Plants
A fairy-slipper orchid, Calypso bulbosa is a common spring species that dots roadsides and forested land alike. (The leaves in this photo are from a different plant).
Photo Credit: USDA Forest Service photoEffective beginning 6/2/2025: This website, and all linked websites under the control of the agency, is under review and content may change.
The Northern Region Native Plant Program was originally established in the mid-1990's to provide guidance for the 1993 regional policy on "Use of Vegetative Material on National Forests". In February 2008, the Forest Service Manual (FSM) was amended to include official policy direction for the use of native plant materials in revegetation projects on National Forest System lands. This policy (FSM 2070) was designed to help combat invasive species, mitigate impacts of climate change, and maintain healthy ecosystems.
The program has grown with the increasing need for native plant materials particularly in post-fire rehabilitation. native plant materials have also been used successfully in road decommissioning and stream restoration projects. Pollinator gardens have been established at various sites throughout the Region, highlighting the importance of native plants in maintaining diverse pollinator species.
Links
Forest Service Native Plants Material
Garden Club of America
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Native Plant Material Collecting
Native Seed Network
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) PLANTS Database
State Natural Heritage Programs
- Idaho Natural Heritage Program
- Montana Natural Heritage Program
- North Dakota Natural Heritage Program
- South Dakota Natural Heritage Program
Native Plant Societies
Herbariums
- Restoration of Native Plant Communities after Road Decommissioning in the Rocky Mountains: Effect of Seed-Mix Composition on Vegetative Establishment (Ashley Stevenson Grant, 2009)
- Revegetation Guidelines for Western Montana: Considering Invasive Weeds [PDF]
- An Introduction to Using Native Plants in Restoration Projects [PDF]
