Institute for Applied Ecology

The Purpose of This Award Is to Support the President S Executive Orders for Tacking the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and the Associated Restoring America the Beautiful Strategy and the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration by Restoring Habitat With Plants Grown in Partnership With Adults in Custody Inmates in State Departments of Corrections the Institute for Applied Ecology Has Operated the Sagebrush in Prisons Project Since 2014, Producing Over 2 1 Million Sagebrush Plants That Have Been Used to Restore Public Lands After Wildfires in Support of the Greater Sage Grouse and Other Wildlife Iae Works With State Prison Facilities and Adults in Custody to Establish and Run Native Plant Nurseries Capable of Meeting the Two Fold Objectives of 1 Producing Large Numbers of Sagebrush Seedlings 550,000 Annually and 2 Providing Vocational Training to Incarcerated People That Improves Their Employment After Release and Reduces Recidivism, Thus Benefitting Underserved Communities the Project Benefits the BLM by Making Crucial Plant Materials for Habitat Restoration Available When and Where They Are Needed, While Emphasizing Locally Sourced Genetic Types That Have a High Likelihood of Success and Improving Climate Resilience of the Resulting Habitat the Project Also Contributes to the Conservation of the Greater Sage Grouse and Reduces the Need for Listing the Species Under the Endangered Species Act Benefits to the Public Include Increased Job Opportunities and Reduced Recidivism of Released Inmates, Improved and More Biodiverse Habitats, Improved Recreational Opportunities, and Increased Understanding of the Conservation Needs of Climate Vulnerable Ecosystems Iae Staff and Contractors Will Work With at Least Ten Prisons in Five States to Grow High Quality Sagebrush We Will Provide Vocational Training to Adults in Custody in Methods of Horticultural Nursery Production, Oversee All Aspects of Project Staffing and Support, Coordinate With BLM Offices to Receive Seeds and Orders for Plants, Grow and Maintain the Seedlings in Collaboration With Inmate Run Nurseries, and Prepare and Deliver Seedlings for Planting on Public Lands