Growing food plants for Yindjibarndi Country

Patrick Courtney (Manager Horticultural Development)

Learning how to grow Australian native food plants through sharing knowledge and research is an important way to keep Indigenous culture alive and ensure these species are restored to Country.

Adverse environmental changes drive land degradation, habitat destruction and biodiversity loss, as well as put additional pressure on Indigenous communities through the loss of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and culturally important species.

Yindjibarndi people and Kings Park staff collect seed in Triodia grassland ecosystems, August 2018. Photo: Luke Sweedman archive

Kings Park is forming enduring links and partnerships with Indigenous peoples of Western Australia through extension programs. A major aim of these programs is to support and enhance the understanding of TEK and culture through science and horticulture programs.

Incorporating TEK into science and horticulture is changing the way we understand, communicate and mitigate the impact of environmental change on cultural and biological diversity.

The Wanggalili Project is a partnership between the Yindjibarndi people, government, non-government organisations and business to preserve culturally significant flora and develop sustainable agriculture. Integrating TEK and propagation practices will develop locally grown native plant products for commercial sale.

Luke Sweedman and Jordan Toner from Kings Park conduct field training, August 2018. Photo: Luke Sweedman archive

The role of Kings Park was to provide direction and technical support relating to plant science and horticulture.

The Land, Culture and Religion Advisers of the Juluwarlu Aboriginal Corporation provided guidance for Yindjibarndi conventions when visiting Country before any plant collections were made. Local native plants were collected and assessed as potential products for local communities to use on commercial scale.

Yindjibarndi people and Kings Park staff on Country at Millstream Chichester Ranges, November 2018. Photo: Luke Sweedman archive

This partnership resulted in some important advances in the scientific and horticultural knowledge of food plants:

• Developed effective collection, cleaning and storage programs for at least six species.

• Improved the fundamental knowledge regarding seed biology and propagation of poorly studied species.

• Developed beneficial seed treatments to enhance germination and seed viability.

• Established protocols for commercial scale production of seven target species.

Seed X-ray images of Wajurru seeds, Cynanchum floribundum, or Native Pear. Seed viability can be assessed and compared to germination levels in laboratory tests. Photo: Dave Blumer

Plant stock was grown-on following nursery propagation trials to ensure genetically valuable material was available.

Selected plants are being grown at Kings Park for longer-term assessment. Plants were transported from Noongar Country back to Yindjibarndi Country in 2019 for use in planting trials by the Yindjibarndi people.

Nursery propagation trial of Bajila, Capparis spinosa or Caper Bush, and Jirrwirliny, Capparis lasiantha or Split Jack, at Kings Park, 7 March 2019. Photo: Dave Blumer

Capparis lasiantha. Photo: Dave Blumer

Kings Park wants to form similar mutually-beneficial partnerships across Western Australia to support local Indigenous communities restore culturally-important species on Country, integrate TEK and restoration science practices and conserve a greater genetic resource through seedbanks for future programs.

The Wanggalili Project has been a positive experience and led to valuable knowledge sharing. There is a greater understanding of horticultural methods needed for these native food plants important to the Yindjibarndi people.

This partnership has dissolved boundaries and pushed forward returning native plants to Country in many ways.

The stats

14 species collected

5 species targeted for horticultural potential

5000+ seeds were treated and sown in the Kings Park Nursery

600 plants have undergone laboratory-based trials

400+ tube stock returned to Country