Seeds of Hope
Community funds supporting an Endangered species
In December 2022, we ran the Seeds of Hope Appeal seeking community support to fund a seed banking project.
Thanks to generous community donations and matched funding from The Council of Heads of Australian Botanic Gardens, over $5,000 was raised to secure seeds and study the Endangered Small Flowered Conostylis (Conostylis micrantha).
This remarkable wildflower is found only across 35 km in the Geraldton Sandplains of Western Australia on the lands of the Yamatji Nation.
Known only from 250 plants, it is listed as Endangered due to impacts from habitat loss and invasive species. Given its conservation need, the Seeds of Hope Project was born.
Project Aims
- Survey all known locations of the species to collect up-to-date information on the number of plants and their distribution.
- Secure seed from all known populations to ensure a representative conservation collection is available for future recovery efforts.
- Work alongside Indigenous rangers on country to share knowledge and build skills.
Outcomes
The Seeds of Hope Project brought targeted conservation action to the Small Flowered Conostylis for the first time in over 15 years. Partnering with First Nations people on the lands of the Yamatji Nation, we embarked on a mission to evaluate plant numbers and collect seeds to conserve this endangered species. Despite the challenges around low flower and low seed production, we gathered valuable data and seeds, giving a big boost to conservation efforts for this species.
Flora Surveys
In an impressive effort, the West Australian Seed Centre team conducted comprehensive surveys across all ten known populations of Conostylis micrantha. Despite the small size of the plants and their tendency to grow beneath larger shrubs, the team managed to locate over 1000 plants across six of the populations.
The plants have been GPS marked, meaning plants can easily be relocated, and there is up-to-date information about distribution and numbers of plants across the range of the species. One of the populations was impacted by a wildfire some 18 months previously, and surveyors observed that plants were growing back from burned root stock. This is an important finding for the species ecology, establishing the species as a resprouter!
Seed Banking
Seed collections were made from the six populations where plants were found, resulting in over 800 seeds being banked! Although overall seed quantities were low, the collected seeds are an invaluable resource to the long-term protection of the species. These seeds were carefully processed and stored at the Western Australian Seed Centre, Kensington, ensuring the conservation of Conostylis micrantha for future restoration and research efforts.
Partnering with First Nations people
Yamatji Indigenous rangers and rangers from the Northern Agricultural Catchment Council, played a crucial role in the field surveys of this endangered wildflower. Their participation not only facilitated the surveys but also provided an opportunity for cultural exchange and knowledge sharing for seed collectors.
Acknowledgements
- We acknowledge the Yamatji people, the Traditional Owners of the land upon which this work was undertaken.
- Funding for this project was provided by our generous supporters, with donations matched by the Council of Heads of Australian Botanic Gardens.
- The project was managed by the Western Australian Seed Centre, Kensington (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions).
- Surveys and project support were provided by:
- Indigenous rangers from the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions indigenous ranger program (Yamatji Indigenous rangers) and the Northern Agricultural Catchment Council’s Midwest Aboriginal Ranger Program.
- District staff from the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- Staff from the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.
- Volunteers from the Geraldton Regional Herbarium.
