Kew's Millennium Seed Bank partnership – Western Australia

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Western Australia's diverse and spectacular flora makes it one of the premier floristic regions on the planet. Unfortunately, this species richness is matched by a host of threatening processes that have put a very high number of these species under threat of extinction. Kew's Millennium Seed Bank partnership in Western Australia has developed a major resource to address threats and support the re-establishment of species and plant ecosystems throughout the State.

Windjana Gorge, Kimberley WA. (Image: Luke Sweedman, BGPA)

The Millennium Seed Bank Western Australia partnership has helped to achieve a secure future for many of the State’s conservation-listed flora.

Keiran McNamara, Director General, Department of Environment and Conservation, 2009

Plant life is under threat in Western Australia

Of the c.13,000 vascular plant species in the State, 2,340 are listed as being threatened.

The flora of Western Australia is remarkably rich in species, in fact as rich as most rainforests. The South Western zone has remained unglaciated and free of any major mountain uplifting for many millions of years.

This ancient landscape has evolved small 'refugia' and many fragmented 'relict' species. Consequently the Western Australian flora has some 70% endemism (plants found exclusively in Western Australia), meaning it potentially has 8,750 plant species native to the State alone.

Land clearing has undoubtedly been the major cause of plant species loss in the past. The continual spread of urban settlements, rising soil salinity (particularly in the inland cleared agricultural wheatbelt), a rampant spread of Phytophthora cinnamomi within stands of native vegetation, degradation of natural ecosystems through feral herbivores such as goats and rabbits, and the expansion of mineral extraction throughout the State have meant that Western Australia's flora remains under severe threat.

Not only do we have safe and secure banks of seed of some of our most threatened species, we can now draw on those banks and use them to re-establish populations of these plants in their natural range.

Judy Edwards, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, 2004

Plant life is under threat in Western Australia

Of the c.13,000 vascular plant species in the State, 2,340 are listed as being threatened.

Environment and climate

Broadly Western Australia covers three climatic zones. The tropical north, the south west corner characterised by a Mediterranean climate and the remaining inland arid zone.

Vegetation types covering the State are as broad as the State itself, with some of the largest tracts of undisturbed woodland forest in the world. The south west corner of Western Australia is one of the worlds leading floristic 'hot-spots'.

Saving seeds for future life in Western Australia

Seed conservation teams from The Governments Threatened Flora Seed Centre and the Seed Technology Centre of the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority at Kings Park have secured seed collections from over 2,200 species. 73% of the State's threatened species are held at the TFSC and more than 48% of the State's Priority listed species are held between the two seed bank facilities. The Seed Technology Centre have secured more than 80% of the State's total number of orchid species.

In addition to this highly active collection programme, seed scientists in Western Australia have been collaborating with colleagues throughout the State and Kew's Millennium Seed Bank to better understand germination requirements, seed storage protocols and new technologies for the use of seed material in restoration of degraded lands.

A collaboration between Threatened Flora Seed Centre, Seed Technology Centre and other Australian partners has established Australia's first major inventory of the longevity of seeds from Australian species held in seed banks.

Since 2001, threatened species reintroductions for 28 species have been carried out using the seed resources of the Threatened Flora Seed Centre. Seed of 6 plant species have been used in habitat restoration programmes.

Much of this experience and knowledge has been a significant contribution to the newly updated national guidelines "Plant Germplasm Conservation in Australia". This publication will drive best practice for seed banking in Australia.

Poster: Seed conservation in Western Australia (pdf)

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