Seed Bank

Swan Regional Seedbank seed-sorting

In 1999 APACE received funding from the Natural Heritage Trust to set up Perth’s first Community Seedbank. Since that time we have had over 5,000 collections deposited into the Seedbank. This has comprised 278 different species deposited by 55 different groups. The groups have included friends groups, other community groups and local and state government departments.

The Swan Regional Seedbank

  • has been set up to act as a catalyst for seed collection. It has been designed to assist you collect provenance seed and safely store the seed until it is required by you or your group.
  • The Swan Regional Seedbank helps to maintain provenance integrity and increase biodiversity in regional revegetation projects. The seedbank encourages the planning and implementation of revegetation programmes because of the ready access to seed.
  • The Swan Regional Seedbank promotes the values of bushland and the values of the local genetic resource of seed which is becoming a rarer commodity as land on the Swan Coastal Plain disappears under housing and other developments. It also provides some insurance against fire events and subsequent seed store loss.

The aims of the Swan Regional Seedbank are: seed-collection

  • Provide appropriate training for council staff, community members and schools in best seed collection practices and act as a catalyst for seed collection.
  • Provide certification and banking facilities for the seed until required for either propagation or direct seeding projects.
  • Provide seed cleaning, processing and storage facilities at APACE for community use by accredited members.
  • Training and accreditation of community group members in the operation of our mechanical seed processing equipment.
  • Assisting in the planning and implementation of revegetation programmes because of the ready access to seed.
  • Assisting to maintain provenance integrity and increase biodiversity in regional revegetation projects.
  • Promote the values of bushland and the values of the local genetic resource of seed. Provide insurance against fire events and subsequent seed store loss.

Training

APACE runs training courses in seed collection for council staff and community members. These three day training courses equip participants with the skills necessary to confidently collect seed. We also provide training and accreditation of community group members in the operation of our mechanical seed processing equipment.