Native seeds planted to regenerate clearings

Precious native seeds are being salvaged from clearing sites and used to re-vegetate areas in an agreement between Leschenault Catchment Council and Indigenous Workabout.

Launched in November last year, the partnership sees the company collect the seeds while the catchment council supplies administration, quality assurance and training.

Catchment council chairman Adrian Azzari-Colley said there was a great exchange of skills, with the council gaining insight into Aboriginal culture and the team training in environment restoration.

It is planned for Indigenous Workabout to take up the administration duties at a later date as well.

“We want to make sure that administration work is taken up by them at a later date and that they have the skills,” Mr Azzari-Colley said.

He said the partnership had great social and environmental outcomes for the region.

“We’re doing this in recognition of this being Aboriginal country,” he said.

“For us it’s a no-brainer, with a really strong social impact and environmental impact.”

The seeds are then used as provenance seeds for re-vegetation projects, such as in the Kemerton Industrial Estate.

“With provenance seed you always get better growth rates,” Mr Azzari-Colley said.

“It’s always better to do it with seed from this area.”

Some of the seeds are also stored for later projects.

Native plants in the South West produce seeds at different times of the year but are particularly active from October to April.

Seeds in trees are particularly hard to collect so the catchment council is asking anyone felling jarrah, marri or banksia trees for roads or housing to contact the council.

Seeds need to be collected from felled trees within 24 hours.

“We won’t respond to every notification of seeds but we will take all notifications seriously,” he said.

For more information or to offer seeds, ring 9791 4773 or email contact@leschenaultcc.org.au.