Captain's Chair

CSR Purchases Rocky Mountain Native Plants Co. in Rifle, Colorado.

Kimberly, Idaho — February 15, 2012 — Conservation Seeding and Restoration Inc., a leader in restoration using native plants and seeds, announced the closing of the transaction to acquire Rocky Mountain Native Plants Co. in Rifle, Colorado.

Through this purchase, CSR Inc. owns the name, operations, and facilities of Rocky Mountain Native Plants Co. including a 75 acre nursery in Rifle, Colo., devoted to native plants. With the additional acreage in Rifle Colo., Conservation Seeding and Restoration Inc. owns and operates over 90 acres devoted to native plants and seeds, immediately bringing branch offices in Rock Springs, Wyo., and Vernal, Utah unrivaled product availability.

Commenting on the purchase, Steven Paulsen, CSR Inc. Founder and CEO said, “RMNP has been the preeminent propagator and seller of Inter-Mountain native plants for over twelve years. With this acquisition CSR Inc. is poised to be the industry leader, supplying high-quality native plants and seeds into new markets and more diverse venues. More exciting, is that we have opportunity to bring the benefits of native plants into the mainstream spotlight.”

For more information: Conservation Seeding & Restoration Inc
Contact: marketing@csr-inc.com
Phone: 877-423-4835

January 4th, 2012

CSR Inc. North American HeadQuarters

As many of the folks within CSR, Inc are aware, we have been growing at a steady pace the last several years. As a result, we continue to push the boundaries of the office space we inhabit day to day. In the last five years we have purchased and moved into several new buildings in Southern ID and surrounding states, all in hopes they would keep us housed and working efficiently. With the expansion of our Natural Resources Department (NRD) and the needed facilitation of our Design, Marketing, and Sales Department (DMS), another move was mandatory. As such, the purchase of the former Intermountain Bean Plant, located on Main St. in Kimberly ID, has been finalized and construction is underway. The process will require patience as I expect the complete facility retrofit to take place over the next two years. To clear up any confusion about the title: “North American HeadQuarters” – Yes, I intend to take Conservation Seeding and Restoration Inc. across the pond. One foot in front of the other and we will get there (however, it is likely that at some point we will need to take a plane or boat). Good things are happening, and I look forward to the next step and continued growth.

Sincerely,

Steven Paulsen
CEO Conservation Seeding and Restoration, Inc.

November 4th, 2011

Steven Paulsen, Nominated for the SBA 2012 Small Business Person of the Year Award

I was recently nominated for the SBA 2012 Small Business Person of the Year Award in Idaho. As a result, several items came forward that need to be divulged in the process of evaluating the potential for the nomination to be accepted: what were the challenges I faced in business, when did I make the first dollar of profit, how did I navigate all the hard turns in the road, etc. In my opinion, the long and the short of it all comes back to people. I chose to surround myself with talented people, end of story. All walks of life, political views, and levels of education are welcome at CSR, Inc. The only thing that is not welcome is laziness and lack of responsibility.

Early on it was made clear that my company would not succeed due to my efforts only. Nope, the only thing that makes CSR grow and work is the TEAM that is CSR. I love this team. I try to be a leader they can count on when times get tough. When decisions need to be made I have a sense of responsibility to the team and only wish to provide the best outcome for the group. I always try to guide the collective towards a common goal that we can all agree on (Native Plants Rock!) and keep the ideas instilled in me during my youth: the importance of family, responsibility, accountability, and community in every aspect of what the company does.

People make the company. People will be the success or demise of it. I am proud to be associated with all the people in CSR, Inc and look forward to being held accountable by them.

Sincerely,

Steven R. Paulsen
C.E.O.
Conservation Seeding and Restoration, Inc

June 3rd, 2011

Rocky Mountain Native Plants (RMNP) and Conservation Seeding and Restoration (CSR, Inc)

As of May 6th, 2011, CSR, Inc has assumed the day to day operations of RMNP, and in doing so, elevated its capabilities to new heights. CSR, Inc has always been capable of producing high quality, native plant material for the restoration and retail industry throughout the western United States. With the operation and subsequent acquisition of RMNP, CSR, Inc expects to be the industry leader, supplying quality Native Plants to venues reaching farther geographically and into more diverse habitat types -Mohave, West Cascade, and Front Range to name a few.

