International connections

Patrick Courtney (Manager Horticultural Development)

Botanic gardens play a vital role in supporting biodiversity on a global scale, protecting vulnerable plant species from the recognised threats of climate change, land degradation and desertification.

Kings Park has developed global partnerships which focus on environmental, conservation and restoration outcomes and horticultural programs. Since 2008, extension programs have occurred in the Middle East, working with governments and industry in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and most recently, Malawi.

Strategic planning meeting ‘Saudi style’. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Director General Mark Webb (grey cap) in discussion with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City management team. Photo: Ben Miller

Kings Park has worked closely with international groups to increase local capacity through:

• training and skilling;

• technology transfer;

• infrastructure development; and

• institutional advancement.

Major initiatives include:

• Greening strategies for major urban parks and reserves.

• Design and development of a dedicated seedbank facility for native species.

• Dedicated seed collection programs.

• Technology and infrastructure development for nursery production system.

• Staff training and skilling programs.

International initiatives and opportunities for Kings Park include advising and developing:

• new dedicated native plant nurseries for high volume production;

• large-scale environmental plantings;

• the advancement of natural area resource planning; and

• native species for urban or rural horticulture.

Saudi Arabia, Middle East

Kings Park partnered with the Regional Government, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) in Saudi Arabia, which is responsible for the development of Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom Saudi Arabia, and the surrounding region. The Riyadh region includes extensive natural areas that are under threat from human disturbances.

There is increasing pressure from overgrazing, firewood collection, camping and loss of habitat. The economic and environmental values of these natural areas to the people of the region are being protected through the commitment of the RCRC to the conservation and management of these natural resources.

Kings Park leads a multidisciplinary, international team to provide strategic direction to RCRC in implementing a plan that involves all stakeholders and the broader community. Kings Park helped to develop planning initiatives that focused on nature conservation strategies for the Riyadh region including the development of significant parks.

A science-based program that focused on restoration ecology, natural resource management and sustainable urban horticulture was developed, providing low cost and scalable solutions for broadscale restoration in Saudi Arabia and more broadly across the Middle East.

One such research program is operating at Thumama Nature Park, a unique and popular desert park containing many beautiful natural areas.

Installation of restoration trial, Thumama Nature Park, January 2013. Photo: Patrick Courtney

Kings Park is undertaking landscape-scale ecological studies in the park, examining restoration and management of keystone native Acacia trees. Studies have led to an increased understanding of ecological theory for Acacia communities in Saudi Arabia and an improvement in the principles of restoration in arid environments, such as the Middle East.

Over 100,000 seedlings and more than 140,000 precision-sowed seed were sown across 16 hectares of high technology irrigated land. Tube stock priming and seed enablement were major factors being tested along with seasonality of instalment, fertilisation and soil ameliorations.

The experiment in the Arabian Desert was established as an ‘outdoor laboratory’ to better understand plantwater relationships and restoration limitations in arid and semi-arid landscapes.

Evidence-based management approaches that focused on ecophysiology, soil science and ecohydrological monitoring provided insights as to how to optimise restoration efforts in this arid region.

Malawi, Africa

The cultural, economic and ecosystem importance of the last remaining individuals of Malawi’s national tree has sparked a collaborative community driven program that has harnessed the strength of an international team.

The Ecological Restoration Alliance Mulanje Mountain expedition (2019) to investigate the restoration of the critically endangered national tree of Malawi, the Mulanje Cedar, Widdringtonia whytei, in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Members were the local people of Mulanje Mountain, Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust (Ibrahim Mitole, Carl Breussow, Raheela Ahmed), Department of Forestry Malawi (Jeffrey Juwawo), Forestry Research Institute of Malawi (Tembo Chanyenga, Innocent Taulo), Botanic Gardens Conservation International (Alex Hudson), Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden (Stuart Hall), WeForest (Clemmie Borgstein), Chicago Botanic Garden (Louise Egerton-Warbutron), Morton Arboretum (Kurt Dreisilker) and Kings Park, WA (Carole Elliott). Photo: Alex Hudson

The Mount Mulanje Cedar Restoration Project, in partnership with the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) is underway to support local communities and environment on the mountain.

Through this program Carole Elliott, on behalf of Kings Park, is assisting in the design of restoration trials to return Mulanje Cedars to their natural habitat. The outcome is to generate sustainable income sources for local people who harvest old growth timber and restore new populations of Mulanje Cedar for the sustainable future of Mt Mulanje.

Two year old translocated seedling of Mulanje Cedar, Widdringtonia whytei, on Mulanje Mountain, Malawi. Photo: Carole Elliott

Old forest plantings (1915) at Mount Zomba (Malawi) of the Mulanje Cedar, Widdringtonia whytei, which are used as seed sources for translocation. Photo: Carole Elliott