The NRCS Plant Materials Program develops cost effective vegetative solutions for soil and water conservation problems. The Program consists of 26 plant materials centers (PMC), which receive financial or technical assistance, or both, from NRCS.
The importance of plants in dealing with emerging conservation issues - from global warming to protecting and improving water quality - is accelerating. No single tool is more versatile or cost effective for long term environmental protection and improvement than plants. This presents an unparalleled opportunity and demand on the Plant Materials Program.
What is now the Plant Materials Program had its beginnings around 1935-37, when plant scientists worked at SCS operated nurseries, looking for vegetative solutions for conservation problems. The emphasis for the first several years were: