Desert Seed Resources Center

The Desert Seed Resource Center is a newly formed non-profit organization that seeks to increase the availability of native plant materials for conservation of the desert southwest through education, research, and collaboration. To begin this important work, we must submit the appropriate paperwork to federal regulatory agencies to become a recognized 501(c)(3) corporation. We need your help with “seed money” to help defer the costs of filing with the IRS and meeting the other filing requirements. (It is important for us to note that because we haven't filed yet, your donation is not tax deductible.)

The desert southwest is home to unique and vibrant flora, integral to the integrity of our communities, but these communities are under increasing threats from drought, land transformation, and wildfires. The need for restoration and rehabilitation of degraded areas continues to grow and post-disaster planting interventions can assist the recovery of degraded areas by jumpstarting the healing process and fortifying ecological resilience. The critical role of native plants in restoration projects has created strong demand for plant materials, but the need for regionally appropriate plant materials has outpaced the availability, due to few growers specializing in native species within the desert southwest. 

The Desert Seed Resource Center is working with community partners to expand and stabilize the market for native plant materials by building a network of growers to cultivate target species for the purpose of seed propagation and to implement ways of prolonging the viability of regionally harvested seeds. We will work within the community to educate seed users about available resources and promote best practices to improve restoration outcomes. 

The Desert Seed Resource Center already has interested partners who see the need for an organization such as the DSRC and are willing to assist with the successful implementation of our mission and vision. We just need your help in covering the foundational expenditures. Any donation will bring us closer to viability and help protect the beautiful deserts that we call home. Any additional funds raised will be directed toward future start up expenses and our early work.