FEATURE ARTICLES
Best practice guidelines a win for collaboration Dr Amelia Martyn Yenson, ANPC Project Manager (Germplasm Guidelines) The Australian Network for Plant Conservation and The Australian PlantBank, Australian Institute of Botanical Science, Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan
Where do you go for information when you’re asked to source native plant seed, want to upskill to improve plant conservation, or keep up with the latest research in restoration and conservation?
Dr Amelia Martyn Yenson. Credit: Michael Lawrence‑Taylor.
Best practice guidelines that bring together research and experience can fit the bill (Image 1). And a bonus: you can reach for one publication as your gateway to knowledge, so your valuable time is well spent. The Australian Network for Plant Conservation (ANPC) recently led the collaborative effort to update and launch two best practice guidelines. These are: the third edition of Plant Germplasm Conservation in Australia – strategies and guidelines for developing, managing and utilising ex situ collections (aka the Germplasm Guidelines); and the second edition of the Florabank Guidelines – best practice guidelines for native seed collection and use. Funding to manage these projects is gratefully acknowledged from The Ian Potter Foundation and the NSW Government’s Environmental Trust, respectively. This funding supported Dr Lucy Commander (Project Manager, Florabank Guidelines) and myself, as we sought input from a wide range of experts to update and review the guidelines, which are now available for free download from the ANPC’s website. These latest guidelines complement the third edition of Guidelines for the Translocation of Threatened Plants in Australia (aka the Translocation Guidelines) updated by the ANPC in 2018.
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THE BOTANIC GARDENer | ISS 57 SUMMER 2021
