Our Programs

Native Seed Collection & Propagation
Our Native Seed program is about both conservation and access: each year, Wild Seed Project provides access to over 90 plant species native to the Northeastern U.S. through our online store. In 2022, we distributed over 20,000 seed packets to every county in Maine and throughout the Northeast. Seeds are hand-collected each year from wild plants in locations throughout the state, in partnership with the Wild Seed Project community. To date, we estimate that over 3 million native plants have been propagated from WSP-collected seeds.

Educational Programs
Our educational programs include hands-on workshops, webinars, Q&As with our staff ecologists, plant identification walks, and more. Read more about our upcoming educational programs here.

Our website features extensive free resources, including introductions to restoring habitat at home and gardening with native plants, guides on how to get started, what to plant, how to sow native seeds, and how to navigate buying native plants from nurseries, and much more. 

Print Publications

We publish an annual print guide each year that provides a rich array of resources focused on a particular type of native flora for beginners and experts alike. We ceased publication of our magazine, Wild Seed, in 2019. Previous issues are available here.

School & Youth Programs
We partner with Maine schools and educators to integrate native plant ecology into existing curriculum, and expand outdoor learning spaces on school grounds. Our school-based programs are inquiry-based and student-driven, and tailored to match the needs and interests of each individual classroom. Activities often include exploring existing habitat around school grounds; expanding wildlife habitat through native plant installations; autumn and winter seed sowing; and more. To learn more about partnering with Wild Seed Project, contact Nell.

Seeds for Teachers
Seeds for Teachers provides free native seed packets to public school educators, a barrier-free initiative intended to inspire teachers to integrate native plants into their existing pollinator and plant units across grade levels. This program is open to PK-12 educators working in the public school system. The application for Seeds for Teachers opens each fall, and is announced through our newsletter and social media channels.

Applied Ecology
Each year, we partner with local organizations and small businesses to create native plant communities, and restore biodiverse and wildlife-friendly habitats. Past partnerships include Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Maine Beer Company, Cushings Island Land Trust, Harbor View Park (Portland), Friends of Congress Square Park, Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, Friends of Fort Williams Park, and Viles Arboretum.