I feel it’s important to note that RMNP has been very influential in the choices CSR Inc, has made in focusing on native plants and the native plant industry. CSR, Inc uses the mentorship provided in competition with RMNP to model and influence its staff, product quality, and product deliveries.

I am very humbled, and at the same time, very proud of CSR, Inc and its exceedingly capable staff. They have taken on the challenge of the RMNP acquisition with grace and effective implementation that only the CSR, Inc team can. RMNP will live on as a staple in the native plant restoration world and will benefit greatly from the vertical integration CSR, Inc brings to the table.

Thank you to all who have worked so very hard, and to those who continue working to move native plants into the spotlight.

Steven Paulsen
Owner and CEO, CSR, Inc.

June 15, 2010
Living Earth LLC…

“Again the think tank at Conservation Seeding and Restoration, Inc (CSR, Inc) has produced a new spin off technology. We affectionately refer to this disruptive technology as BGA or Blue Green Algae, but we are now prepared to market this product to the restoration community as “Living Earth”. Keeping it simple, “Living Earth” is one of the main components in naturally occurring soil crusts found in arid landscapes around the world, specifically in the western and southern United States. “Living Earth” was designed and developed specifically to aid in soil stabilization and expedite the establishment of native restoration for oil and gas development.

Living Earth is completely native and organic, and has the ability to cycle nitrogen in the soil surface, add organic matter to poor soils, seal soil surfaces with living bacteria (erosion control), maintain soil moisture, and exclude weed inclusions like cheat grass and halogeton.

If you are interested in the science behind Living earth please send us an inquiry and we would be happy to share information upon request.”

Steven Paulsen

March 9, 2010
Restoration ~ Reclamation

Conservation Seeding and Restoration, Inc. is a success driven, applied action, native plant corporation operated as a for profit business enterprise. The unique nature of what we are and are trying to do can confuse many people. When we first started out we gave serious consideration as to what we would call ourselves. Today I would like to discuss the ‘R’ of CSR (last but not least): Restoration. The seemingly simple choice of this word provides guidance for decisions being made every day by our staff in field and office.

Restoration and Reclamation are commonly used synonymously (almost as the same word and concept). On the surface it is comfortable to use these two words interchangeably and without regard for the subtle differences in their meaning, but examination of the definitions informs a more precise word usage.

Reclamation: the process of reclaiming something from loss or from a less useful condition. It is generally used as in water reclamation, which, a century ago meant damming streams (US Bureau of Reclamation ), and now has come to be used to describe wastewater reclamation.

The root word, reclaim, is a verb with the following definition (www.dictionary.com):

1. to bring (uncultivated areas or wasteland) into a condition for cultivation or other use.
2. to recover (substances) in a pure or usable form from refuse, discarded articles, etc.
3. to bring back to a preferable manner of living, sound principles, ideas, etc.
4. to tame.
5. re-claim.

Restoration: is a profession devoted to the preservation of cultural heritage for the future. Conservation activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and preventive care. All of this work is supported by research and education.

The root word, restore, is a verb with the following definition (www.dictionary.com):

1. to bring back into existence, use, or the like; reestablish: to restore order.
2. to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition, as a building, statue, or painting.
3. to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor.
4. to put back to a former place, or to a former position, rank, etc., to restore the king to his throne.
5. to give back; make return or restitution of (anything taken away or lost).
6. to reproduce or reconstruct (an ancient building, extinct animal, etc.) in the original state.

I hope what you notice is that reclamation implies our desires and/or will forced upon the landscape with the intent to “tame”, or “reclaim from loss” the land or water or what have you. Thus a “reclaimed” thing, be it a landscape, waterway, or corner desk, reflects our judgment of what is better. Restoration however goes immediately to the preservation of (in our case) land, water, and all parties heir – both understood and mysterious. Restoration implies working with a landscape, by means of stewardship, to promote its diverse and historic functions.

To take the idea one step further – in this paradigm conflict between restoration and reclamation, CSR, Inc’s ideology thrives. As a profit-driven Restoration Company, CSR has brought opposing parties and seemingly opposing concepts to the table to engage in successful restoration processes. Ultimately, the concept of a singular or selfish approach to our land and water is (in my opinion) a process that has repeatedly demonstrated to be a failing endeavor. This is a very frustrating cycle and is a consistent result of implementing a reclamation strategy.

CSR, Inc approaches the needs of its clients with the understanding that there is a bigger picture. Understanding of the working systems we are a part of will ultimately achieve the goals and/or concerns of our clients, allow for the needs of the parties at play (even the ones we do not yet understand or recognize), and do so in a sustainable fashion.

