Native plant species provide attractive wildlife cover. Once established, native species are long-lived, self-propagating and inexpensive to maintain. Revegetation using native species is consistant with DU's philosophy of promoting biodiversity.
Ducks Unlimited launched Canada's first ecovar program in 1991. The goal is to obtain, through the development of ecovars, adequate commercial seed supplies of native species to meet the growing demand for reclamation and revegetation.
A cultivar (cultivated variety) is a group of plants selectively bred over many plant generations to achieve uniformity and enhance production. Most of the current agricultural crops grown, including tame grasses, are cultivars.
An ecovar (ecological variety) is an intermediate step between the true native population and a cultivar. Ecovars are the progeny of native plants gathered from their area of adaption and contain the natural genetic diversity of the species. The ecovar selection process is short. Plants are gathered and seed sent for commercial production in as little as four years.