For People & Plants - Kings Park and the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

$7.50

Kings Park and the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

SPECIAL ISSUE SPRING 2021

Cover images

SPECIAL Issue | SPRING 2021 Post-mining restoration of banksia woodland in a global biodiversity hotspot.

Kings Park and the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

Left: The original woodland in the background is a reference for comparing restoration success. Researchers monitor a young restoration site.

Photo: Siegy Krauss Right: A Banksia menziesii produces its first flower.

Photo: Lauren Svejcar

From the Editor Welcome to this special issue of For People & Plants dedicated to Kings Park’s role in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030.

The Friends of Kings Park is proud to fund the publication of this issue.

The many positive outcomes achieved

by Kings Park staff and volunteers in ecological restoration over the past three decades are celebrated in an inspiring series of articles.

We highlight how on-ground success can be achieved through application of a rigorous science-based approach and through strong partnerships.

This magazine is all about you too and how you can contribute to making The Decade a success through the call-to-action steps described on p 42-43.

Enjoy this issue and be part of the solution.

Tony Scalzo, Editor Pippa Moodie, President, Friends of Kings Park

#GenerationRestoration

Kings Park and The Decade The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Restoring precious urban bushlands Volunteering to restore urban ecosystems Ex situ collections hold the key Decades of plant propagation experience Grevillea scapigera, a 30-year journey of recovery Jewels of the bushland Educating the next generation Training future leaders in ecosystem restoration Model partnership restoring banksia woodland Pilbara mine sites a tough challenge We’ve got mine waste rock dumps covered It takes a community to restore a community Life on the edge – translocation of rare cliff-dwellers Where there’s smoke, there’s fire Out of sight – take a look underwater Growing food plants for Yindjibarndi Country International connections A call for action

2

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

3 4 6 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42

foreword

Artist: Michelle ‘Wilura’ Kickett

Kings Park and The Decade T

he Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) statement of purpose reflects a determination to practice and inspire environmental conservation and to empower the community. The BGPA has embraced the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (The Decade) and this commitment is reflected in our Management Plan, a document endorsed by the Hon. Amber-Jade Sanderson, Minister for Environment and for Climate Action.

Our strategic themes include science and conservation, culture and heritage and community wellbeing. The interrelated nature of these concepts is fundamental to traditional Aboriginal understanding of our natural world and spiritual connection to country. The BGPA strives to acknowledge, celebrate and embrace that deep understanding and to connect community to our precious and unique biodiversity, the wonder of its complexity, the importance of its conservation and restoration to safeguard its existence for future generations.

The coming decade requires us to expand our research, continue sharing knowledge and look for new opportunities to extend its application and dissemination. We need to be innovative and proactive in applying knowledge to the challenges of conserving and restoring ecosystems and to inspire and empower the broader community.

It won’t just be about ‘doing restoration’, but also about fostering a culture of conservation, continuous learning, and a commitment to restoration. It is equally important to invest in knowledge sharing, training and in partnerships that create a more sustainable Western Australian community for future generations.

This special issue of For People and Plants showcases how the BGPA engages with the themes of The Decade both directly and in partnerships with affiliated volunteer organisations, with community organisations, with universities and with industry and the commercial sector. These partnerships build capability, deepen knowledge and enhance our shared appreciation of the importance of healthy and functioning ecosystems at local, national and international levels.

Alan Barrett Executive Director Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority www.bgpa.wa.gov.au

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

3

empowering a global movement

The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Dr Jason Stevens Program Leader Kings Park Science

What is the UN Decade?

T

he 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development seeks to end poverty, conserve biodiversity, combat climate change and improve livelihoods for everyone. These objectives, encapsulated in 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are unlikely to be met unless ecosystem degradation is reversed, and ecosystem restoration occurs on an unprecedented scale.

In 2019, following a proposal for action by more than 70 countries, the UN General Assembly declared 2021–2030 the ‘UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’ (The Decade) which seeks to bring political and technical focus on ecosystem restoration and ensure that healthy ecosystems play a critical role towards achieving the SDG. Launched on World Environment Day 2021, The Decade’s strategy has vision of ‘A world where – for the health and wellbeing of all life on Earth and that of future generations – we have restored the relationship between humans and nature, by increasing the area of healthy ecosystems, and by putting a stop to their loss, fragmentation and degradation’.

10 years to restore our planet.

10 actions that count.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Empower a global movement Finance restoration on the ground Set the right incentives Celebrate leadership Shift behaviours Invest in research Build up capacity Celebrate a culture of restoration Build up the next generation Listen and learn

The three main goals supporting this vision involve: 1. Enhancing global, regional, national and local commitments and actions to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems; 2. Increasing our understanding of the benefits of ecosystem restoration; 3. Applying this knowledge in our education systems and all public and private sector decision-making.

This challenge is immense.

Kings Park is uniquely placed to be part of the solution The central location of Kings Park and Bold Park, the portfolio of activities and experiences that our staff and students have developed, puts us in a unique position to continue leading significant efforts towards the restoration of our delicate and fragile ecosystems as we address these goals.

The lessons learnt from research and restoring local and regional areas, as well as providing knowledge into restoring our ecosystems around the State and internationally enables Kings Park to engage with the Decade from a position of experience.

Partnerships with industry and facilitating individuals and companies to connect with us, will enable us to continue applying our experiences of working within a global biodiversity hotspot to take action throughout The Decade ahead.

Together these actions can build a #GenerationRestoration that is open to everyone.

4

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

International connections page 40

…for every dollar spent on restoration, between three and seventy-five dollars of economic benefits from ecosystem goods and services can be expected…

The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: Strategy 2021-2030. www.decadeonrestoration.org

empowering a globalretirements movement Locations of ecosystem restoration in Western Australia Grasslands, Shrubland and Savannah Farmlands

PAGE

38

Forests Oceans and Coasts Urban Areas Freshwaters

PAGE

36

PAGE

24

PAGE

32

PAGE

34

PAGE

16

PAGE

18

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

5

celebrate leadership

Restoring precious urban bushlands Catherine McChesney Ecological Scientist Ryan Glowacki Bushland Manager

Wanju Wanju Nidja Noongar Boodjar ‘Welcome to Noongar Country’

K

ings Park (Kaarta Koomba) and Bold Park were once part of a vast and highly diverse coastal plain ecosystem, freely accessed and cared for by the Whadjuk people.

Today, they are two of Perth’s largest remnant bushlands, dominated by Western Australia’s iconic banksia and tuart woodlands and forests, now recognised as Threatened Ecological Communities.

Remarkably, these two bushlands continue to support a rich diversity of local flora, fauna and fungi, despite two centuries of degradation following European settlement. Together, they contain at least 457 native plant species, with 225 of these species being unique to one or other of the bushlands even though they are less than 10 km apart, demonstrating the extraordinarily high species diversity of the Swan Coastal Plain.

Large areas of bushland located close to city centres are rare in the world, and Kings Park and Bold Park play an increasingly important role in improving our quality of life: park visitors gain much needed health and well-being benefits by engaging with nature, and on top of that, the

bushlands help us out by improving air quality, reducing the urban heatisland effect and storing carbon.

They are ideally located to inspire conservation of biodiversity, which is critical at a time in history when we are facing the twin global crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Strong community support for the conservation of Kings Park and Bold Park bushlands has led to significant restoration activities by enthusiastic volunteers and a Bushland team since the late 1990s.

The aim is to restore diverse, representative, regionally integrated and self-sustaining native ecological communities (to the extent that is possible in an urban setting) and in doing so, honour Whadjuk heritage.

It is hoped that by improving the condition of the bushlands, they will become better refuges and ecological linkages for biodiversity, while also helping to restore people’s relationship with nature and guaranteeing the enjoyment of these special places by future generations.

The inner-city Kings Park bushland (267 ha) has more than 80 restoration sites ranging from less than 1 ha to 40 ha.

The Friends of Bold Park Bushland have been working hard at the Eastern Gateway Restoration Precinct since the late 1990s. Photo: Melissa Mykytiuk

6

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

Two significant restoration projects commenced in the late 1990’s: the WMC Resources – Mt Eliza Escarpment Restoration Project and the Alcoa – Kings Park Jarrah Tuart Restoration Project.

Both were incredibly ambitious projects, with blankets of weeds being converted to native limestone heath on the steep and unstable slopes of Mt Eliza escarpment (Mooro Kaarta), and a former rubbish tip site being restored to eucalyptus - banksia woodland on the sandy plateau.

Since the early 2000’s, restoration sites have been progressively prioritised across Kings Park’s large plateau and this work is ongoing.

The Friends of Kings Park Bushland Carers work alongside the Bushland team across a range of these sites.

Bold Park, which supports 437 ha of undulating woodlands, heaths and coastal dunes, has a greater diversity of ecological communities than Kings Park, but it also has more bushland in degraded condition. Accordingly, restoration is focused within nine main precincts that are larger than most of the Kings Park sites.

The Friends of Kings Park Bushland Carers meet regularly with the Bushland team to help restore sites across Kings Park bushland. Photo: Geoff Chidlow

celebrate leadership

Shade cloth plant guards are used to protect young plants from rabbits in Bold Park. Tube stock planting is undertaken more often than direct seeding in Kings Park and Bold Park bushlands because it yields better establishment rates. It is also an enjoyable, handson activity for volunteers who want to get involved in the restoration process.

Photo: Jason Thomas

They include a 6 ha precinct of tuart - banksia woodland selected and actively restored by the Friends of Bold Park Bushland, as well as a precinct at Reabold Hill (a high point on the Swan Coastal Plain at 85 m with spectacular coastal and city views) and several areas of woodlands and heaths burnt by wildfire, the largest at 76 ha from a summer fire in 2000.

Restoration of urban bushlands comes with many challenges, including fragmentation, historic disturbances (including limestone quarrying, timber extraction and livestock grazing), ongoing invasion by weeds and pests, arson and accidental fires, and the impacts of recreation.

Science-based adaptive management is adopted and, while the specific activities undertaken at restoration sites vary depending on the causes and amount of degradation, physical and biological site characteristics and accessibility to the public, the overall approach is underpinned by a common set of key strategies.

These include avoiding native vegetation clearing, minimising disturbance and adhering to hygiene protocols, early detection and attempted eradication of new invasive species, the control of established priority weeds and pests, replanting of local native plants from propagules collected on site and providing habitat for fauna and fungi.

Ongoing monitoring of Kings Park and Bold Park bushlands shows that restoration has resulted in many improvements, but it is also clear that neither bushland has reached the point of self-sustainability.

5.7 million annual visitors to Kings Park and Bold Park 150 hectares under restoration 2200 hectares of Veldt Grass control in 20 years 200+ hectares of post-fire management since 2000 200 kilos of local native seed collected 1.24 million local native tube stock planted 617 volunteers have contributed 18,434 hours to bushland restoration since 1997 Since restoration began, native plant abundance and species richness has increased in both bushlands which is an excellent outcome.

Perennial Veldt Grass and woody weeds have declined across Kings Park and priority weeds such as Pelargonium, Geraldton Carnation and perennial Veldt Grass have declined in Bold Park’s restoration precincts.

Veldt Grass is highly flammable and its reduction is an important component of the fire management program, with a current Fire Ecology research project demonstrating the importance of weed control following a fire to improve biodiversity outcomes and reduce bushfire risk.

But it is not all good news. The longterm decline in iconic resprouting banksias (B. attenuata and B. menziesii) in Kings Park is particularly concerning and a research project into causes of their decline has been undertaken and efforts are being made to increase replantings.

Many resprouting shrubs (plants with lignotubers) have also declined in both Kings Park and Bold Park and research into improving propagation success has recently commenced

through financial support from the Friends of Kings Park Fund.

Weeds continue to be a major issue and their management accounts for the greatest proportion of restoration resources. To ensure effective use of resources, regular monitoring is used to prioritise weed threats and guide the weed control program.

The last decade was particularly tough for Perth’s bushlands, with declining rainfall and increasing temperatures, including one of the hottest summers on record over 2010 – 2011.

Two decades of work in Kings Park and Bold Park has shown that restoration can help push back against threatening processes, but interventions to reverse degradation are still very much needed, particularly given the drier and hotter conditions predicted for this region.

The current decade – the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration – is a critical moment to engage with Whadjuk people to listen and learn about healing country and to expand the science-based conservation and restoration effort across Perth’s bushland network.

Our unique biodiversity and our future generations depend on it.

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

7

celebrate leadership

Restoring Bold Park bushland One of the larger restoration precincts in Bold Park (the Oceanic Precinct) takes in the west side of Zamia Trail but not the east side. The difference in condition between the restored (west) and unrestored (east) sides is immediately obvious to those who take a walk along the trail. A tuart - banksia canopy with scattered Zamias (Macrozamia fraseri) occur on both sides, but the understoreys are very different.

An aerial view showing an abundance of perennial Veldt Grass and other weeds such as Rose Pelargonium (Pelargonium capitatum) on the left (unrestored side) compared to dense native vegetation (with tube stock just visible) on the right (restored side).

Photo: Ben Nuske

An understorey dominated by the highly invasive weed perennial Veldt Grass (Ehrharta calycina) on the unrestored side (east of Zamia Trail). Photo: Marty Brotherson

Restoring Mt Eliza escarpment A significant restoration project on Kings Park’s Mt Eliza escarpment commenced in 1998 with initial financial support from WMC Resources, resulting in dramatic improvements to both the scarp’s stability and its native biodiversity. Historic disturbances from limestone quarrying, timber extraction, path construction and planting of exotic species all led to the geological instability and degradation of the scarp.

Prior to restoration, sites like this were common on the scarp, with an abundance of non-native pine trees (Pinus spp.), Century plant (Agave americana) and the highly invasive Bridal Creeper (Asparagus asparagoides), and very few native plant species. Photo: Ian McLean

8

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

An understorey with a diverse range of native species on the restored side (west of Zamia Trail). Photo: Marty Brotherson

celebrate leadership

Restoring a former tip site in Kings Park bushland A former tip site, operating as the main area for rubbish disposal in Kings Park until 1990, was restored to eucalyptus - banksia woodland with support from Alcoa of Australia and Rocla Quarry Products (now Hanson Heidelberg Cement Group). Significant site works preceded revegetation, including refuse removal, levelling and deep ripping, removal of contaminated soil, infill with clean yellow sand and herbicide application.

The former tip prior to site works, showing soil bunds and heavy weed invasion.

Photo: BGPA collection

In 1998, Banksia sessilis brush was laid in strips to improve soil conditions, and volunteers and staff joined together to plant native seedlings; direct seeding was undertaken shortly after.

Photo: BGPA collection

Following the careful removal of large quantities of weeds, a range of bioengineering techniques were used to reduce the risk of erosion and rock fall. Here, jutemat had been laid on exposed slopes for temporary stabilisation, and a mix of native limestone heath species were being planted to provide long-term soil stabilisation following root development. Ropes and harnesses were used to ensure safety on a very steep slope. Photo: Tony Scalzo

The former tip site in 2021, after 23 years of restoration.

Photo: Ryan Glowacki

Native limestone heath covers the slope in 2013, after 15 years of restoration. Photo: BGPA collection For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

9

shift behaviours

Volunteering to restore urban ecosystems Dr Tony Scalzo Research Scientist

C

ommunity and volunteer groups are an essential part of many organisations. Over the last 40 to 50 years the number of people volunteering to help with ‘Friends of’ groups has grown considerably.