Restoration is also driven by human need and desire, especially in a ‘real-value’, for profit world. Our understanding of the resource in question (the Planet) creates value in the common good and allows for less selfish requests. We all play a part in the selfish endeavor to take without understanding the costs or consequences of our actions. As a society we have identified the need to maintain diversity in the landscape, but we are still greedy and take from the resource (The Planet) using ignorance as an excuse. Stewarding the land does not (in my opinion) include Reclaiming a feature in a landscape but rather Restoring/Conserving all features and parties at play.

Go Team Sagegrouse…

Steven Paulsen

December 4, 2009
Team SageGrouse:

What’s in a name? In many ways Team Sagegrouse came from the simplest of roots. After all, the Sagegrouse is the main focal point in the Conservation Seeding and Restoration, Inc. logo. CSR, Inc is the sole funding source for Team Sagegrouse, it only seems logical to project the image of the Sagegrouse with the people its symbolism leads on a daily basis. CSR, Inc has in its budget an amount of funding dollars dedicated to help its staff, their families and friends compete and/or participate in extracurricular activities. The idea is to promote people in events -not the events directly (CSR, Inc leaves that to the people participating). The result of this effort usually drives someone outside of the CSR, Inc circle to ask the question, “What is Team Sagegrouse?”. This typically leads to a conversation about CSR, Inc -what it does and so on. I strongly feel that folks sponsored by CSR, Inc “Team Sagegrouse” have a unique opportunity to educate any interested party about a number of topics including, but certainly not limited to, Conservation Seeding and Restoration, Inc itself.

If you have an interest in joining Team Sagegrouse, please contact us. Requests should include a short biography of you and any other team members benefiting from the sponsorship. Mandatory requirements for sponsorship include: a description of what the sponsorship dollars would be spent on (entry fees, t-shirts, hats, decals, etc), a description of where and how the Team Sagegrouse logo will be displayed in the proposed event, information about the event itself and updates including pictures for the Team Sagegrouse Blog.

I look forward to seeing a lot of new jerseys and decals in the upcoming events.
Steven Paulsen

February 25, 2008
Steven Paulsen, founder of CSR, Inc. was interviewed by the Idaho Statesman. The following article appeared in the Idaho Statesman on February 8, 2008.

When you’re starting a business, everyone has some advice for you.That has certainly been my experience over the last five years, when as much advice as I needed – or wanted – to hear was only a conversation away. I have been given ideas aplenty that would have me grow my business into everything everyone else would want it to be.Because of that, having a clear understanding and ownership of my own ideas often has been one of the greatest challenges in maintaining the goals and dreams I started out with.

Conservation Seeding and Restoration Inc. is a different kind of company in that its vertical integration and holistic approach to its work does not fit into traditional forms of business conversation. Somehow, we’ve succeeded in beating the odds for both growth and time in business, realizing 100-200 percent increases in revenues annually each of our first five years.

I’ve gotten lots of free advice along the way – some good, some bad. There’s the banker who says he can fund the company’s growth better if we could just pay off all of the debt to show the bank a greater equity to lend against. There’s the CPA who continually provides advice on how the odds are against us for maintaining the company’s growth – but “keep up the good work.”

I have been told several times that my understanding of a greater market and business trends would be best left to those in the know. Obviously I did not count as “in the know.”

I’ve considered all the advice I’ve received. It has all played into the success of CSR Inc. In the process, though, I have come to understand why it is that so many people and businesses struggle at the start – and perhaps why they fail in the end.

All that advice from strangers can and will, if allowed, get in the way of what you see as the target or goal you started out with. Bottom line: Stay focused on your goal, and spend the time it takes to build a good team of people around you.

You cannot be successful without all those people giving you that free advice. If anything, the advice keeps you honest in your appraisal of the situation and brings the team closer together.

With that in mind, here’s my advice for those starting out:

Stay away from naysayers. They will bring you down.

Keep a close watch out for yes men. They will hold you down by looking out for their interests and overlooking yours.

Always maintain a positive outlook. Know that success lies with the people you trust (including yourself).

And most importantly

Reflect back on why you started your business and what your business was started for.

I know that for CSR Inc., large goals and a great team of dedicated people have allowed the company to thrive even with – and sometimes in spite of – all that advice from strangers.