KINGSVILLE — Texas Native Seeds (TNS), a research program of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI) at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, recently received a grant from the Texas Department of Transporation (TxDOT).
The $1.5 million grant was awarded for the project “Native Plant and Pollinator Seed Source Development and Specification Program Cooperation.” The funds will be used during the years 2022 to 2024.
“This funding is pivotal to our ability to manage a statewide native seed source and development research program,” said Keith Pawelek, Interim Director of Texas Native Seeds. “Their commitment to utilizing seed sources developed through this research will have positive impacts on native habitat and the wildlife it supports throughout Texas for generations to come.”
Pawelek said TxDOT has been a funding partner of the program since 2001.
TxDOT manages 1.2 million acres across the state. Its partnership with Texas A&M-Kingsville has resulted in their ability to remove introduced species from their reseeding specifications for rural roadside revegetation.
To date, a total of 41 Native Germplasm Releases have been developed during the research partnership.
The new research funding will be used to help complete new Native Germplasm Releases that began under the previous funding award, as well as help begin new research focusing on developing new native seed sources that will directly benefit pollinator species in Texas.
“Texas Native Seeds is proud to receive this continued support for our research from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT),” he said. “We are grateful to have their support for our research efforts. TxDOT’s support is critical to the continued success of Texas Native Seeds and we will work diligently to ensure we surpass the expectations of all our supporters – who are not only our donors, but our friends.“
About Texas Native Seeds Program
The mission of TNS is to develop and promote native plants for restoration and reclamation of habitats on private and public lands, focusing on the development of locally adapted native plant seed sources for use in restoration projects. TNS began in 2001 as the South Texas Natives Project at the urging of private landowners concerned with increases in highways and pipeline construction, greater oil and gas activity, and because of enhanced awareness of the role of native plants as vital components of wildlife habitat in South Texas. Since that time, the initiative has grown to include six regional projects serving the entire state. TNS is committed to providing economically viable sources of native seeds and effective restoration methodology to both the private and public sector to enable restoration of native plant communities in Texas.
