Seed collection for large scale revegetation
Alicia recently attended a seed collection workshop in St. Arnaud run by Seeding Victoria and supported by Cassinia Environmental and the Natural Resources Conservation Trust as part of the Bushbank program.
The Bushbank program is a $77 million commitment by the Victorian Government and aims to restore natural environments across Victoria via three streams (public land, private land, and Traditional Owner-led initiatives). The private land stream is led by Cassinia Environmental and aims to revegetate 20,000 ha of private land across Victoria, and establish permanent protection via Trust for Nature covenants.
This ambitious target will require a significant amount of seed, so the early stages of the project have included capacity-building workshops aimed to increase the number and activity of seed collectors across the state.
The workshop covered the basics of seed collection, cleaning and storage of seed, and some of the different types of fruits and seeds of Australian native species. We also touched on permit and safety requirements, and where to look for further resources. The workshop also introduced an initiative called the Natural Resources Conservation Trust Seed Bank Revolving Fund. More on that below! In the afternoon, we headed out into the field to put some of the learning into practice.
Seeding Victoria are hoping to deliver additional seed collection workshops in early 2024, so keep an eye on their social media to hear more!
Natural Resources Conservation Trust Seed Bank Revolving Fund
Normally, seed banks pay collectors for their seed on consignment, that is, the seed bank stores the seed and pays collectors for seed that is purchased by an end user. This project, funded by a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Trust, allows seed collectors to be paid up front for seed they collect.
25% of the seed’s wholesale price is paid to the collector upon delivery, and when the seed is sold to a retail customer, the remaining 75% is paid to the collector and the original 25% is returned to the fund to pay other collectors.
Only a certain list of species is eligible in each region covered by the Seeding Victoria. The list for the Wimmera is presented below, and the Mallee, Midlands, Otways, Volcanic Plains, Riverina and South West each have their own lists.
The revolving fund will only accept a certain amount of each species from each region per year, designed to match up with the requirements of the Bushbank program. Therefore, it’s really important to contact Seeding Victoria before collecting to ensure they still require stocks of the species you have in mind.
It’s also really important to get the ID correct! If you are unsure, ask for help and take plenty of pictures of the plant and a sample branch to bring in and confirm ID at the seed bank.
