Institute for Applied Ecology

09/18/2026

Calling all farmers, growers, and producers who are looking to diversify their income, support restoration and conservation, and grow native crops that require less water than conventional crops.

Join the Southwest Seed Partnership at Ledoux Grange Farm in Mora, NM to see small-scale native seed production fields in action, harvest wildflower seeds, and talk through lessons learned in seed production so that you feel prepared to become a native seed farmer!

Light refreshments will be provided, but please bring a lunch, water bottle, and sun protection.

Address provided after registration. If you would like transportation from Santa Fe to Ledoux Grange, please choose a transportation needed ticket.

Registration closes Monday, October 5th at 12 am, reserve your spot here: https://buff.ly/aGJ533w

09/09/2026

Celebrate National Public Lands Day with us!

On September 26, we’re exploring the connections between people, pathways, and pollinator habitat. Spend the morning at IAE’s Santa Fe office learning about native seeds, restoration, and the pathways that connect our communities and landscapes.

The morning will include:
🌿 A tour of our facility and seed lab
🚲 A demonstration of our newly made seed-pelletizing bicycle
🚴 A guided bike ride along the nearby bike path, where we’ll spread native seeds and help restore pollinator habitat
☕ Pastries and coffee

📍 IAE Southwest Office, Santa Fe
📅 September 26
🕙 10 AM–noon

Planning to ride? Bring your bike, helmet, and water!

Come learn, ride, and help put native seeds in motion.

08/26/2026

Our Southwest Assistant Branch Director, Katy Silber, will be sharing her expertise at the upcoming Think Like a Raindrop field day, hosted by the NM Healthy Soil Working Group.

Katy will talk about restoration principles and the Southwest Seed Partnership, with a focus on how native seed systems can support restoration. The field day will also feature a talk by Gordon Tooley about Keyline Design, an approach we’re partnering with him to use in our grassland bird habitat restoration work in the Chihuahuan Desert to improve water infiltration and support healthier, more resilient grasslands.

📅 September 12, 8 AM–3 PM
📍 Vermejo Park Ranch

Learn more and RSVP at https://www.nmhealthysoil.org/portfolio/think-like-a-raindrop/
Photo credit: Esha Chiocchio

Photo credit Esha Chiocchio, Mike Gaglio and Gordon Tooley The Practical Method of Keyline Design Please join us for a collaborative Field Day at Vermejo Park Ranch with Gordon Tooley of Tooley’s T…

08/10/2026

We are hiring for an Ecologist at our Southwest Office in Santa Fe, NM. Apply by August 19th at the link in our bio!

06/10/2026

IAE is hiring a Southwest Botanist based out of our Santa Fe, NM office! This position will support the Bureau of Land Management’s Plant Conservation and Restoration Program in New Mexico. This staff member will lead projects related to native plant materials, restoration, and Special Status Plant Species for New Mexico BLM.

To learn more and apply, visit appliedeco.org/get-involved/jobs

05/26/2026

We are hiring a Coordinator for our Conservation in Prisons and Native Seed Partnership programs in Wyoming! To learn more and apply, visit appliedeco.org/get-involved/jobs.

05/19/2026

Spring is butterfly season at our Northwest Office 🦋🌿

From Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies at Baezell Memorial Forest to Fender’s blue butterflies at Yamhill Oaks Preserve South, native prairie habitats are coming to life with color, pollinators, and signs of hope for some of Oregon’s rarest species.

At Baezell, TCBs were spotted fluttering about their host plants, Golden paintbrush and English plantain and even resting on Kincaid’s lupine. IAE has partnered with Benton County, USFWS, and the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility Butterfly Team for years to restore and study habitat that can support future reintroduction efforts across the butterfly’s historic range.

Meanwhile, it’s shaping up to be a strong year for Fender’s blue butterflies across their range, with high numbers observed so far this season. At Yamhill Oaks Preserve South, FBBs were photographed by IAE staff among native plants including Iris tenax. Fender’s blue butterflies are successfully reproducing and flying at the site after years of restoration by Yamhill SWCD, USFWS and IAE.

These moments are reminders that long-term restoration work matters — and that healthy native habitats support the incredible biodiversity that depends on them.

05/14/2026

Save the date! On June 27th we will be celebrating the 10 year anniversary of successful reintroduction of the Fender's Blue Butterfly at William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge.

Starting in 2000, IAE began planting Kincaid's lupine, the threatened host plant for Fender's blue butterfly, on Finley National Wildlife Refuge in collaboration with refuge staff. The effort started as research to develop best practices for introducing the lupine, and expanded to larger scale plantings at multiple sites on the refuge, creating the habitat that the butterfly has thrived on!

05/05/2026

IAE is hiring a seasonal Seed Collection Technician based out of Port Angeles, Washington. The position will work closely with the National Parks Service, collecting native plant seeds from Olympic, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Lewis and Clark National Parks.

The season runs from June 1st to August 21st. To apply, head to appliedeco.org/get-involved/jobs

05/04/2026

On May 20th, we will be inviting the public to come take a tour of our Native Seed Farm in Corvallis! The tour is expected to last 1.5-2 hours. If you plan on joining us, please wear sturdy shoes, bring sun protection and water. We hope to see you there.

RSVP at appliedeco.org/calendar