Corporate Neighbor Sows Goodwill by Harvesting Seeds

From Lake County Forest Preserves: A team of biologists and chemists from Valent BioSciences Corporation recently volunteered to help the Lake County Forest Preserves collect seed from native plants grown in the Native Seed Nursery at Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve in Grayslake. The team spent a sunny afternoon out in the nursery beds under the direction of Nursery Coordinator Kelly Schultz. Together they collected thousands of seeds, helping ensure that a substantial seed bank will be available to restore native habitats in forest preserves throughout Lake County.

Valent BioSciences employees not only offered a helping hand, they also voted this year to support the Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves with a community grant. “We are fortunate to count Valent BioSciences among our supporters both through dollars and deeds,” said Preservation Foundation Executive Director Rebekah Snyder. “Partnerships like this one make a world of difference to our efforts to sustain native habitat.”

Production has grown steadily since the opening of the Native Seed Nursery in 2005, thanks to hundreds of volunteers who work thousands of hours to help plant and sow. The nursery produces rare and hard-to-collect seeds that are either cost prohibitive or unavailable for purchase. The Valent team collected seed from two species of milkweed plants, vital to monarch butterfly conservation. They also collected aster seeds that typically sell on the market for about $50 an ounce. If your business would like to partner with the Preservation Foundation, please call or email Ellen Granda, 847-968-3448, egranda@LCFPD.org.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay