A forum held at Beechworth this month explored the development of a more sustainable native seed sector in north east Victoria through opportunities for addressing gaps, collaboration and unleashing enterprise within the region.
About 60 people attended the forum hosted by the North East Catchment Management Authority, including representatives from Local Land Services NSW, Cassinia Environmental, Rural City of Wangaratta, Indigo Shire Council, Landcare (NE Victoria and southern NSW), Royal Botanic Gardens (Melbourne), Traditional Owner Partners, Native Plant Nurseries and Ecological Enhancement Services.
The forum featured presentations on revegetation from Phil Falcke from the North East CMA and Andie Guerin from the Regent Honeyeater Project.
Mr Falcke said seed was the foundation of revegetation. Victoria has a target of 200,000ha of revegetation under the Victoria Biodiversity 2037 plan while the North East CMA had achieved 2,600ha of revegetation in the past 10 years.
“What’s getting in the way is not a lack of intent but practical barriers such as restoration costs which have climbed to $12,500/ha and plantings which are too small and don’t last,” Mr Falcke said.
“They lack multiple layers, species diversity and connection with remnant revegetation.”
“Seed supply doesn’t meet need, and nurseries are left out of the loop because they are not involved in early project planning.”
Mr Falcke said there are opportunities ahead in addressing the critical gaps in seed collecting and seedbanks and building larger and sustainable plantings.
“Larger projects like Bush for Birds make a difference. We need to ask how we have groundcover involved in revegetation. When do we go back to older plantings and older revegetation blocks and introduce structural diversity, thinning out the canopy layer to allow grasses and shrubs to grow?”
Mr Guerin emphasised the need to source high quality seed supplies and the importance of having a trained seed collecting workforce with the Regent Honeyeater project having found success with recruiting a student workforce.
A native seed supply panel included Bec Read of Vic Alps Nursery; Wendy Smith of Our Native Garden Nursery; Sheree Willoughby of Park Lane Nursery; and Cathy Olive of Euroa Arboretum. Each was asked what they would do given a magic wand to wave over their operation.
Ms Read said the number one pressure at the Alpine Nursery was getting across a wide geographic region during collection season to keep the seedbank full.
“We need more trained staff and training opportunities in the north east in seed collection and extra support for holding seedbanks.”
Ms Smith said the Our Native Garden Nursery produced between 55,000 and 60,000 plants annually and did collect some seed. The social enterprise had grown from a small site to a larger site operating as an eco-hub in partnership with Wodonga Landcare and Wodonga Council.
“Funding for the new site will be a challenge. We need to value seed much higher than it is now. It is too cheap for what goes into getting it and is worth more than what we are paying for it.”
Ms Willoughby from Park Lane Nursery at Wangaratta said it remained a challenge to keep the not-for-profit enterprise profitable and to continue to provide employment for those with a disability through its partnership with Merriwa Industries.
“We plan to grow our future seedbank and I want to see local nurseries working together to share resources, remove barriers and educate people on the importance of natives,” she said.
“The challenges are having staff who can identify plants and the timing of getting to the seed source before they are exhausted by others.”
Ms Olive said the nursery at Euroa Arboretum was built to support the 28ha arboretum, producing 200 species among 70,000 plants. It now supplied plants to Goulburn Broken CMA and Strathbogie Shire.
She said environmental and funding challenges remained for seed suppliers.
“It has become a game changer to produce quality plants of difficult species but it is expensive to set up,” she said.
“You need to consider your model, what will it be? And you need to consider security of seed, where is it coming from? Paid staff should be collecting the seed.”
Natasha Lappin from Local Land Services NSW said 2400g of seed was held in a seedbank in Deniliquin which was supported by a custom database.
Ms Lappin said most of the seedbank income came from direct seeding and seed sales to a mix of clients including landholders, Defence and carbon projects.
She said seed production and security remained a challenging space in which to work including maintaining ageing infrastructure, ensuring staff were trained and sharing knowledge, and working in partnerships including that with the NSW Botanic Gardens.
Incorporating seed production into the long-term goal of revegetation was also important, focusing on ground covers, pollinators and plants which supported stock control, she said.
A facilitated workshop was held in the afternoon of the forum to brainstorm opportunities. Fourteen of those attendees at the forum have committed to an activity to deliver by the end of 2026 in a draft roadmap developed following the forum discussions.
Further information on the forum and its follow-up activities can be sought by contacting Kerry Craig from North East Catchment Management Authority at kerry.craig@necma.vic.gov.au.
Captions:
Speakers at the native seed forum with North East CMA chief executive officer, Katie Warner (far right).
Speaker Phill Falcke from the North East CMA at the native seed forum.
Delegates at the native seed forum.
Native Seed Supply Panel Bec Read, Wendy Smith, Sheree Willoughby and Cathy Olive with facilitator Mary Anne Scully.