Growing Native Seeds, Growing Community
Ecological restoration relies heavily on native plant seeds that are well-adapted to local environments. At the Casa San Ysidro Heritage Field in the Village of Corrales, we’re doing just that – growing high-quality, locally adapted native seeds to support restoration efforts across our region.
In partnership with the Institute for Applied Ecology’s Southwest Native Seed Partnership and the Albuquerque Museum, we established a one-acre native seed production field and an ethnobotanical education garden in early 2021. Today, we’re cultivating seven native species, all originally collected from nearby wild populations. These include three grasses – Purple three-awn, Alkali sacaton, and Sand dropseed, and four forbs – Skeletonweed, Hairy golden aster, Navajo tea, and White prairie clover. The seeds we harvest help restore natural habitats throughout our local ecoregion.
The Heritage Field is an extension of Casa San Ysidro, an 18th-19th century Spanish Colonial home managed by the Albuquerque Museum as both a public museum and research center. The field is protected by a conservation easement and is dedicated to preserving the region’s agricultural heritage while expanding educational and community programming.
As part of this project we’ve also established a large ethnobotanical garden showcasing plants traditionally used by people of the region for food, medicine, fiber, dye, and more. Through our partnership with the museum, we offer educational programs that connect people with the cultural and ecological history of these plants.
This is an ongoing, community-driven project and we welcome volunteers to get involved!
Looking ahead, we’re actively seeking a second seed production site with a long-term lease to expand our efforts. While Casa San Ysidro will continue to be a hub for seed propagation, more land will allow us to scale up production and make a bigger impact on restoration throughout the Southwest.