These groups help with the conservation and restoration of remnant native bushland, growing plants and assisting scientists with field and laboratory experiments. The contribution of these groups has made a significant difference in preventing the decline of biodiversity and natural ecosystems, and in research breakthroughs.

Urban bushland restoration The Friends of Kings Park and Friends of Bold Park have been working with staff on ecological restoration projects for more than two decades. These efforts have focused on a range of ecological outcomes including working on high profile and often visited sites to prevent their degradation, removal of woody weeds and targeting specific weed species to assist in their eradication.

For example, the Friends of Kings Park Bushland Carers has contributed to weeding out Watsonia meriana, an introduced invasive bulb from southern Africa, from the bushland.

Collection of seed for restoration projects and planting out tube stock has also contributed significantly to enhancing natural populations of plants and restoring these species in degraded areas.

The Friends of Kings Park Bushland Carers team remove Watsonia meriana from Kings Park bushland.

10

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

Growing Friends and urban conservation The Growing Friends and Friends of Kings Park plant sales have been operating since 1995. This group was initially set up, in part, to provide a fund-raising mechanism for the Friends of Kings Park.

Over the past two and half decades the Growing Friends has grown healthy tube stock of native Western Australian plants mainly for people in Perth and the south-west to plant in their gardens and verges.

Since the 1970s, more people have embraced the notion of growing Australian native plants to attract local wildlife by providing them with habitat and food.

Growing local plants and other native plants from the region is an important conservation measure, particularly as the construction of cities has led to continued clearing of bushland.

The use of local and regional native plants in private gardens and on verges is also critical to provide connectivity between patches of remnant bushland within urban areas and cities, such as between Kings Park and Bold Park.

These vibrant and essential garden resources provide pitstops along highways for fauna to travel between bushland patches. They also provide mechanisms for gene flow (via transfer of pollen and seeds) between fragmented bushland, leading to enhanced genetic resilience of plant and animal species through the process of outbreeding.

The site after the weeds were removed.

shift behaviours

Friends of Kings Park plant sales are extremely popular as they give the public the opportunity to source plants not commonly available in retail nurseries.

Below: This attractive verge garden contains local and rare plants, many sourced from the Friends of Kings Park plant sales.

The Friends of Kings Park plant sales are extremely popular with the public. Long queues are a regular sight before the gates open as buyers are eager to purchase new offerings. When strolling through many Perth suburbs you find gardens and street verges have been planted with plants grown and sold by this dedicated group of volunteers.

The plant sales are an important mechanism for generating interest in Western Australia’s unique flora and for providing an outlet for plant species that are not readily available. Some species that are extremely rare or threatened in their natural habitats have become commonly grown garden plants, such as Eremophila nivea.

The Growing Friends collaborate with horticultural staff to obtain the best advice for native plant propagation.

The Growing Friends also work closely with scientists to apply the latest breakthroughs in how to germinate and propagate species which are normally recalcitrant to current propagation techniques. It is this collaboration which provides Western Australians with the opportunity to enjoy the State’s unique flora in their own backyard while contributing to biodiversity conservation.

The proceeds from plant sales support research projects in Kings Park Science, the next generation of restoration research scientists through the Summer Scholarship program, as well as the direct benefit of enhancing urban environments through restoring habitats.

4 plant sales hosted annually to the public 300,000+ plants sold in the past 10 years 40+ regular Growing Friends volunteers 1400+ species grown by the Growing Friends $1,459,300 raised from plant sales

Eremophila nivea, growing here on a roadside, is a very rare species in its natural habitat but is now commonly grown in gardens.

All photos: Tony Scalzo For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

11

build up capacity

Ex situ collections hold the key Dr Emma Dalziell Research Scientist Dr David Merritt Research Scientist Dr Bryn Funnekotter Research Scientist Dr Eric Bunn Research Scientist

E

x situ conservation, the conservation of species and their genetic diversity ‘off-site’ or away from the natural habitat, is a core function of many botanic gardens.

Ex situ conservation encompasses a range of techniques and technologies to collect, store, study and use plant material.

At Kings Park, ex situ conservation has been undertaken since the 1960s, when the seed bank was established to support the creation of the Botanic Garden. Today, the ex situ conservation programs include seed banking, tissue culture, cryopreservation and plant collections within the display gardens.

Ex situ conservation is an important strategy to prevent the loss of biodiversity from a myriad of threats in the plant’s natural habitat. It also plays a major role in supporting ecosystem restoration and rare species translocations.

Genetically and geographically representative collections of seeds can be sourced and banked over many years to build sufficient stocks for restoration.

Inside the Western Australian Seed Centre vault at Kings Park where the seeds of 3,800 Western Australian native species are stored at -20°C. Photo: Dave Blumer

12

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

Plants grown from seeds or vegetatively through tissue culture can be used as founder material to develop seed orchards where seed supplies are limited.

The collections provide opportunities to research plant biology, propagation and establishment requirements, pests and disease resilience, climate change resilience and adaptation, and many other factors that contribute to restoration success.

The largest ex situ collections are held in the seed bank of The Western Australian Seed Centre. Seeds are sourced from across WA, including locally, where seeds assist bushland restoration in Kings Park and Bold Park.

More than 300 of these bushland species are stored in the seed bank and are used for urban bushland restoration.

Kings Park has worked for more than 20 years as part of national and international collaborative conservation initiatives through the Australian Seed Bank Partnership and the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership.

These partnerships have resulted in collections of more than 2000 WA species, with most duplicated at the Millennium Seed Bank in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The tissue culture collection houses 47 rare and threatened species with more than 200 clonal accessions capturing some of the genetic diversity.

This collection began in 1982 and has close to a thousand collections with a hundred species successfully initiated into tissue culture.

The Grevillea scapigera collection (See page 16) is of particular importance to translocation where 25 different accessions of this threatened species were collected.

The tissue culture collection supports species conservation and restoration, with collections made from a wide range of genera, including the carnivorous species Aldrovanda vesiculosa.

Cryopreservation (storage of plants in liquid nitrogen, temperatures below -130°C) provides a long-term conservation option for these species in tissue culture, as well as a backup for collections in the seed bank.

Cryopreservation collections began in 1992 and now include collections of seed, shoot tips from tissue culture material and symbiotic fungi for the orchid collection.

Ex situ methods provide an important component of plant conservation and restoration, however, our knowledge of how plant material responds to ex situ storage conditions is still limited due to the number and diversity of our native flora.

build up capacity

Seed collecting in the Pilbara. Kings Park staff travel far and wide to collect seeds to support conservation and restoration projects. Photo: Luke Sweedman

Examples of the threatened species growing in the tissue culture collection.

Top row – Acacia leptoneura, Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Banksia montana, Darwinia masonii.

Middle row – a shelf including Hakea aculeata. Bottom row – Eremophila pinnatifida, and Symonanthus bancroftii, with an image of the tissue culture room. On the right – a flowering specimen of Grevillea scapigera. Photos: Bryn Funnekotter

Our current and future research, including a four-year Australian Research Council grant with financial support from the Friends of Kings Park Fund, aims to understand seed storage performance and to develop new technologies that will assist in the early identification of problematic seed collections and establish alternative methods of storage to increase their lifespan.

This work will contribute to ensuring that seeds remain healthy and useful for restoration programs in the decades, or centuries, to come.

Water wheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa) a small aquatic carnivorous plant is maintained in liquid medium in tissue culture.

Photo: Bryn Funnekotter

3800+ species stored ex situ at Kings Park ~25% of the total flora of WA ~15,000 packets of seed 985 jars in tissue culture 1209 vials in ultra-low temperature cryogenic storage 293 species in cryogenic storage 164 threatened species from WA 47 species of conservation significance in tissue culture 400+ eucalyptus species stored in the seed vault (-20°C) 300+ Western Australian acacia species stored in the seed vault (-20°C) 60+ summer scholarship, honours and postgraduate students in the last 20 years For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

13

build up capacity

Decades of plant propagation experience Amanda Shade Nursery Curator & Trainee Coordinator

Spring in the Kings Park Nursery. Photo: Dave Blumer

T

he Kings Park Nursery provides an integral link in the chain from the field to the final product of plant production.

