Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Bret Hess provided the following administrative review/perspective: The WERA-1013 passed its mid-term review with flying colors. All aspects were scored in the 'excellent' category and special mention was made of the extensive involvement of stakeholders. Termination of the current project is September, 2013 so the renewal application is due January 15, 2013. The focus of the next business meeting should include plans for the future of the project and the renewal application. The renewal application should be similar in scope to the original application done by Heidi Kratsch. There was some discussion of whether it would be worth applying for Research Project status which would require the group work together on a research project. Bill Graves suggested we work on a common research agenda within the WERA project. Bret stated that is appropriate and could be used as a springboard if and when we decided to change the project. The only negative aspect is that if funding becomes too tight, Research Projects would have priority over WERA projects. A committee to write the renewal application was designated with Heidi Kratsch, Tracy Dougher, and Larry Rupp as members. They will begin work on the renewal proposal October 1, 2012. The WERA-1013 is regional in that it is hosted by the Western Region, but all interested parties are welcome to attend. Participants do not have to be part of the Western Region. Bret led a discussion on participation in the group. He felt that participation is appropriate now since there is a strong group of core individuals participating. It is more important that there be a small group with lots of active participants, than a larger group with a smaller percentage of active individuals. The best way to involve more people is to invite them to attend. If we decide to invite and fund industry member attendance, it could be done by increasing registration fees and using the excess to fund industry travel. The registration fee should be held to $100 or less and the excess placed in a revolving fund. Bret offered to host such an account at Wyoming. It is also possible to go directly to Experiment Station Directors and ask for funding, or possibly WSARE. Steve Love commented that touring local nurseries and other industry activity is a good way of covering the stakeholder requirements of the project. Larry Rupp suggested that it might be good to encourage some stakeholders to participate more consistently in an advisory capacity. Bret also discussed funding and noted the following: - Federal funding for Experiment Stations and Extension will likely be cut 6-8% - NIFA funding is going to decrease because they paid out more than they had and now need to recoup their funding. Challenge grants will probably be smaller and competitive grants in general are in trouble. Budgets will range from 0-8% less. It is a time of great uncertainty. Common Research Interest There was some discussion of using the NIFA People's Garden Plant Program (PGPP) as the backbone of a common research project and source of funding. A possible goal would be the production of native plant material and then the identification of partner groups to plant and test the materials. Aspects of PGPP include: - Wildlife or habitat gardens are eligible as well as vegetable gardens - Funds community garden grants - 50% of money has to be used as subgrants, have for other administration. - Proposals are viewed more favorably if starting new gardens rather than funding existing ones - Gardens should be identified as a "people's garden", and it is possible to fund new gardens at existing arboreta or botanical gardens - Gardens have to be open to the public and available as a teaching tool In regards to following up on this idea, it was noted that August 26 is the deadline and the best time to begin preparations would be in the spring of 2012. Steve Love offered to investigate in more detail. Heidi Kratsch moved that Steve Love investigate the grant opportunity. Karen Panter seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous in the affirmative. Website Plant Material Information Tracy Dougher sent a reminder that each member of the project committed to submit a plant material review on an annual basis. Those who missed last year are encouraged to complete it. A sign-up sheet was circulated for next year allowing everyone to pick a plant. The due date is January 31, 2012. Tracy and Heidi have a copy of the template. It was suggested that Tracy follow up with reminders. Steve is also collecting pictures of native plants for the website and will follow up on requests for more pictures. 2012 Meeting Next year's meeting will be hosted by Genhua Niu at UTEP. The location was proposed by Genhua, seconded by Jim Klett, and unanimously approved. The date is to be determined, but will be after October 1. Other Items Jim Klett asked if anyone was interested in the Mary Meyers grass evaluation group and whether we should be part of a national trial if they have one. Jim is also interested in getting more Plant Select plants out for review and including them in any future evaluation proposals. Larry Rupp questioned whether there should be more formal involvement by WERA-1013 with INPGA and Plant Select. Suggestions included having a formal meeting with them and speaking at conferences. Steve Love suggested we will be of greater interest to them once we have a plant evaluation process in place, and as evaluations of new plants are discussed at our annual meeting, then they will be more interested in participating. It was further discussed that this should be part of the PGPP proposal and that developing an evaluation protocol will be an important part and by-product of the proposal process. Steve Love agreed to continue managing the electronic site to publish the proceedings. Leadership roles are for 2 years. No elections this year There was some discussion of combining the WERA-1013 meeting with an allied group, but no clear option was found. End of Business Meeting

