1. A Personal Parochial Potted History of Native Seed Supply for Restoration
Martin Driver- ANPC

2. Everyone loves the Trees!
But seed is a secondary consideration
This was also my beginning
Seed is the basic prerequisite to all
revegetation- but it is not treated as such

3. A Chronology- the Riverina context
c1966 – my first native seed collection- wild plants now gone
1973- field germination of Boree
1977- CSIRO seed collections woody weeds- seed not available
1982- CSIRO- Hopbush competition trials- seed not available
1983- twigged to the decline of local shrubs- seed collections

4. 1984 – tree (then shrubs) seed for SRFN nursery- source gone
1990- GA species lists- but no seed
seed collection workshops & training
1992- direct seeding- limited seed
1994/5- large scale projects-no seed (drought)
1995/6- seed from roads-SPAs

5. c1997 – established regional seedbanks- 6 sites across border
increased species & genetic diversity in SPAs * *
MISS increased scale & volume
CMA seedbank kg PA seed
investment in SPA management- large projects limited by seed & support planning

6. Issues Seed is often an afterthought Seed is assumed to be always
available
No national seed strategy or funding
Uncoordinated seed supply/ demand
Little pre allocation of $ for planning
supply
Regional wild seed shortage /decline

7. Competition, depletion, substitution,
failure to supply
Fragmented collection/ collectors-
limited project planning
Disconnect between collectors &
markets- little understanding
Financial unviability & risks to invest
Limited genetic considerations &
planning

8. Access to regional databases &
long-term records & seed data
Little regional project co-ordination
Failure to link seed planning into
national, regional project planning
Forced shortcuts to meet project
timelines (real world not factored)

9. History- what have we learnt? The UNRESOLVED ISSUES
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The National Native Seed Industry
Survey- What does it tell us?