Indiana's
Plant Materials Program
 The Program
The Plant Materials Program is a dynamic program that addresses
resource problems and concerns through the use of vegetation and vegetative
techniques. The program assembles, tests, and releases plant materials for
conservation materials: arranges for commercial production; and promotes the use
of plant materials needed to meet the objectives and priorities established
locally and nationally.
The program consists of 26 plant materials centers located
geographically throughout the US, working with plant materials committees
established in the individual states. In partnership with other groups and
agencies the centers develop cost effective solutions to resource concerns.
Technology and information is transferred through the Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field offices, universities, the
Agricultural Research Service, and others, resulting in adoption by the public
and the wise use and management of our natural resources.
The Indiana Plant Materials Committee is responsible for
promoting the use of plants to reduce soil erosion, provide wildlife habitat,
restore wetlands, and to improve the environment. Currently, the Committee
is promoting the use of native plants for conservation uses. Native plant
species may perform better in many instances because they are adapted to Indiana
ecosystems, provide excellent wildlife habitat, and support the concept of
bio-diversity.
The Rose Lake Plant Materials Center (PMC), in
East Lansing Michigan, serves Indiana as well as other states in the Great Lakes
Region. Located on 40 acres of land leased from the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources, Rose Lake has room for both experimental plots and plant
production. Facilities include a greenhouse, seed cleaning equipment, and
farm machinery.
The mission of the Rose Lake PMC is to
support local resource conservation efforts by finding vegetative solutions to
identified concerns. This is accomplished through extensive collection and
evaluation of plants and through scientific studies conducted both at Rose Lake
and in field trials throughout the region. At any one time Rose Lake is
involved in fifteen to twenty-five specific studies or projects.
Active Projects at
Rose Lake Plant
Materials Center
-
Soil Bioengineering - Testing of
native species and techniques to control streambank erosion.
-
Grass vegetative hedges for erosion
control.
-
Native shrub willows (Salix spp.) for
streambank stabilization and soil bioengineering.
-
Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) for
pasture improvement and native site restoration.
-
Prairie Sandreed (Calamovilfa longifolia) for shoreline stabilization.
If you encounter problems with documents on this page, contact
Ken Collins at 317-295-5856.
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