-A wide collaboration occurred in the presentation of a panel discussion involving Jim Klett (Colorado State University), Larry Rupp (Utah State University), Stephen Love (University of Idaho), and Karen Panter, (University of Wyoming) at the annual ProGreen Expo horticultural conference in Denver, Colorado on 10 February 2011. The title of the panel presentation was Native Plants from Intermountain and Rocky Mountain Areas and was heard by over 200 participants. We each spoke about our current projects involving production and evaluation of native plants. -At Utah State University, research in 2011 included methods of propagation of several native woody plants using mound layering techniques, evaluation of selected native bigtooth maple for landscape use, propagation of Utah juniper as rooted cuttings, and initiation of an Epilobium breeding program at the Utah State University Botanical Center. In addition, research collaborations were developed between USU, UI, and UNR. -In Texas, quantification of the responses of 11 ornamental chile peppers (NuMex Twilight, NuMex Centennial, NuMex Christmas, NuMex April Fool's Day, NuMex Cinco de Mayo, NuMex Valentine, NuMex Easter, NuMex Halloween, NuMex St. Patrick's Day, NuMex Memorial Day, NuMex Thanksgiving) to elevated salinity. Results indicated that most cultivars were moderately tolerant to salinity with little or no foliar salt injury, although growth is reduced at elevated salinity. NuMex Memorial Day was most sensitive among the 11 tested cultivars with foliar damage and significant growth reduction. The relative salinity tolerance of additional bedding plants, which were previously proved to be acceptable or excellent in semi-arid environment, was evaluated. Seedlings were irrigated with saline solutions at various salinity levels and salinity tolerance was determined according to their growth, visual quality, and physiological responses. Results indicated that petunia, Gomphrena, and angelonia cultivars were moderately tolerant to salinity while zinnia and marigold are moderately sensitive and should not be irrigated with saline water. -Idaho supports a comprehensive native plant improvement and domestication project. During 2010-2011 approximately 400 accessions of native plants, representing over 300 species, were evaluated for performance as low-water landscape specimens. Approximately 130 superior selections of native plants were established into seed increase and propagation blocks. An exploitation partnership was established with Conservation Seeding and Restoration, an Idaho-based native plant nursery. Forty of the most valuable selections of plants were delivered to the partner company for market development activities. -Accomplishments by Heidi Kratsch in Nevada included presenting at the Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association Conference in Boise, ID, January 21, 2011 on New Plants for Native-Inspired Landscapes:, modification of the UNR Master Gardener curriculum to include a class on Native Plants in Water-Efficient Landscapes, and presenting a talk during Nevada Landscaping that Works series on Bloom Where You are Planted: Living in Balance with Nature. In addition a Nevada Master Gardener Native Plants Club was started and research on the ecophysiology of Shepherdia rotundifolia (roundleaf buffaloberry) was completed. A new hybrid of S. routundifolia and S. argentea has been developed that should help foster landscape success. Lastly, recommendations were made to the Dayton Valley Conservation District on native plant recommendations for the demonstration garden in front of their building in Dayton, NV. -A collaborative project on the University of Wyoming campus is The Berry Biodiversity Conservation Building that was dedicated in January 2011. One of its most notable features is a green roof planted exclusively with natives from the Rocky Mountain region. It is designed to mimic the native prairie surrounding Laramie, Wyoming. Sixty different species are represented on the roof and I was in charge of growing 26 of them from seeds. These seeds were sown in February 2011 and all but eight were successfully grown and transplanted to the green roof during the summer of 2011. The other eight are being re-sown and hopefully will be ready for transplanting on the roof in June 2012. -In Montana, presentations on native plants were made to local growing groups at Forde Nursery in Great Falls, MT and during a Turfgrass IPM workshop at Montana State University. -Plant Select, a program designed to seek out and distribute the very