There is growing interest from the public and private sectors to utilize locally adapted native plant materials for restoration and conservation projects. Many restoration projects are unable to proceed because of the lack of commercially available native plants that are adapted to Louisiana. Commercially available sources of locally adapted plant materials have the potential to provide substantial ecological and economic benefits for Louisiana. A major objective of the USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Program is the selection and release of conservation plants. In 60 years, the program has selected over 500 releases of improved conservation plants. However, demand for sources of plants that have no planned genetic manipulation or deliberate selection is increasing. Source identified or ecotype releases are gaining greater acceptance as land managers begin considering the genetic appropriateness of commercially available sources. The Louisiana Native Plant Initiative is a comprehensive plant materials program that will collect, increase and release both locally adapted ecotypes and cultivars of native grasses, forbs, and legumes. This initiative is a unique partnership between the Natural Resource Conservation Service, McNeese State University, U.S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Research Center, and Coastal Plain Conservancy. In 2 years, this program has 45 extensive collections from across the state, 15 species in initial evaluation, 5 breeder blocks and 3 species in foundation seed increase. This initiative will attempt to address the evolving needs of the conservation community by utilizing both local ecotype and cultivar releases.