All about seedbanking and conservation

We are pleased to welcome Nathan Emery and Laura Watts from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney to provide two workshops this month. Nathan, a Research Scientist, is the Manager of the Seedbank and Conservation Collections for the Botanic Gardens of Sydney. His colleague Laura Watts, works as the Collections Development Coordinator. They are both based at Mount Annan. Seed banking or ex situ germplasm collection (seed of living material stored away from wild threats) is critical for the conservation of our native plants. Banked germplasm (seed or living material) can be used for research, breeding or conservation and supports restoration and reintroduction efforts. Join staff from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney’s Seedbank & Conservation Collections team as they discuss seed collecting strategies such as preserving genetic diversity, how to collect seeds, process collections, and seed germination strategies. Accompanying the theory will be a hands-on activity on collecting equipment and seeds. The Botanic Gardens of Sydney conducts seedbanking as a core activity, with the state-wide conservation seed program having operated for over 20 years. With around 13,000 collections and 5,200 species the seed collection is the largest of its type in Australia and provides the essential seed collections which forms the ‘heart’ of conservation and restoration activities and outcomes. Both of these events are fully catered for and an RSVP is essential via Stickytickets or contact Marg Applebee on 0418 611 053 or cwlllandcare@gmail.com The Parkes event will be held on Sunday, October 13 at the CWLL building at Kelly Reserve. The Forbes event will be held at the Forbes Riverside Garden on Tuesday, October 15. Both events include morning tea and lunch and run between 9.30am and 2.30pm. These events are possible thanks to the shared work of the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust and Landcare NSW under the Private Land Conservation Matters project. Protecting biodiversity on private lands also plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance, improving land productivity, and enhancing water quality, all of which directly benefit both the landowners and the broader community. Private Land Conservation Matters (PLCM) is Stage 2 of Landcare NSW’s partnership program with the BCT, building on the success and lessons learned from the 2020-22 Project, including increased awareness of the BCT’s roles and responsibilities amongst the Landcare community. For further information on this article, please go to www.centralwestlachlanlandcare.org, twitter, facebook or Instagram @cwllandcare or contact Marg Applebee on 0418 611 053.