Native seed production areas: what they are, why we need them
Native seed production areas: what they are, why we need them
All you need to know about native seed production areas (SPAs), which could supply the seed Australia needs for ecosystem restoration.
cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/1334246
Seed production areas could be the solution to Australia's native seed supply gap.
Establishing bigger and better native seed production areas has been identified as a potential practical solution to problems such as the low diversity of available species, seasonal variability in the amount of seed available, and genetic bottlenecking.
Native seed production areas, like this one being developed in Western Australia, can be set up to grow genetically diverse native seed suitable for revegetation and restoration projects.
Historically, the contribution of SPAs to the national seed market has been small, but this is growing, with the Australian Native Seed Survey Report 2020 estimating that 33% of seed purchasers source seed from SPAs.
Whether it is getting the amount of seed required to improve biodiversity outcomes, mitigate climate change through environmental carbon plantings, or assist the recovery of communities from disasters such as fire and flood - native seed production areas can play an important role in improving seed supply chains.