Since it was established in 1962 (several years before the Western Australian Botanic Garden opened) it has not deviated from its focus of striving for excellence in the propagation and cultivation of Western Australian flora.

Our strength is the team’s ability to experiment and think ‘outside the box’ when applying technical horticultural practices and perhaps most importantly, document findings. This is done so that others may replicate what we find as the best practice for the propagation of species that may be rare, temperamental, or new to cultivation.

This is how we expand the capacity of the restoration community to grow and plant more species.

The nursery produces 50,000 to 60,000 plants a year for essential programs within managed land at Kings Park and Bold Park, such as botanic garden displays, education, tree replacement, restoration and rehabilitation.

The team also assists in translocation and conservation programs (managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions) across different ecosystems around the State. The Nursery provides education,

14

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

Nursery staff in 2015 inspect Grammosolen odgersii subsp. occidentalis plants. From left Amanda Shade, Krystel Field, Fernanda Veraldo and Holley Ardron.

Photo: Dave Blumer

training and support for many industries including horticultural traineeships, work experience opportunities, threatened species researchers and Friends of Kings Park volunteer groups.

The team has decades of experience and specialises in propagating many Western Australian threatened species for translocation programs. Our role in the translocation process is not only to produce these plants, but to keep meticulous and important records of the provenance of material and aspects of propagation and establishment processes in the production of the plants. Diligent and accurate record keeping is essential for future reference, research and planning.

build up capacity These threatened species have ranged in distribution from the Mid-West, Central and Southern Wheatbelt, Geraldton, Albany and the Stirling Range, Swan Coastal Plain, Perth Hills, Esperance and Busselton. Genera grown include Acacia, Banksia, Darwinia, Daviesia, Eremophila, Grevillea, Lambertia and Verticordia.

Besides horticultural techniques, it is important that the team learn as much as they can about where a species occurs naturally and the factors that may play a part in successful propagation and establishment processes – things like soil type, environmental conditions, life cycle, or how it reproduces. The more we can learn about a species before propagation, the better equipped we are at deciding what methods to apply, particularly when faced with limited material to work with, as is often the case with threatened flora.

Most plants are grown from seed and provided to the nursery as very small just-germinated seedlings. Those that have proved difficult to germinate are sometimes trialled for vegetative propagation.

For example, the critically endangered Grevillea calliantha (Foote’s Grevillea) grows in a limited area in the Mid-West and since 1997 the nursery team has grown and provided more than 1100 plants for its translocation.

It has been successfully propagated from both seed and cuttings.

While each method has its associated pros and cons, the preparation and monitoring of cuttings for species such as this one requires a lot of time and resources.

If propagation has never been previously tried, it may even require experimentation and manipulation of multiple variables to get the process right.

For Foote’s Grevillea, we spent a lot of time and effort to work out what was required in terms of quality and type of material, timing, hormone treatment, media and environmental conditions to guarantee successful propagation and translocation. These intensive efforts to generate plants of threatened species are important steps in meeting the goals of the UN Decade on Restoration.

The nursery team is proud of their contribution to the important aspects of the restoration of our urban woodlands and translocation of WA’s most threatened flora. We look forward to continuing this essential work for the next decade, as it is for the next generation of people and plants that we do this work.

DBCA Research Scientist Leonie Monks, with Kings Park’s new seed collector Matthew Stray and nursery staff member Fernanda Veraldo, pack a vehicle with threatened flora for transport to 2021 translocation sites in the Stirling Range National Park. Photo: Amanda Shade

Plant propagation started in 1962 50-60,000 plants produced annually 150+ horticultural trainees educated Threatened species propagation for translocation started in 1997 82 critically endangered species propagated 32,500 tube stock planted in translocations

Grevillea calliantha (Foote’s Grevillea) seedlings, left, and flowers, below, produced for 2021 translocation.

Photos: Dave Blumer

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

15

invest in research

Grevillea scapigera,

a 30-year journey of recovery Dr Siegy Krauss Research Scientist

T

he vital contribution of Kings Park to The Decade is built on many decades of research and practise in the recovery of native species and degraded ecosystems.

The extraordinary story of the critically endangered Corrigin Grevillea is a flagship example. First collected in 1954, it has only ever been known from a handful of small, mainly degraded, roadside populations within 50 km of the Wheatbelt town of Corrigin.

The Corrigin Grevillea was presumed extinct in 1986, a consequence of broadscale destruction of its habitat for agriculture.

In 1989 a single grafted plant was identified at the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, which was brought to Kings Park and initiated successfully into in vitro culture. The following year naturally occurring plants were rediscovered near Corrigin. Only 35 specimens were known in the wild at the time.

A translocation was determined to be essential for the survival of the species. The aim was to re-establish at least three self-sustaining populations in the wild to improve its conservation status. In situ conservation efforts were underpinned by the establishment of a secure ex situ

collection, where 25 wild genotypes are maintained in cryopreservation and tissue culture at Kings Park.

A key step was the appointment of a recovery team which included Bob Dixon from Kings Park, staff from the (then) WA Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM), the Australian Nature Conservation Agency and members of the local community. The voluntary involvement and enthusiasm of the community, led by the amazing Robin Campbell in Corrigin, Kings Park volunteers and the Corrigin Landcare group which includes local farmers, has been critical.

In the early 1990s, secure translocation sites were identified within the last remaining native vegetation remnants and fenced to exclude rabbits. Plantings of around 425 seedlings were initially carried out between 1993 and 1998 under strict phytosanitary guidelines.

Seedlings were propagated by tissue culture from ten wild plants, as seeds were not able to be germinated.

In 1999, a genetic study showed over half of all plants were from a single clone. This was addressed by increasing the number of clones from tissue culture and introducing additional wild plants.

The delicate insect pollinated flower of the Corrigin Grevillea, Grevillea scapigera.

Photo: Siegy Krauss

16

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

Corrigin Grevillea, Grevillea scapigera, in ex situ tissue culture collection at Kings Park. Photo: Siegy Krauss

invest in research

Plantings occurred in following years, largely from seed harvested on site, once dormancy issues were resolved. Flowering and natural seed set has been very high and some natural recruitment occurred in most years.

Plants were again genetically monitored in 2007, 2012 and 2018 which showed that measures implemented to stabilise the erosion of genetic diversity have been successful, with genetic diversity increasing in third generation plants. Genetic results highlighted that rapid genetic erosion may be a feature of many small, translocated populations that without attention may ultimately threaten their longterm survival.

Hundreds of adult plants have been established in secure, threat-free sites. In most years, plants have flowered heavily and attracted large numbers of insect pollinators, resulting in abundant seed set, estimated in many years to exceed one million seeds. Seed now persists in the soil-stored seed bank and burial trials show seed viability remains very high after many years.

In 2014, for example, almost all of an estimated 455 individuals across all translocation sites were the result of in situ germination of soil-stored seed. In 2021 only 50 plants remain, reflecting particularly harsh drought conditions over recent years and the naturally ephemeral nature of wild populations, where individual plants typically live for up to eight years. Knowledge of the extensive soil-stored seed bank, however, suggests that appropriate disturbance (naturally, fire) will stimulate a mass germination response.

The original aim, which was to establish three self-sustaining translocated populations, was met within 20 years. Sites have not been actively managed for several years but appear to be self-sustaining, in part because local species are outcompeting weeds.