best plants for gardens from the high plains to the intermountain region introduced two new patented plants in 2011 and recommended five others. Plant Select is a cooperative program administered by Colorado State University and Denver Botanic Gardens together with landscape and nursery professionals throughout the Rocky Mountain Region and beyond. Short-term Outcomes: -Outcomes from the ProGreen talks included over 200 people in the audience who wanted to ask far more questions of the panel than there was time for. Several in attendance were from Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Utah greenhouses and nurseries. Attendees learned about potential new plants for niche markets. -Nevadans/Master Gardeners who attended local presentations are more aware of the value of using Great Basin Native Plants in their yards and gardens. -Scientifically, we know more about the limits of roundleaf buffaloberry for landscape use and may have a hybrid to contribute that will meet with commercial success. -Created interest in a Nevada Master Gardener Native Plants Club, which will cooperate and collaborate with the Nevada Native Plant Society. -Regarding the Berry Building green roof, outcomes have already included numerous tours for school children, extension educators, and on-campus classes, most notably my PLNT/AECL 2026 Horticultural Science Lab which used it for part of our landscaping assignment. Those who have toured the green roof have learned more about the diversity of plant life in our area. They have also learned that many of these plants are already in the trade, either in plant form or seeds, and can be grown successfully. -Montana presentations gave both commercial growers and home gardeners exposure to native plants. -More than 1.25 million Plant Select plants were sold and purchased by commercial companies and home owners in 2011, resulting in more satisfied gardeners since growing adaptable plants for this region. Outputs: -WERA1013 members published the proceedings from the 2010 annual meeting. This file is available at http://www.uwyo.edu/wera1013support/docs/2010%20navite%20plants%20report%20-%20final%20draft.pdf -The presentations from the 2011 ProGreen native plant panel generated four new files for educational and extension purposes. -The Berry Building green roof project has generated numerous outputs (although I cannot take credit for all of them) including a brochure available at the gate to the roof, a web site (http://www.uwyo.edu/berrycenter/greenroof/), a blog (http://berryprairie.blogspot.com/), and an entry in my own blog (http://karenpanter.wordpress.com). -Developed a University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Special Publication: Some Good Native Plants for Great Basin Landscapes. -Montana Master gardeners completed work on a native plant database for the MSU native plant garden. Signs for the research/demonstration garden were completed. -Two plant patents are pending for two of the 2011 Plant Select introductions. Activities: -The ProGreen panel activity was a one-hour presentation plus question/answer period on 10 February 2011. -The Berry Building green roof has been a collaborative effort involving a campus-based committee, landscape designers, and the green roof consultant. We all worked together to determine plants species for the roof. The landscape designers located the plant material and seeds, and I was in charge of growing 26 species from seeds to planting on the roof. -Kratsch presented at the Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association Conference in Boise, ID, January 21, 2011 on New Plants for Native-Inspired Landscapes. -Modified our Master Gardener curriculum to include a class on Native Plants in Water-Efficient Landscapes. -Presented a talk during Nevada Landscaping that Works series on Bloom Where You are Planted: Living in Balance with Nature. -Started a Nevada Master Gardener Native Plants Club. -Completed research on the ecophysiology of Shepherdia rotundifolia (roundleaf buffaloberry) and have created a hybrid with Shepherdia argentea to foster landscape success. -Worked with Dayton Valley Conservation District on native plant recommendations for the demonstration garden in front of their building in Dayton, NV. -Dr. Dougher supervised undergraduate project analyzing data from native and adapted fine fescue mowing height study relating to consumer preference, weed competition, and survival. -Dr. Dougher identified a graduate student to further research on the limitations and ranges of native plants in the built landscape. -Worked with the Montana Master Gardener program to educate volunteers on the use of native plants Milestones: -Additions to the WERA 1013 website, particularly the plant descriptions database were made on a regular basis. This goal was set forth at the 2010 annual meeting. -The major milestone for the green roof was planting the vast majority of the plant material in the summer of 2011. The roof is open to the public and anyone can view it at any time. -Cooperation planned for testing for salt tolerance with Texas WERA-1013 member on certain Plant Select plants. Also, research protocols developed for evaluating future Plant Select introductions for two research sites in Colorado

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