from seed to tree to bush vitality A billion of the best trees, part 2

What is eco seed-sourcing?

Eco seed-sourcing is the practice of sourcing seeds from a nearby and similar geographic location to the area intended for planting. It is the primary criterion and rule for Department of Conservation (DoC) plantings.

For gardeners and tree growers, the vitality and form of the parent plant is a prime seed-sourcing criterion, which seed-sources for conservation plantings often lack.

For nurseries, conservation rules, customer bottom lines and seed-sourcing costs (ease of collection) are major factors influencing quality and source of propagation material.

Hence, little common ground exists to safeguard ecosystem functions via planting and reintroducing trees of good form and vitality to maintain or enhance native biodiversity, and to restore natural resources on deforested land.

By contrast, eco seed-sourcing criteria when replanting natural forests. Using this combination, there is the potential to significantly scale up reforestation in New Zealand with native species (and with exotic species that are compatible in New Zealand ecosystems).