All sites are well vegetated and species richness of flora and fauna continues to increase. Ultimately, the lessons learnt from this highly successful recovery of the Corrigin Grevillea highlights the important work of Kings Park and underpins future success stories in this forthcoming Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Bob Dixon monitors tagged plants of Grevillea scapigera at the Corrigin airstrip translocation site. Photo: Siegy Krauss

Siegy Krauss monitors Grevillea scapigera, Corrigin airstrip translocation site. Photo: Robin Campbell

The floristically diverse Grevillea scapigera translocation site at Corrigin airstrip in 2018. Photo: Siegy Krauss For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

17

invest in research

Jewels of the bushland Dr Belinda Davis Research Scientist

F

Western Power PhD research student (2001) Andrew Batty, examines orchid cultures produced in the laboratory.

Translocation of laboratory grown, critically endangered Caladenia busselliana to the field. Photo: Brian Trainer

18

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

airies, dragons, kings and queens are typically found in the pages of fairy tales and legends, but they are also ephemeral stars in Western Australia’s orchid flora.

More than 400 species of orchid occur here, the majority of which can be found nowhere else on Earth.

They have intricate webs of above ground deception of wasp pollinators and below ground fungal mutualisms.

Orchids are model subjects to investigate ecosystem function and the diverse orchid flora of Western Australia has long been a fertile ground inspiring scientific minds.

The Kings Park Science Orchid Conservation Program has been running for about 30 years, initially fostered by Kingsley Dixon and expanded under the direction of Andrew Batty and Mark Brundrett.

The commitment to ex situ conservation is at its core, with the establishment of the cryo-stored seed and fungal banks. Ex situ conservation remains a core function to this day, supported by international collaborations such as the Millennium Seed Bank project at Kew Gardens.

Early translocation efforts focused on the threatened Cinnamon Sun Orchid, Thelymitra dedmaniarum, and the Dwarf Bee Orchid, Diuris micrantha, funded by Western Power and centred on optimising germination and plant growth.

The launch of the first International Orchid Conservation Congress in 1999 through Kings Park’s Orchid Conservation Program brought together scientists from around the world to improve orchid conservation and foster collaborative efforts. It still runs today.

The program expanded rapidly to include postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers and the diversity of research topics flourished.

Work began on understanding the ultimate puzzle of the orchid world, the unique Underground Orchid (Rhizanthella gardneri now also encompassing Rhizanthella johnstonii) by Jeremy Bougoure and Sofi Mursidawati. This was no small task, given the complex tripartite relationship between a host tree, orchid and fungal partner. Not to mention the difficulty in finding something that lives its entire life cycle below ground!

A multidisciplinary research approach is required to unravel the complexities of interactions and piece together what is required for translocations.

The first of many such integrative studies involved the rare Grand Spider Orchid, Caladenia huegelii,

by Nigel Swarts.

invest in research

7 species translocated 4 wild C. busselliana plants to 2000 propagated plants 270 species cryopreserved as seed 181 fungal species in cryopreservation 60 species in ex situ living collections 10 species of orchid available at Friends of Kings Park plant sales 8 Friends of Kings Park volunteers in the ‘Orchid Carers’ group

South coast Underground Orchid, Rhizanthella johnstonii.

Photo: Kings Park archive

Orchid research projects use conservation genetics, pollination studies, mycorrhizal ecology and ex situ and in situ conservation in a multidisciplinary approach for science-driven conservation actions.

Collaborative projects began pushing scientific boundaries in pollinator attraction through studies of floral evolution and chemistry by Ryan Phillips, Myles Menz and Alyssa Weinstein and a partnership with the Australian National University.

Compounds new to science were discovered and the existence of cryptic orchid and pollinator species were unravelled.

Moving underground, research

by Belinda Davis and Wei-Han Lim used radioactive tracers to understand how orchids acquired their nutrition from the soil via fungal partners.

Adult plants were also found to ‘nurse’ their offspring through shared fungal networks.

The evocative Queen of Sheba, Thelymitra variegata, eluded effective propagation for close to a decade until a collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria provided renewed efforts to decode the Queen’s secrets.

Building on those initial propagation protocols developed at the beginning of the Orchid Conservation Program, an improved nutrient mix was found.

50+ people involved Laboratory-grown Queen of Sheba, Thelymitra variegata. Photo: Dave Blumer

The incremental knowledge gains of each species has finally led to a winning propagation protocol.

A protocol that can now be optimised for other challenging species.

Many brilliant minds have contributed to the Orchid Conservation Program and left their mark to further our knowledge of orchid ecology.

The countless hours put in by our ‘Orchid Carers’ over the years has been integral to achieving its research and conservation successes.

Perhaps the greatest challenge now is the recovery of Bussell’s Spider Orchid Caladenia, busselliana.

The hustle for Bussell’s has seen this species brought back from the brink of extinction. Where just four plants were left in the wild, there are now more than 2000 plants in the glasshouse of which 560 are soon to be translocated to the wild, the largest orchid translocation in Western Australian history.

Standing on the shoulders of giants, there are an impressive number of orchids for which Kings Park Science can offer effective conservation solutions, ensuring these jewels of the bush are there for future generations to enjoy.

Translocated Bussell’s Spider Orchids, Caladenia busselliana, flowering on site.

Photo: Belinda Davis

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

19

build up the next generation

Educating the next generation Charlotte Vaughan Education and Learning Manager Kiely O’Flaherty Schools Program Coordinator

E

ducation and Learning in Kings Park and Bold Park provides stimulating hands-on, inquiry-based and immersive learning experiences for kindergarten to tertiary-aged students. Our suite of innovative education programs supports the Western Australian curriculum while highlighting local plants, people and places and the actions we can all take as a connected community to ensure a sustainable future.

Equipped with skills to lead at school and in their community, students can become custodians for environmental change and join Kings Park in the global movement to restore our world.

Fostering connections with our environment The journey begins in early childhood and continues through primary school where opportunities to connect with nature help children develop positive attitudes towards the environment which will last a lifetime.

Reduced human experience with nature is directly linked to the loss of biodiversity.

Regular time in nature during the early childhood years may counteract this decline in biodiversity as children build knowledge, relationships and empathy for non-human species including plants. K. Beasley et al., 2021 Zippy’s Kings Park Adventures is an environmental education program for kindergarten-aged children. Interactive and engaging in design, this outdoor early learning program aims to develop curiosity about the environment and conservation.

The program is delivered in four eightweek terms over the school year. Each week children enjoy stories about native animals and plants incorporating Noongar culture, engage in nature-based play and explore the bushland in Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park.

E-STEM integrates Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, with place-based environmental education, and project and community-based learning.

E-STEM combines learning with cultural understanding and well-being to help

20

Kings Park’s Senior Education Officer, Gemma Wood and Duncraig Senior High School students carry out ex situ conservation at the WA Ecology Centre, Bold Park. Photo: Ellen Davies

Noongar Elder Cynthia Garlett joins education presenter Louise Tero and volunteer Janet Walker to share language and culture. Helping children to understand and connect with native flora and fauna from an early age has life-long benefits for health, well-being and our environment.

Photo: Emma Schoknecht

young people become scientifically literate and environmentally aware. By spending time in nature, understanding indigenous knowledge and western science.

Making connections with local environmental issues, primary aged students can be enthused by STEM

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

principles to help solve real environmental problems.

Incorporating citizen science projects during E-STEM action week helps generate change and make a positive difference for the environment. Each visiting class receives a native tree grown by

build up the next generation Primary school teachers and educators explore the benefits of learning in nature in a professional learning workshop.

Photo: Anna Newton

the Friends of Kings Park to plant and care for at their school. Participating in environmentally friendly behaviour equips students to lead environmental action in their school and community.

They become advocates for social and environmental change, educating their families and broader community about the value of sustainability.

This advocacy is important in achieving the aims of The Decade.

In March 2021, Year 11 ATAR Biology students were among the first to take part in a new restoration ecology program in Bold Park.

The program explores in situ restoration techniques and ex situ ecological conservation practices,

with a focus on seed conservation, tracking climate change through data collection, plant surveying, fire ecology practices, scientific sampling techniques and the importance of Aboriginal ecological knowledge in land management. This program aims to encourage the next generation of conservation scientists and ecologists by providing inspiration, practical experience, and insight into restoration techniques.

Educating the wider community about positive environmental actions they can take at an individual and community level is the most effective way to shift behaviour to support both ecological sustainability and

youth development. We support these aims in the broader community with a variety of experiences, such as corporate workshops, holiday programs, professional learning, interpretive signage, festival workshops, horticultural apprenticeships and volunteering.

Further reading Beasley, K., Lee-Hammond, L., Hesterman, S. (2021). A Framework for supporting the development of botanical literacies in early childhood education. International Journal of Early Childhood. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s13158-021-00291-x?

Jessica Glover, Matthew Stray and Kylie ShaiGaull from Kings Park horticulture share their role in conservation during E-STEM Action Week. Schools were given a Silver Princess, Eucalyptus caesia, propagated by the Growing Friends.

Photo: Kiely O’Flaherty

Fremantle Primary School students join the Kings Park Education team during E-STEM Action Week for handson learning activities in our unique banksia woodland. Photo: Ellen Davies For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

21

build up the next generation

Training future leaders in ecosystem restoration Dr Laura Skates Research Scientist and Communications

Friends of Kings Park Summer Scholarship program (2021) sees former scholars supervising current scholars. Photo: Siegy Krauss

K

ings Park Science plays a vital role in training the next generation of conservation and restoration scientists and leaders.

Students have the opportunity to become fully immersed in current research at Kings Park – whether that be through tours of the laboratory and glasshouse facilities, guest lectures and undergraduate courses, or work experience and internship programs. Now in its 16th year, the Kings Park Summer Scholar program has seen more than a hundred tertiary students undertake exciting three-month research projects, with mentorship

Rose Kerr, Laura Skates and Siobhan Sullivan with Dr Jane Goodall DBE during her 2017 visit to Kings Park to plant a naturally occurring but extremely rare hybrid Eucalyptus x mundijongensis. Photo: Grady Brand

22

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

from Kings Park scientists and generous support from the Friends of Kings Park Fund.

Many students continue on to postgraduate degrees or postdoctoral research with Kings Park, further developing skills and expertise in their chosen fields. Now, whether they work in research, practice, or community engagement, or share knowledge through art and storytelling, these graduates continue to make critical contributions towards achieving conservation and restoration goals for The Decade, both here in Australia and worldwide.

The University of Western Australia’s undergraduate Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology class coordinated by Kings Park scientists.

Photo: BGPA archive

build up the next generation

Here are some of their stories.

Dr Lucy Commander From technical officer and PhD candidate at Kings Park to now Project Manager at the Australian Network for Plant Conservation.

The networks I built while at Kings Park and the practical experiences I had were really valuable to the work I do now.

It helps to know who the experts are, and to have first-hand experiences of the real-world challenges in restoration and finding creative ways to problem-solve them.

Rose Kerr From high school work experience to Kings Park Summer Scholar and Honours student to now Science Communications Officer at the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust in Sydney.

I have a lot of happy memories at Kings Park, but one that stands out was during my Honours year when Jane Goodall was visiting to plant a tree. Seeing Jane and hearing her speak about conservation was so inspiring and special. I love hearing and sharing stories of research projects in the plant science space.

Dr Ben Anderson From Masters research at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to PhD candidate at Kings Park and now Research Scientist at the WA Herbarium.

I picked up bioinformatic skills and experience with sequence data at Kings Park that I am still applying in my daily work.

I also enjoyed watching the Nuytsia outside the lab window flower and my field trips to the Pilbara, Kimberley, Little Sandy Desert and along the Gunbarrel Highway.

Tiahna Oxenham An environmental science student and Malgana artist collaborating with Kings Park scientists.

I have a passion for knowledge of everything related to plants, right down to their cells. This passion is transferred to my art, with each piece incorporating both western and indigenous knowledge to reflect how I see the world.

Dr Jessica Stingemore From Kings Park Summer Scholar

Dr Lauren Svejcar From dryland ecology research in the US to PhD candidate at Kings Park and now Research Ecologist at US Department of Agriculture in Oregon.

At Kings Park I was able to gain an entirely new perspective on seed biology and the complexities of high biodiversity ecosystems, and also learn about the cultural differences and similarities between the US and Australia, particularly from a restoration implementation perspective.

Dr Amber Bateman From Kings Park Summer Scholar to PhD candidate and research assistant with Kings Park and now Policy Officer at the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

I have many fond memories of Kings Park – working with the experienced staff in science and parks management, having the opportunity to drive my own research, and contributing to events like the Spring Festival. I learnt a lot of my data analysis skills there, and how to work with a variety of stakeholders.

Dr Wei Han Lim From research assistant and PhD candidate with Kings Park to Visiting Research Fellow at Singapore Botanical Gardens and now Research Scientist at Republic Polytechnic.

I developed my collaborative skills at Kings Park, and made lifelong friendships. My work there in orchid cultivation and eco-physiology research provided me with valuable knowledge and skills for my current work.

Dr Olga Kildisheva From restoration research in the US to PhD candidate at Kings Park and now Innovative Restoration Project Manager for The Nature Conservancy in Oregon.

I continue to use the skills and knowledge from my PhD in my current role, developing seed enhancement technologies for the restoration of the sagebrush steppe. I’m grateful for the lasting collaborations and friendships I was able to build while at Kings Park and for the chance to work in one of the most beautiful settings on the planet.

to PhD candidate with Kings Park to now Charles Darwin Reserve Manager with Bush Heritage Australia.

The highlight of my time at Kings Park was the exposure to such a wide range of research and the opportunity to contribute to internationally acclaimed studies. My PhD shows employers that I am able to conduct and analyse research, work independently, manage budgets, ensure HSE requirements are met and present ideas to diverse audiences.

220+ PhD, masters and honours students 250+ undergraduate students 108 Summer Scholarship students 10 university institutions 15 countries Dr Marion Cambridge (UWA) and Dr Wolfgang Lewandrowski with Tiahna Oxenham and her completed seagrass-inspired artwork. Photo: Elizabeth Sinclair

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

23

invest in research

Model partnership restoring banksia woodland Dr Jason Stevens Research Scientist Dr Alison Ritchie Research Scientist

The target - to restore a functioning banksia woodland after disturbance. Photo: Carole Elliott

I

n 1995, Hanson Heidelberg Cement Group (formerly Rocla Quarry Products) approached the Kings Park Science Directorate with the ambitious plan of returning mined sites to an ecosystem closely resembling the species composition of naturally occurring banksia woodland.

Hanson’s aim was to develop international leading practice for the integrated restoration of previously mined sites. Such an approach had not been attempted for an ecosystem in a biodiversity hotspot.

Over the past 26 years Kings Park Science has been working in a mutually driven partnership with Hanson to tackle the complex restoration and conservation needs of banksia woodland communities. By linking Kings Park’s scientific research programs to Hanson’s restoration projects after sand extraction activities, the partnership has successfully achieved much-needed restoration on a large scale.

The on-ground restoration outcomes have been extremely successful, with the sites now boasting some of the highest levels of species and plant reinstatement per unit area of post-mined restoration in the resources sector, matching that of natural bushland systems.

The restoration research is focused on learning from what site treatments promote the best outcomes, using innovative approaches to deliver seed and novel ways of understanding plant function in restoration through remote sensing.

Large scale banksia woodland restoration post-mining at Hanson’s Perth operations. Photo: Lauren Svejcar

24

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

invest in research

Below: Installing experimental restoration plots at Hanson mine site to test seed enhancement technologies of Jacksonia species for improved establishment rates.

Bottom: The Golden Gecko award-winning restoration at Gaskell (background) with Hanson staff Zoe Keller, Bruce Hardy and Vern Newton (2018).

Photos: Alison Ritchie

Species rich banksia woodland restoration (two years old) with Banksia menziesii, front right, finally old enough to flower. Photo: Lauren Svejcar

This knowledge will continue to inform restoration of other land-use systems, including managing fragmented banksia woodland systems such as those found in Kings Park and Bold Park.

Restoration excellence at Hanson sites can be used to promote leading practice in the resources and restoration sector which has been an important outcome from this partnership.

Extending knowledge to national and international audiences has taken several forms applicable to The Decade ahead including: • Sponsorships of more than six national/international restoration conferences.

• Promoting the restoration journey as a case study for publication in an international technical series of papers to coincide with the 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Mexico.

• Promoting restoration outcomes in the WA Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety Rehabilitation Showcase.

1 Threatened Ecological Community

• Undertaking educational tours by Hanson and Kings Park to allow students and the public to learn about the importance of banksia woodland ecology, conservation and restoration.

2 Golden Gecko awards

The research partnership has shown that the restoration of fragile, complex and biodiverse ecosystems within a global biodiversity hotspot is possible through dedicated, long-term restoration research excellence and leadership.

Ongoing engagement between restoration scientists and students with Hanson’s senior managers and operational staff has led to the application of research outcomes into restoration operations and a cycle of continuous restoration improvement has evolved.

This relationship and its world-class restoration and extension outcomes are what we can build on in The Decade ahead.

140 species with developed germination approaches

100 native plants per five square metres after two years

8+ Post-Doctoral researchers engaged 25+ higher degree research students 6+ collaborative national research grants Practitioner guide Banksia woodlands – a guide to their restoration on the Swan Coastal Plain

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

25

invest in research

Pilbara mine sites a tough challenge Dr David Merritt Research Scientist Dr Todd Erickson Research Scientist

T

he Pilbara is one of the most spectacular bioregions of Western Australia.

The expansive grasslands dotted with imposing mesas are intersected by the rivers and flood plains of the Fortescue Marsh. These visions typify the Australian outback with endless blue skies contrasting the red, rocky soils.

This ancient landscape is floristically diverse for a semiarid region, supporting around 1800 native plant species.

The region is also a bonanza for the Australian economy as one of the world’s primary sources of iron ore and other minerals.

One of the consequences of mining is thousands of square kilometres of disturbance and degradation.

Kings Park Science has a long history of research in this region to support ecological restoration, forming longrunning partnerships with industry including BHP and Rio Tinto. A primary focus has been the development of seed technologies to improve our capability to re-establish biodiverse plant communities on the large scale necessary to repair mining footprints.

A starting point is seed biology, particularly the requirements for sourcing large amounts of seeds, storing seeds and developing the know-how to germinate them.

One highlight of this research was the release of the Pilbara Seed Atlas and Field Guide in April 2016.

This photographic guide to more than 100 species synthesises over a decade of research into their seed biology and propagation for restoration.

Knowing how to store and germinate the seeds is just the start. We must understand how seeds behave in the natural environment to successfully restore vegetation and use this insight to increase the chances of seedling establishment.

Over the past seven years a major program of field trials has been conducted as part of a research partnership with BHP. In 2014, under the Restoration Seed Bank Initiative, a Controlled Environment Facility (CEF) was built at BHP’s Mt Whaleback mine site. This facility houses 32 experimental plots that hold various types of reconstructed soils typically encountered following mining operations.

Different rainfall scenarios can be simulated through irrigation of the plots, providing the ability to field-proof seed treatments developed in the laboratory and a stepping-stone to full-scale field trials on mine waste dumps.

Seeds are the starting point to reintroduce vegetation, but they need to be placed into soils that can support plant growth.

Mining significantly alters the topography of the landscape and removes the plants, animals and topsoil during the resource extraction process.

The waste materials are typically formed into vast novel landforms that become the new substrates for restored vegetation, yet are foreign to the local seeds and plants.

Drylands such as the Pilbara are important regions of the world, covering almost half the Earth’s land surface. Photo: Alexandra Rouillard

26

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

invest in research

Left: The Controlled Environment Facility (CEF) at Mt Whaleback.

This 1600m2 rain out shelter has proved to be vital to testing seed technologies.

Photo: David Merritt Below: The CEF is the site of long-term studies on soil amendments and plant health. Photo: Todd Erickson

Soil science has been a major component of recent research in the Pilbara, particularly examining the use of organic or inorganic amendments to improve soil conditions.

Seed pelleting techniques are being developed to incorporate naturally occurring soil microbes as a means of re-introducing these to the restoration sites. Long-term trials in raised beds on the perimeter of the CEF continue to track soil microbial activity, fertility and other measures of the recovery of the health of reconstructed soils as plants establish and grow.

Another major component is to improve mechanised seed delivery. We have designed, constructed and tested new seed processing techniques through collaboration with mechanical engineers at the University of WA and research partnerships with BHP, Rio Tinto and others. New equipment includes seed flaming and novel direct seeding machinery suited to sowing native seeds in the sloped and rocky landforms common to the Pilbara mine sites.

One thing we’ve learnt on this journey is that complex biological problems associated with restoration cannot be solved by individual scientific disciplines or institutions.

Solutions require partnerships with like-minded organisations, scientific collaboration and a long-term vision and commitment.

Above: A US Patent was granted in 2021 for the Kings Park and University of Western Australia seed flaming invention. Units have been built for research and commercial development.

Photo: The University of Western Australia Left: Collaboration with scientists from the US, South Africa and Mediterranean regions who face similar challenges in large-scale restoration of dryland ecosystems has been invaluable. The research has supported more than 30 postgraduate student projects over the past 10 years. Photo: Todd Erickson For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

27

invest in research

We’ve got mine waste rock dumps covered Dr Peter Golos Research Scientist Dr Carole Elliott Research Scientist

A waste rock dump revegetation trial in the foreground with a tailings storage facility in the background at Nifty mine site in the Great Sandy Desert. Photo Peter Golos

T

he mining industry transforms natural landscapes, leaving novel features such as rock dumps and tailings dams behind.

Mine closure obligations in Western Australia require partial or full repair of ecosystems and their biodiversity to ensure the long-term stability of mine waste landform structures. Establishing vegetation cover on post-mine landforms is a necessary step to fulfill these obligations.

What vegetation community is to be restored? A simple question with a complex decision-making process. For some mine sites, the regulators have indicated what vegetation community needs to be restored, such as a threatened ecological community that has been directly impacted by mining operations. For other mine sites there is no specific vegetation community indicated, but the pre-mine ecosystem is usually targeted for restoration.

It can be extremely challenging to restore the original plant community, as soil quality is usually degraded.

Sandplain and sand dune vegetation may be replaced by a waste rock dump. Sand loving plants may find it hard to grow on a rock pile, so alternative stony hill plants may be more successful. Therefore, analysis of the soils and topography of the site are crucial to choose the most suitable vegetation community to be restored.

28

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

Topsoil is the most important substrate used in installing the livable layer for plants on a waste rock dump (i.e. the cover system). This living layer contains seeds, microbes and fungi that are crucial for plant establishment and ecosystem function. Research has found the quality of the topsoil is dependent on the landform, harvesting method and storage history. Its value may be reduced requiring topsoil being supplemented with additional seed or tube stock plantings.

Waste rock can also be a useful substitute for these cover systems in ensuring a stable mine waste landform.

Mine waste rock dumps often have steep slopes from which topsoil is easily eroded.

The solution – mixing topsoil with waste rock – can create a stable mine waste landform. Waste rock mixed with topsoil can provide micro sites as an added benefit for more favourable seedling emergence. Blending waste rock with topsoil extends the area that can be restored, making sure that nothing is wasted!

