Practitioner tools for addressing knowing–doing gaps in seed-based restoration

Authors: Young, Kristina; BISHOP, TARA - Utah Valley University; JOHNSON, DANIELLE - Colorado Parks And Wildlife; GUNNELL, KEVIN - Utah Division Of Wildlife Resources; FAIST, AKASHA - University Of Montana; GARBOWSKI, MAGDA - New Mexico State University; KILDISHEVA, OLGA - The Nature Conservancy; NEUMANN, DANIELLE - Colorado Parks And Wildlife; GORNISH, ELISE - University Of Arizona

Submitted to: Restoration Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2025
Publication Date: 4/11/2025
Citation: Young, K.E., Bishop, T., Johnson, D.B., Gunnell, K., Faist, A., Garbowski, M., Kildisheva, O., Neumann, D., Gornish, E. 2025. Practitioner tools for addressing knowing–doing gaps in seed-based restoration. Restoration Ecology. 33(4). Article e70043.

Interpretive Summary: The increasing impact of global change drivers, including climate change, wildfires, and invasive plant species, is significantly transforming native plant communities in the western United States, prompting a strong focus on ecological restoration. One prominent restoration strategy involves using native seeds. However, achieving successful seed-based restoration faces several ecological and logistical challenges. Ecological obstacles include seed predation, unsuccessful germination, and early seedling mortality, while logistical issues involve ensuring the availability and suitability of seeds for specific sites. To address these challenges, a range of tools, including species selection tools, climate-adapted seed tools, seed handling resources, trait databases, and restoration information portals have been developed to assist practitioners. Despite these resources, a significant gap exists between the research produced by scientists and its application by practitioners. Bridging this "knowing-doing" gap requires making information more accessible, relevant, and understandable for end-users. Our goal is to highlight tools that can address the knowing-doing gap in seed-based restoration to provide a resource for individuals who are interested in: 1. learning about available tools and 2. creating tools for practitioners. Efforts to improve tool usability, provide training, and encourage knowledge exchange are essential to enhance restoration outcomes and effectively use native seeds to mitigate the effects of global change.

Technical Abstract: The increasing impact of global change drivers, including climate change, wildfires, and invasive plant species, is significantly transforming native plant communities in the western United States, prompting a strong focus on ecological restoration. One prominent restoration strategy involves using native seeds. However, achieving successful seed-based restoration faces several ecological and logistical challenges. Ecological obstacles can include seed predation, unsuccessful germination, and early seedling mortality, while logistical issues can involve ensuring the availability and suitability of seeds for specific sites. To address these challenges, a range of tools, including species selection tools, climate-adapted seed tools, seed handling resources, trait databases, and restoration information portals, have been developed to assist practitioners. Despite these resources, a significant gap exists between the research produced by scientists and its application by practitioners. Bridging this “knowing–doing” gap requires making information more available, relevant, current, and understandable for end users. Our goal is to highlight online tools that can address the knowing–doing gap in seed-based restoration to provide a resource for individuals who are interested in: (1) learning about available tools and (2) creating tools for practitioners. Efforts to improve tool usability, provide training, and encourage knowledge exchange are essential to enhancing restoration outcomes and effectively using native seeds to mitigate the effects of global change.