Conservation & Ecological RestorationNora Bales

2025 The Garden Club of America Fellowship in Ecological Restoration

Applying Functional Trait-based Approaches to Restoration Seed-mix Design in Dryland Pollinator Plantings of the Us Conservation Reserve Program (crp)

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Pollinator Habitat Initiative (CP-42) supports landowners in converting formerly cultivated land into diverse meadows of native wildflowers and grasses to benefit pollinators. However, CRP pollinator plantings in Eastern Colorado have largely been unsuccessful, primarily due to drought and competition from invasive plant species. Using a trait-based approach, we will design two seed mixes – a drought tolerant mix and a competitive mix – targeted at overcoming these barriers. This research aims to improve CRP restoration in Eastern Colorado by testing trait-based seed mixes tailored to local environmental challenges, providing a potential model for more successful pollinator plantings in dryland environments.

The Garden Club of America Fellowship in Ecological Restoration

The Garden Club of America (the GCA) offers an annual Fellowship in Ecological Restoration. Established in 2000 with funds from the John B. Young Charitable Trust as well as GCA members and clubs, the fellowship’s goal is to support research that will advance knowledge and increase the number of scientists in the important field of ecological restoration, the active healing of the land. The $8,000 grant is awarded annually to exceptional graduate students to support specialized study in ecological restoration at an accredited U.S. university. Preference will be given to projects that include field research conducted in the United States. A panel of experts associated with the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum reviews the applications and makes recommendations to the GCA Scholarship Committee.

For the purposes of this scholarship, The Garden Club of America agrees to the definition of ecological restoration as stated by the Society of Ecological Restoration (SER).

Learn more See all recipients

Discover more

2025

Liv Fragiacomo

The Corliss Knapp Engle Scholarship in Horticulture

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae and Compost Teas as a Biological Replacement to Plastic Mulch Much of...