Where the MSBP works - Australia

Through twelve institutions and government departments in seven states and territories, Australia is making a major contribution to the Millennium Seed Bank Project. The work will dramatically enhance the conservation of the Australian flora, including many species and ecological communities considered rare or threatened, through a program of improved seed banking and associated research.

Australia is one of only twelve “mega diverse” countries and its native biodiversity is of global significance. The total number of Australian species comprises 15% of the worlds’ total. However, 22.9% of Australian floral species are listed as under threat of extinction. 

Australia is a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (2002). The project is consistent with Target 8… “60% of threatened plant species in accessible ex-situ collections, preferably in the country of origin, and 10% of them included in recovery and restoration programmes.”

Through the various state and territory governments’ agreement with the Millennium Seed Bank, Australia is in part able to meet its obligations to these conventions.

Mr Tom North is the MSBP Australia Coordinator and heads a programme of networking across the partners. The MSBP Australian Network is currently hosted by our Partners in the Kings Park & Botanic Gardens, Perth , Western Australia .

Coordination of the Australian programme for the Millennium Seed Bank involves creating a degree of harmonisation between collecting programmes for each state where an overlap of species distribution occurs. Collaboration between research groups from each of the partner states is helping us to improve the general understanding of Australian species with special focus on seed dormancy and longevity.

State flower images: M. Westacott © Australian National Botanic Garden