Citizen Scientists Help UC Davis Researchers Spread Native Plant Seeds in Urban Areas
Project Focuses on Dispersing Seeds Near Bus Stops, Bike Paths and Sidewalks
"Bus stops, bike paths, sidewalks and other spots often overlooked in the community will become areas of beauty — for the sake of science. That’s the idea behind the Seed Pile Project, which asks community members from as far east as Sacramento and as far west as the East Bay to drop a pile of native wildflower seeds near their home or office and monitor the growth.
Haven Kiers, assistant professor of landscape architecture and environmental design at the University of California, Davis, and Billy Krimmel, UC Davis alumnus and co-founder of Miridae Living Labs, launched the project with the goal to find out which plants are most successful in urban areas without any maintenance — places you wouldn’t find plant life such as cracks in sidewalks or streets."