Rose Lake Plant Materials Center (MIPMC)
Serving areas in the States of Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, and Pennsylvania
Established: 1958
Size: 40 acres
PMC Operation: NRCS
Land Ownership: Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The Rose Lake Plant Materials Center (MIPMC) in East Lansing, Michigan, provides plant solutions for the Great Lakes Region. The Rose Lake Program serves Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and portions of Illinois, New York, and Pennsylvania. The Center is located in the southern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
Agriculture is diverse throughout the Center’s service area. It includes dairy, beef cattle, cash crops, truck-crops, and nursery operations. Timber production is important in the northern part of the service area. Large urban populations, making recreation an important enterprise, affect much of the area. The special problems throughout most of the service area are associated with glaciated soils, muck lands, sand dunes, and mine spoils.
The Center has developed technology for major conservation concerns including stabilization of streambanks, shorelines, and roadbanks; improving pastureland; and increasing the availability and use of native plant species.
The Rose Lake Plant Materials Center has developed conservation varieties of cool and warm-season grasses, shrubs, trees, forbs, and legumes.
Highlights
WATER QUALITY PROTECTION
Improving water quality and quantity with plant science technology
- Riverbend Germplasm silky willow and Indigo silky dogwood developed for streambank stabilization (soil bioengineering).
- National Technical Note: Plant Species with Rooting Ability from Live Hardwood Materials for Use in Soil Bioengineering Techniques assists planners in selecting appropriate plant materials for soil bioengineering projects.
- Training and technical assistance is provided to field offices on specific soil bioengineering projects.
AGRICULTURAL LANDS
Improving water quality and quantity with plant science technology
- Five Keys to Successful Grass Seeding, a series of brochures, help landowners and planners select, plant, and maintain cool-season and warm-season grasses.
- The forage production of big bluestem and eastern gamagrass in prescribed grazing practices are assessed and provided to land managers.
- Icy Blue Germplasm Canada wildrye is used in critical area planting and conservation cover practices.
DECLINING WILDLIFE HABITAT
Enhancing wildlife habitat with plant science technology
- Native warm-season grasses, Southlow Germplasm, and Prairieview Germplasm, developed for wildlife habitat enhancement.
- Grant Germplasm panicledleaf tick-trefoil and Alcona Germplasm Dillenius’ tick-trefoil developed for wildlife habitat enhancement.
- 'Magenta' hybrid crabapple, 'Roselow' Sargent crabapple, and 'Indigo' silky dogwood developed for windbreaks and wildlife habitat enhancement.
Rose Lake Plant Materials Center
7472 Stoll Rd.
East Lansing, MI 48823-9420
Telephone: 517-641-6300
Fax: 855-701-4363
