Native Plant Propagation – Seed Collection (September 12 – Morning)
Similar to the spring and summer seed collection events, this time of year has another variety of seeds ready for collection. This event will again be a hike through the trails, seed collection, planting some native species if they are ready, and sowing some collected seeds.
The Native Plant Propagation Program (NP3) is a restoration program, with the goal of improving biodiversity at rare and in our local community, while educating and engaging the public in the significance of native plant species. The NP3 involves the collection, propagation, sowing, fostering, and planting of native plant species from rare properties.
At rare, we practice sustainable harvesting of seeds, where we only take 20% or less of seeds from a healthy population and will not take any seeds from small/ struggling populations or very rare species. This prevents over-harvesting, helps plants sustain themselves and the opportunity to propagate on their own. Taking small amounts from different areas also ensures greater genetic diversity for our seed collection.
Instructions on species ID and proper collection will be provided during the event.
Cost: This event is FREE, but registration is required. Attendees meet at rare’s Lamb’s Inn Headquarters at 1679 Blair Road in Cambridge, and staff will lead them to the site. For more information, contact rare‘s Conservation Technician at 519-650-9336 x114 or alissa.fraser@raresites.org or rosalind.snyder@raresites.org.
Recommended Attire:
- Sturdy, closed-toed shoes and socks.
- Layers of loose, comfortable clothing that can get dirty
- Long-sleeved shirt (that can be tucked)
- A hat is recommended
Additional Items to Bring:
- Refillable water bottle
- Sunscreen and Insect repellent
- Snacks and/or bag lunch depending on the time of day
- Work gloves if you have them.
- Rain coat (if in forecast)
We will bring:
- Extra work gloves
- Equipment
- First aid kit
Washrooms
- Outside washrooms are available near the Foodbank Gardens.
Volunteer opportunities are broken up into morning (10:00AM-12:30PM) and afternoon (1:30PM-4:00PM) sessions. The time of day will be indicated at registration. If interested in participating for both a morning and an afternoon session, please register for both time slots separately. Register for events at https://raresites.org/events-calendar/.
