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 HEIRLOOM SEEEDS STEWARDED AND MANAGED BY NS/S THROUGH SALES AND FREE SEEDD ACCESS PROGRAMS. SEEDS AND PLANT STARTS ARE SOLD THROUGH THE ONLINE STORE AND AT PLANT SALES. COMMUNITY SEED ACCESS PROGRAMS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND TRIBES ARE MANAGED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO CULTURALY RELEVANT SEEDS. IN 2023, MORE THAN 21,000 FREE SEED PACKETS WERE SHARED TO MORE THAN 7000 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AND 149 SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY GARDENS.

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 2023, BETWEEN THE NS/S CONSERVATION CENTER GARDENS IN TUCSON AND OVER 20 REGIONAL PARTNER FARMERS, WE PRODUCED OVER 90 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, ESPECIALLY IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE CONNECTIONS TO THE SEEDS WE STEWARD. WE GIVE PRESENTATIONS, RESOURCES AND TRAINING ON SEED SAVING AND ALSO HOST VISITS AND TOURS OF THE CONSERVATION CENTER, INCLUDING THE GARDEN, SEEDLAB AND SEEDBANK. IN 2023, WE GAVE 10 WORKSHOPS, PROVIDED 12 TOURS AND MEETINGS AT THE CONSERVATION CENTER, VISITED 24 FARMS AND COMMUNITY GARDENS TO PROVIDE SITE CONSULTATION, AND PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT, MET WITH 13 SCHOOLS AND YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT EDUCATORS AND TO LEAD ACTIVITIES WITH YOUTH, TABLED AT 9 EVENTS TO REPRESENT NS/S, AND PRESENTED AT 8 CONFERENCES AND/OR MEETINGS.