Spread the Word (and the Seeds!)

You heard it here first: Swaner Preserve is starting a little free native seed library! This resource, intended to provide native seeds to the public, is set to open in conjunction with the Ephemeral Art Show this September at the EcoCenter. The library will feature seeds for plants native to Utah, primarily plants native to the Wasatch Back. The library’s purpose is to provide a native seed exchange and resources for community members, homeowners, and land managers to help create fire-wise, waterwise, native landscapes that increase wildlife habitat and biodiversity. 

Home lawns and gardens can play a huge role in habitat fragmentation, either acting as ecological dead zones or as a mosaic of wildlife refuge that can connect habitat. One of the easiest ways to create pollinator and wildlife habitat is to choose native plants for landscaping around your home. The library will create a resource for native seed exchange to facilitate these landscapes. Sourcing seeds locally increases seed success; plants can be better adapted to regional climate, soils, and pests.  

We need your help to grow the library! Interested in donating seeds? Here’s a how-to on adding your seeds to the native seed library.  

Collecting and Donating Seeds 

1. Where can you collect seeds? Collecting from your own garden is the easiest! You can ask a friend if they have a nice collection of native plants in their yard. You always need landowner permission to collect seeds and will need a permit and permission if you are collecting on public lands. 
2. Learn about your plants! Make sure you know what plant you are donating and its status in Utah. You can use local guidebooks, iNaturalist, and resources on our website to help! It is easiest to determine what plants you have while they are in bloom before they go to seed in the late summer/fall. 
3. Collect the seeds. Learn when to harvest seeds and what they look like. Most native plants seeds are easiest to collect after they dry on the plant. If you have permission to harvest wild populations, only collect 10% of the population and only collect from robust, healthy populations. 
4. Clean and process your seeds. You may need to allow your seeds to dry more before processing them. Separate the seed as best as you can from the rest of the plant material. 
5. Package in a breathable container and label.  
6. Bring your seeds to the library! Drop off seeds at the EcoCenter front desk during open hours (Wednesday-Sunday 10 am-4 pm). You will need to fill out a donation slip with some plant and harvest information. Swaner staff will check your seeds and add them to the library. 
7. Come back in the fall to check out the library and gather new species for your landscape, or learn more about local species! 

Additional Resources

• Native plant seed collection and germination by Front Range
• Wild Collection of Seeds by EcoRestore Utah, USU
• Native Gardening by the US Forest Service

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