problems will be determined as staff, budget, and cooperative opportunities become available.

The procedure for setting up a plant materials project involves Ecological Science staff guidance and assistance in developing project plans describing the conservation problem, need, and action; a complete literature review on the subject; development of an outline describing the study objectives; creation of a study plan of the scientific methods that will be used; potential plant species that may help solve the problem; and a communication plan for technology transfer of results and products to NRCS Field Offices, land owners, and other customers. Some of the actions may result in the development of a technical note summarizing appropriate studies. Some may involve the entire program procedure from plant collection, evaluation and selection process, to release and commercial production, which can take 10 years or more. Other concerns may require basic research and would be discussed with universities or the Agricultural Research Service and approached as a collaborative research project. Whatever the outcome, the plant and/or technology will be included in the Field Office Technical Guide, technical notes, or field demonstrations to assist land owners or managers with the conservation of natural resources.

The following table lists the critical issues and their respective action priority.

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Last Modified: 04/18/2005