Native Seeds Southwestrn Endangered Aridland Resources Clearing House

NATIVE SEEDS/SEARCH (NS/S) WAS FOUNDED IN 1983 IN RESPONSE TO THE DOCUMENTED AND PROBABLE LOSS OF TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL CROP DIVERSITY OF THE U.S. SOUTHWEST AND NORTHWEST MEXICO. THE SEED THAT NS/S STEWARDS INCLUDES TRADITIONAL VARIETIES OF CORN, BEANS, AND SQUASH, AS WELL AS HERBS AND WILD FOODS LONG CONSUMED IN THE AREA. EACH CROP VARIETY IN THE NS/S SEED BANK HAS BEEN GENETICALLY ADAPTING TO ARID SOILS AND CONDITIONS FOR HUNDREDS, OR EVEN THOUSANDS, OF YEARS. SEEDS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE ONLINE STORE AND THROUGH OUR FREE SEED ACCESS PROGRAMS. MORE THAN 18,000 SEED PACKETS WERE DONATED VIA THESE PROGRAMS LAST YEAR TO INDIGENOUS FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS WORKING TOWARD FRESH FOOD ACCESS, FOOD SECURITY, AND GARDENING AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

DISTRIBUTION: OUR DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE PLANT DIVERSITY IN THE COLLECTION THROUGH SEED AND PLANT SALES AND FACILITATES NATIVE AMERICAN SEED REQUEST AND COMMUNITY SEED GRANT PROGRAMS SO THAT NATIVE AMERICAN INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS FREE SEEDS. IN 2022, MORE THAN 18,000 FREE SEED PACKETS WERE SHARED.

CONSERVATION: THIS PROGRAM OVERSEES THE GROWING OUT AND REGENERATION OF SEEDS IN OUR CONSERVATION CENTER GARDEN, MANAGEMENT OF THE SEED BANK COLLECTION, INCLUDING GERMINATION TESTING, CONDUCTING SEED INVENTORIES, CLEANING AND PACKING SEEDS AND COORDINATING WITH DISTRIBUTION. THE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT ALSO COORDINATED WITH PARTNER FARMERS TO GROW OUT AND REGENERATE RARE AND ENDANGERED SEEDS. IN 2022, BETWEEN OUR TUCSON CONSERVATION CENTER FARM, A PLOT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, AND OVER 40 REGIONAL PARTNERS, WE PLANTED OVER 75 ACCESSIONS FOR REGENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: OUR EDUCATION WORK IS FOCUSED ON PROVIDING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO GARDENERS AND FARMERS FROM THE SOUTHWEST. WE PROVIDE PRESENTATIONS, INFORMATION AND TRAINING ON SEED SAVING AND ALSO ALLOW FOR VISITS AND TOURS OF THE CONSERVATION CENTER, INCLUDING THE GARDEN, SEEDLAB AND SEEDBANK. SOME OF OUR RECENT ACTIVITIES HAVE INCLUDED A WORKSHOP WITH INDIGENOUS WOMEN SEEDSAVERS OF THE SOUTHWEST, A WORKSHOP WITH THE WHITE MOUNTAIN APACHE PEOPLE'S FARM AND PRESENTATIONS TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS AND SENIORS.