The Ecotype Project - among the founding members of the Northeast Seed Network
In an era of climate change, habitat degradation, and invasive species, the role of land trusts has become more critical than ever—not only as stewards of conserved land, but as guardians of local plant genetics. These protected lands serve as reservoirs of ecotypic seed—native plant populations that are uniquely adapted to their specific ecoregions. In southern New England’s Ecoregion 59, an innovative effort is underway to establish standards and protocols for wild seed collection on land trust properties to support habitat restoration and climate resilience.
Aspetuck Land Trust (ALT), in collaboration with Highstead and the Northeast Seed Collective/ The Ecotype Project, is at the forefront of this work. Supported by a Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry grant from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, the team is piloting a seed-to-plant pipeline: collecting wild native seeds on land trust properties, amplifying them on local farms, and reintroducing them into restoration projects across both natural and urban landscapes.
Aspetuck Land Trust’s Miyawaki Forest Project: catalyzing ecoregional restoration. Photo Credit: ALT