15 Years of Saving Seeds: celebrating Australia’s seed safety net
For 15 years, the Australian Seed Bank Partnership has worked quietly behind the scenes to protect Australia’s native plants before they are lost. Today, as environmental pressures grow and ecosystems face increasing strain, that work has never been more important.
Across Australia, a network of seed banks, botanic gardens and conservation organisations have been collecting, researching and safeguarding native seeds to help secure the future of our flora. Together, we now hold conservation collections from more than 18,000 native species, including nearly 1,000 plants threatened with extinction.
But seed banks are more than just vaults storing seeds for the future.
They are living collections of hope, science and recovery.
Over the past 15 years the Partnership has helped drive restoration and recovery efforts across the country, particularly following environmental disasters like the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires.
In response to those fires, we mobilised nationally to secure seeds from 542 fire-affected species, unlock their germination secrets and propagate priority plants for restoration projects.
In South Australia, the endangered Corunna Daisy (Brachyscome muelleri) was propagated from long-banked seed, leading to the establishment of a new insurance population and the collection of more than 55,000 additional seeds for future conservation.
Meanwhile in Western Australia, the endangered Bussell’s Spider Orchid (Caladenia busselliana) once reduced to just 13 plants in the wild, was successfully germinated from seed collected decades earlier and reintroduced back into habitat.
These stories are reminders that seed banking is preventative conservation in action.
By protecting seeds today, we create opportunities for species and ecosystems to recover tomorrow.
As we mark our 15th anniversary, Academy Award-winning actor and conservation advocate Cate Blanchett AC is lending her support through her role as Kew’s Wakehurst Ambassador.
‘Life begins with seeds – and so does our best chance to save it.’ she says.
‘Through my work with Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, I have witnessed how seed banking partnerships are beacons of hope and international cooperation at a time when we need it most.’
‘The Australian Seed Bank Partnership is a vital part of this global story, safeguarding over 18,000 native plants for future generations. As they celebrate 15 years, I’m proud to support their work conserving Australia’s unique flora’.
The anniversary is not only a chance to reflect on what has been achieved, but also a moment to look ahead.
Australia’s native plants continue to face growing threats from habitat loss, fire, invasive species and changing environmental conditions. Thousands of species still require seed conservation, research and restoration support.
The next 15 years matter just as much as the first.
That’s why we have launched the Banking the Bush appeal to help expand and strengthen national seed collections for future conservation and recovery efforts.
Throughout the anniversary, we’ll also be sharing online stories from across the Partnership highlighting the people, science and conservation work behind Australia’s seed banks.
Learn more: Seedpartnership.org.au/ASBP15
Join the celebrations
Donate to the Banking the Bush appeal to support another 15 years of seed conservation.
Follow our socials in June for seed stories and a chance to win some anniversary merch!
Register for our anniversary webinar on June 24th, featuring experts from across the Partnership.