Native Vegetation Establishment and Enhancement Guidelines

Effective plant selection, establishment and management plays an essential role in the success of conservation projects. BWSR's Native Vegetation Establishment and Enhancement Guidelines and related technical documents have been developed to help ensure project success.

BWSR has developed and refined these guidelines, beginning in 2010, to assist resource professionals and landowners across Minnesota in meeting state vegetation policies and standards and to guide the successful planting and management of restoration and other conservation projects. The guidelines are also designed to:

purple wildflowers in wet meadow

Develop consistency among state programs;
Avoid the use or introduction of invasive species; and
Ensure that plantings function at a high level and meet project goals.

These guidelines apply to all BWSR programs that have vegetation restoration components, as well as other state programs that have adopted or reference the guidelines. Environmentally suitable native annual, biennial and perennial plant species (following the source selection criteria included in the guidelines) are required for projects to meet legislative requirements and provide multiple landscape benefits.

The guidelines include topics such as seed and plant source requirements, planting dates, diversity levels, and planting guidance by project type.

The Guidelines are updated periodically as new research and field experience become available. This 2022 edition adopts a web-based format for easier use and updating: each section or project type factsheet can be individually downloaded and saved or printed.

Review of Guidelines, Fall 2022

During August through November 2022, this latest edition of the Guidelines is being reviewed by local partners and technical staff. The intent of the review is to ensure that the Guideline are clear, understandable, and consistent with BWSR grant, easement and wetlands programs and other related policies. Please direct any comments or suggestions to Dan Shaw (below) or your local Board Conservationist. Please submit any comments or questions by October 14, to allow enough time for revisions. Individual project type factsheets will also be updated periodically as new information becomes available.

Additional Resources

Additional information on plant selection for specific purposes can be found on the following pages:

Buffer Establishment and Management Toolbox
Landscape Resiliency Toolbox
Pollinator Toolbox
Guidance Documents, Tools and Other Resources
What's Working for Conservation
Streambanks and Shorelines
Featured Plants: Each month, BWSR highlights a plant native to Minnesota. These articles provide information on the featured plant's identification, uses and planting recommendations, range, and similar species.
Featured Plant Archive

Section 1: Purpose and Applicability

Summarizes the applicability of the guidelines to specific BWSR programs and to related state and federal standards, as well as a summary of the benefits of native vegetation and guiding principles for restoring resilient landscapes.

Section 1: Purpose and Applicability (pdf)

Factsheet: Principles for Restoring Resilient, Functional Landscapes and Maintaining Ecological Diversity (pdf) - TBA

Section 2: General Planning Considerations

Considerations for seed and plant source, diversity levels, cultivar use, protecting plant communities, preventing the introduction of invasive species and planting and management strategies for climate change.

Section 2: General Planning Considerations (pdf)

Section 3: Project Site Preparation, Planting and Maintenance

Key considerations for each phase of the vegetation establishment process.

Section 3: Project Site Preparation, Planting and Maintenance (pdf)

Section 4: Standards and Guidance by Project Type