Saving Rare Native Plants
Seven rare native plants have been re-introduced to metropolitan Adelaide in a project to improve urban biodiversity.
Green Adelaide, Trees For Life and the SA Seed Conservation Centre partnered to deliver a unique rewilding project, which re-established seven rare plant species at more than 20 sites across seven of Adelaide's metropolitan council areas.
City of Burnside co-funds the Bush For Life (BFL) Program in Burnside, contributing to the funding of the BFL training workshops, volunteer recruitment, volunteer support and volunteer working bees.
Dr Mark Ellis, Council’s Technical Officer Conservation and Land Management said Council hosts the Bush For Life (BFL) volunteers on council hills face reserves, as part of a long-term partnership going back to 1996.
“There are currently nine active BFL sites on council land,” Dr Ellis said. “We assist the volunteer sites with back up on-ground contractor support when required (eg brushcutting, debris removal, etc).
For the current threatened flora project, TFL grew the plants with seed collected by the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium. TFL volunteers planted most of the plants.
Council provided three hills face reserves (Gully, Themeda and Heatherbank) plus Kensington Gardens Reserve.
“We provided materials such as stakes and biodegradable guards,” said Dr Ellis. “We also supported the project with technical collaboration on site selection and locations.”
Ongoing site management of the planting sites is a shared responsibility with Trees For Life volunteers.
“Council also received plants as part of this program for planting at Kensington Gardens Reserve in the biozones. This was financed by Council and undertaken by expert bushcare contractors,” Dr Ellis said.
Green Adelaide Ecologist Jason van Weenen said that the rare plants, including the tall daisy and golden billy button, needed help to improve their chances of survival locally.
"We worked closely with Trees For Life to propagate rare and locally extinct plants, and this project saw these unique plants re-introduced to metropolitan Adelaide's environment," Mr van Weenan said.
"The seven species had largely disappeared from around metropolitan Adelaide since European settlement due to land management changes, disturbance and weeds.
"Through this project, we are hoping to learn more about the conditions and management needed to keep these species persisting in the landscape."
Bush For Life Manager Amelia Hurren said Trees For Life provided the people power for the planting days.
"Our volunteers are traditionally involved with the care of bushland areas across the sites identified for this project," said Ms Hurren.
"It is thanks to their efforts in removing weeds over years of care for the land that these locations were viable for the re-introduction of these rare species.
"We've worked with the SA Seed Conservation Centre at the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium on the selection of species for these sites, the sourcing of the limited seed, and preparing it for the best chance of germination.
"Their advice around propagation and planting design helped our volunteers on the planting days across June and July," said Ms Hurren.
SA Seed Conservation Centre botanist Dan Duval said this was an important step in helping to boost biodiversity across metropolitan Adelaide.
"The plants we've selected were once widespread across the Adelaide region.
"Bringing them back and helping these plant populations to thrive will have the knock on benefit of supporting native wildlife and helping our ecosystems to be richer and more resilient," said Mr Duval.
The project will be key in learning more about the growing conditions for a range of rare plants and could help get these species into more areas around Adelaide.
BFL volunteers planting on Burnside land.
