In north-central Texas there is a lack of locally-adapted native (ecotypic) plant materials for use in revegetation projects. Although some prairie remnants have been identified, there are no large-scale programs in place to link plant restoration projects with these potential seed sources. As a result, most folks turn to utilizing seeds of native and non-native plants of unknown or distant origins. Native plant seed from unknown or distant origins may not be adapted to the soils and climate of north-central Texas. Seed from non-native "introduced" plants is often inexpensive and successful at establishing vegetative cover, but can have negative long-term impacts on the north-central Texas landscape.

The mission of the North Texas Ecotype Project (NTEP) is to conserve the culturally, historically, and ecologically important native plant genotypes of north-central Texas, and promote their use for revegetation projects. This project is a coordinated effort with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and :

• Tarleton State University
• Texas Parks & Wildlife
• James E. "Bud" Smith Plant Materials Center
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Natural Resources Conservation Service

• Locating remnant stands of native plants
• Conducting seed collection/harvest
• Information dissemination and education activities
• Identifying potential partnerships that would advance the mission of NTEP