AT:Forrest S. Smith of Texas A&M University-Kingsville on His New Book-A Photographic Guide to Vegetation of the South Texas Sand Sheet

Forrest S. Smith is the Dan L Duncan Endowed Director of the Texas Native Seeds Program at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Forrest has worked since 2001 with the native plant conservation programs of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. He began working with the Institute as an undergraduate student technician, and began leading the efforts of the South Texas Natives Project in 2008. Under his direction, these initiatives rapidly grew to the now statewide Texas Native Seed Program beginning in 2011. Today he oversees a staff of 12 working to develop native seed sources for use in all regions of the state, and in support of conducting research and outreach activities supporting native plant conservation and restoration. Forrest conducts development activities to underpin the program, and also leads outreach, collaboration, and advocacy efforts with a wide range of cooperators, agencies, and industry partners. His work has helped restore tens of thousands of acres of native plant communities in Texas, and resulted in substantial increases in native seed supply for many areas of the state. He is stationed in Austin, TX.