Seed Resilience Project Update

Landcare Tasmania’s Seed Resilience Project was developed in response to a forecasted decrease in native plant propagation and an increasing demand for local provenance plants for biodiverse revegetation projects in Tasmania.

Image: Seed collection and Propagation Workshop in Mountain River © Rowiina Howard

Tasmania has many unique plant species that grow nowhere else in the world. Many of these plants are threatened by land clearing, climate change, fire and grazing pressure. There is a growing demand and commitment by landholders to revegetate with endemic species wherever practical. By collecting and propagating native seed for revegetation projects, we can help to preserve these species and maintain the biodiversity of our local ecosystems.

The goal of this project is to set up community seed banks across the state and create a network of people who are involved and skilled in the collection, storage and distribution of native seed to meet the demand of revegetation projects in Tasmania. The seed bank initiative will be community driven with Landcare coordination to support its effectiveness.

What We Have Been Up To

Capacity building, training and education

With the Understory Network and Island Seeds, Landcare Tasmania have held 10 seed collection and propagation workshops with 146 attendees across the state. These workshops aim to teach Landcare members and the wider community the importance of collecting and growing local provenance seed, contributing to our wider Landscape Restoration and Community Outreach Programs.

(Credit: Lily Fraser 2023)

The events contributing to the Seed Resilience Project have been funded through the State Governments Landcare Action Grants and Community Environmental Program, and Brighton Council. The workshops were delivered in partnership with the Understory Network, Island Seed, NRM South, Brighton Council, Huon Valley Council and MTWAC (upcoming).

Image: Seed collection and Propagation Workshop in Mountain River © Rowiina Howard

What's next?

Set up the Huonville Landcare Volunteer Nursery in Southern Tasmania/lutruwita.
Continue to hold seed collection and propagation workshops to build community capacity. Later this year, we are planning on holding a seed collection and propagation workshop on Country with the Tebrakunna Rangers.
Collect data through surveys and research to identify local issues, opportunities and gaps in native seed collection. This information will be used to inform a research report on the state of native seed collection in Tasmania.
Hold a community meeting and/or forum with interested parties and stakeholders to discuss the development of community seed banks in Tasmania.
Create a communication framework for seed collection via a self-organizing seed collectors group.
Set up pilot seed bank/s with interested community members and Landcare groups to trial the communication framework.

If you are interested in volunteering at our Huonville Landcare Volunteer Nursery get in contact with us at [email protected] (ATTN: Anna - Huon Nursery)

If you are an avid or experienced seed collector, get in touch with [email protected] (ATTN: Lily - Seed Meeting) to receive an invitation to complete our seed resilience survey.

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