SEASON OF SEED

Cocky’s tongue (Templetonia retusa)

TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON

For countless centuries native trees and plants have been setting seed in the hope of offspring — a chance to pass their genes on to the next generation. With every season they weather changing temperatures, the uncertainty of water and the potential of bushfire as they strive to bring forth new life. Their sense of timing is finely tuned. And when conditions are right they will take the opportunity to produce seed. When it’s your season — anything seems possible.

Every tiny seed holds the hope for generations to come. This is why the Trees For Life Seed Bank plays such a vital role in ensuring the future of our home. Storing a unique collection of local provenance seed from South Australia — with over 435 native species secured from locations across the state.

Now is the time for us to gather this precious gift. The past three years of sustained rainfall has encouraged our trees and plants to respond by setting seed. We now have a small but critical window of opportunity to take advantage of this season of abundance. It’s going to be an immense job requiring a specialised team.

We need support to make the most of this extraordinary and unexpected gift from nature. Who knows if we will ever see conditions this favourable again?

Without them we cannot grow, we cannot protect and we cannot restore.

TIME TO GATHER UP

The Trees For Life Seed Bank is our insurance policy for the future.

Through our comprehensive approach, we have access to 435 different species of seed gathered from 42 different zones across the state. This sophisticated system of collection positions our Seed Bank as a unique South Australian treasure.

Timing is key. We need to take advantage of nature’s bounty while it’s available. Right now, planning is underway for a number of seed collecting expeditions to regional South Australia. Over the next few months, from December to February, we will be concentrating our efforts to maximise seed gathering.

BELOW: Volunteer Phil extracting Xanthorrhoea seed.

FAR RIGHT: Phil surveying the landscape by Bill Doyle.

Some of the trips planned:

South East: Bordertown to Naracoorte

Targeting primarily cockie food species; banksia (Banksia marginata and Banksia ornata), buloke (Allocasuarina luehmannii) and hakea species. As well as any acacia, grasses and daisies that are available to collect.

Yorke Peninsula: Stansbury to Marion Bay

Targeting all acacia species available, as well as grasses, lilies and daisies in order to increase the diversity of the Yorke Peninsula seed supply. One specific target species is Cocky’s tongue (Templetonia retusa) which is having a particularly good year of flowering.

Mid North: Balaklava to Jamestown

Targeting a number of acacia species, as well as senna, dodonaea and many grass species. The aim is to capitalise on a wet year in a region with minimal remnant vegetation and increase the diversity of our Mid North seed supply.

Trees For Life’s Seed Bank Manager Daniel will be taking the lead on this important project. Seed collection expeditions to remote and regional locations for extended periods require significant field work and logistical support. To undertake seed gathering of this scale will require extra boots on the ground. It’s going to be a substantial job and needs considerable experience and skill to ensure success.

TIME FOR SAFE KEEPING

Once collected, the precious seed is transported from locations across the state to the Trees For Life Seed Bank processing area. This vital stage requires a steady hand and hours of concentration to reveal each tiny piece of life. After undergoing a protective treatment, sorting and labelling, the seed is now ready to be placed securely in our Seed Bank vault.

This safeguarding approach has stood us in good stead. Our ability to assist with bushfire recovery serves as a reminder of the importance of having a seed store we can draw upon to help restore the land.

When times are good we need to act so we can respond when times are hard.

Donating to our Christmas Appeal means we can make the most of this 'Season of Seed’.

Phil, Seed Collection volunteer

Seed collecting is part adventure, part detective work and part sheer enthusiasm for the hundreds of poorly known native plants that are waiting to be better known.

It’s a sunny morning as I load my car with gear and head out of town, collecting permit in hand. I’m heading to the Mid North to collect seed for Trees For Life. Today I have a request from our Seed Bank Manager Daniel, to collect some Inland Southern blue gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp. pruinosa) for our Tree Scheme Goyder Zone, one of the 40+ zones scattered around the state. While years of experience have suggested where I might get this seed, I know three things: 1. I will be heading off the bitumen on to one of the thousands of quiet back roads that most people never get to, 2. I will not just be looking for blue gum, but any native plant that might be in seed and suitable for our Seed Bank, and 3. Just because I know where to get something doesn’t mean I won’t explore new and different places to collect.

That’s the way it’s gone for me for (unbelievably) over half my life. I joined Trees For Life in 1992, with a healthy love of the bush having been a surveyor. Despite the terrible damage done to our native vegetation over the last 180+ years, there are still so many out of the way places where you can come across rare treasures.

I could drive the quiet road reserves of rural South Australia for several lifetimes and still not have to repeat my route. And it’s not just road reserves, the state is filled with lesser known places that might just be a refuge for that rare plant we need, or that could be added to the already extensive list of plants we grow. It never stops, and if you keep yourself open to the changes around you, there is always something new to see and learn.  Every gift helps safeguard our South Australian native trees and plants. Help us to gather up this precious hope for future generations.

$35 can help collect one bag of seed

$75 can help fund an exploration vehicle for a day

$120 can provide essential equipment for a seed expedition

$386 can help fund a day of seed processing

$650 can help fund a day of seed exploration in regional SA

$1,544 can help fund four days of seed processing

$3,250 can help cover expedition costs to regional SA

PLEASE DONATE TODAY.

Simply scan the QR code, visit treesforlife.org.au or call us on 08 8406 0500.