SPROut's mission is to develop and promote the strategic use of plants (phytotechnology) to provide ecosystem services and solve environmental challenges in managed landscapes.

SPROut strives to serve as Oregon's phytotechnology resource center and to link the efforts of growers, researchers, industry users, educators, and policy makers. SPROut will sponsor or conduct research in this emerging field throughout Oregon, engaging in partnerships with practitioners and researchers. SPROut will provide outreach and training on research results and effective techniques, and will actively work to integrate research efforts with implementation and business development.

Vision

SPROut's larger purpose is to make Oregon an international center for the research and development of plants to provide sustainable ecosystem services. By building upon Oregon's international reputation as an environmental leader and by advancing knowledge and encouraging new investment in innovative plant technologies, SPROut can play a critical role both in Oregon's economy and in protecting our environment. SPROut will actively link research to environmental practice, public and professional education, public policy-making, and new business opportunities.

SPROut will build on its headquarters' location at The Oregon Garden to create effective outreach strategies for linking the scientific, environmental, and business communities. Through its website; publications; workshops; conferences; professional development courses; community college, undergraduate, and graduate curricula; Extension programs; and interactions with visitors to The Oregon Garden, SPROut will be a clearinghouse of information on the active use of plants for environmental purposes.

This diagram represents how SPROUT integrates the efforts of scientists, practitioners, educators and policy makers to identify problems, create solutions and make the solutions available for implementation. At every point along the circle, partnerships play a key role, and on-going outreach efforts to each audience continue driving the circle.