Seeds are key for restoring our ecosystems and adding native plants to our yards. Collecting, processing, and sowing native seeds is a vital, eco-friendly, and rewarding procedure that rebuilds biodiversity, saves money, and connects people to nature. It supports local pollinators, improves climate resilience, and yields genetically diverse plants adapted to local conditions.
As diverse as our native plants are, they are equally diverse in how they disperse their seeds. During this presentation we will look at different approaches for seed collection, equipment and techniques to clean the seed, and sowing to get the best results out of those seeds.
About Our Speaker
Luke Dahlberg has over twenty years of experience in propagating midwestern native plants, He earned his degree majoring in Ornamental Horticulture and a minor in Business from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. After working in the commercial nursery trade for several years, Luke landed his current position as Conservation Seed Program Manager at Citizens for Conservation. an organization that he started volunteering at in 2004 and became part of the organization’s staff in 2018 where he continues CFC’s mission of restoring and educating others about the ecosystems of the Chicago area.