The waste material produced in mining is often chemically and physically different to natural soils. Some types of waste rock and tailings are toxic and need to be encapsulated deep within the waste landforms with more benign substrates used as a cover.

invest in research

Revegetation trial plots to determine the effects of topsoil sourced from different landforms, the addition of waste rock and subsoil in layers and/or blends on top of waste rock dump at Telfer. Field trials that test and demonstrate improved restoration outcomes will support the goals of The Decade.

Photo: Peter Golos

Seeding trial on waste rock dump in plot with 20 cm of topsoil on waste rock (top) and plot with no topsoil layer (below). Seedling emergence and survival from sown seed was significantly lower in plots without topsoil. Photo: Peter Golos Glasshouse trial on the effect of cover system design. Root growth reached the bottom of 50 cm topsoil column (left) while root growth is largely confined to topsoil layer in 20 cm topsoil on 30 cm tailings waste column (right). Photo: Arielle Fontaine

Restoring mine waste effectively across Western Australia often requires research and restoration trials to develop improved soil cover designs and suitable plant communities (e.g. Telfer, Nifty, Koolanooka and Karara mine sites).

The waste material available varies widely in characteristics, both within and between mine sites, requiring different solutions for cover designs, blends of topsoil, subsoil and mine waste with the aim of developing a cover system that will successfully restore a self-sustaining vegetation community.

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

29

invest in research

It takes a community to restore a community Solving the puzzle of banded ironstone plants Dr Carole Elliott Research Scientist Dr Peter Golos Research Scientist Ben Miller, Davide Abate and Lucy Commander conduct a vegetation survey of BIF vegetation community.

Photo: Luis Merino-Martín

I

n the Mid-West of Western Australia Kings Park Science is working hard to restore unique threatened ecological communities which exist only on banded ironstone ranges.

These iron-loving plants have specific requirements and, not surprisingly, their own plan of how to survive in this often dry and hot location. Figuring out what they require or what their plan is

for persisting in the environment generates a mélange of puzzles.

Solving these unique puzzles enables us to restore these communities successfully, but unlike a crossword or Sudoku, no answers are provided at the back of the book!

This is where many brilliant minds came together to work on restoration solutions. Figuring out how plants can be established in altered

environments needs the dedication and passion of many different people from a variety of backgrounds – our restoration community.

It is the expertise of scientists, restoration practitioners, industry partners, land managers, university researchers, students and volunteers that drive the achievement of restoration goals.

The banded ironstone restoration project’s primary partners were Sinosteel Midwest Corporation, the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority and The University of Western Australia. There was also collaboration with the seed collection industry, horticulturalists, environmental consultants, State Government departments and other universities.

With these partners we were able to tackle the challenges of restoring this threatened plant community in an exceptional habitat in Western Australia’s arid interior.

This project has moved plant community restoration forward substantially demonstrating the successful integration of scientific theory, restoration practice and policy regulation.

Anthea Challis, Arielle Fontaine and Rachel Ord prepare to plant tube stock, sow seed and install an irrigation system at the experimental site at Koolanooka.

Photo: Peter Golos

30

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

invest in research

David Abate, Luis Merino-Martín, Lucy Commander, Ellery Mayence and a Sinosteel Midwest Corporation contractor pose in front of the partially constructed controlled environment facility.

Photo: Lucy Commander

Field and laboratory-based experiments on more than 79 species uncovered the best species-specific methods of restoration.

These experiments included testing seed treatments to improve seedling establishment, comparing direct seeding with tube stock plantings, evaluating topsoil seedbank dynamics and the capacity to blend topsoil with waste rock to increase topsoil coverage in restoration, constructing a controlled environment facility to investigate the effects of rainfall and topsoil/waste rock blends on seedling establishment and assessing the physical, chemical and hydrological characters of different substrates and their effect on seedling emergence.

Outcomes from experimental research and practical solutions led us to develop a ‘how to’ restoration manual. This manual is a guide to planning, target setting, implementation, monitoring and maintenance needed to restore a banded ironstone Threatened Ecological Community. It provides land managers with confidence that ecosystem restoration can be achieved, and we all can ‘prevent, halt or reverse ecosystem degradation’ in our natural world.

However, the restoration puzzle of nearly one third of the species in these banded ironstone communities remains unresolved.

These plant species can be puzzling for a number of reasons, whether they are specialists, long-lived, cryptic in their function, or limited in the quantity of material that can be sourced.

Solving these puzzles requires ongoing research and possibly new technologies to figure out how they can be established as functional plants on modified landforms, such as mine waste rock dumps.

It’s only by working together as a community that we can strive to improve restoration success of this amazing, unique, biodiverse plant community.

Koolanooka Threatened Ecological Community experimental site 16 months after starting the restoration trials. Photo: Peter Golos

1 Threatened Ecological Community on banded ironstone 5 years of experimental restoration 8 field experiments installed (< 1ha) 102 species targeted for research ~1200 tube stock planted 250,000+ seeds sown ~5.5 kg/ha of seed predicted to restore 13 species from this community 30+ people involved

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

31

invest in research

Life on the edge Translocation of rare cliff-dwellers Dr Wolfgang Lewandrowski Research Scientist Dr Carole Elliott Research Scientist

Tetratheca erubescens in full bloom, wedged into a banded ironstone cliff, Koolyanobbing Range. Photo: Wolfgang Lewandrowski

L

ocation, location, location!

Stunning views over an ancient, eroded landscape!

Tetrathecas from the Goldfields of Western Australia are a unique group of plants living life on the top of craggy, ironstone ridges.

These small iron-loving shrubs are often locally abundant, but endemic to a single or few ridges.

Several Tetratheca species are rare or endangered and require restoration post mining.

32

Translocation is critical to the restoration of Tetratheca establishing new populations into new sites away from continuing threats or degrading processes.

Threatened and rare plant species often have highly-specialised traits that enable them to live in extreme environments. However, these pose significant challenges to their successful restoration.

Building on 15 years of threatened species research on Banded Ironstone Formations (BIF) in Western Australia,

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

we embarked on an integrated approach to inform the translocation of the rare Tetratheca erubescens J.P.Bull. This prior history into species distribution models, fine-scale habitat assessment, genetic diversity and structure, plant-water relations, and pollination of Tetrathecas were critical for planning translocations.

Tetratheca erubescens is a shrub with only 6,300 individuals covering 3.5 ha over a 1.6 km range exclusively on BIF on the Koolyanobbing Range.

It grows out of rock cracks, fissures or holes on rocky outcrops or cliff faces.

Recent mining removed around 900 plants, with a Ministerial Condition mandating to ‘establish a new selfsustaining population … on a suitable landform that is suitable for the species’.

Four experimental translocations were established between 2017 and 2020.

Habitat modelling showed T. erubescens was able to grow best where it accessed water-catchments and climatic refuges within the rock.

Banded ironstone stores moisture which plants can access in holes that are a part of a complex network of cracks and fissures. This knowledge was critical to finding locations for new plants and led to higher survival in translocation sites.

Assessment of genetic diversity and relationships between geographically separated T. erubescens populations were critical to inform seed collection zones and sampling of cuttings for propagation. Tube stock and seeds have been planted across five experimental translocation sites in pre-drilled rock holes for four years.

A range of horticultural treatments and field designs were trialled to determine optimal growth and performance. Seeds are generally considered the most cost-effective means to restore at scale, so understanding the conditions that trigger seed germination and seedling emergence is important.

invest in research

Tetratheca erubescens seedling emerges from a drill hole.

Seeds were treated to alleviate dormancy. Germination, emergence and survival were monitored for the lifetime of the seedlings. Photo: Wolfgang Lewandrowski

Ecophysiological assessments of Tetratheca erubescens using a gas exchange analyser to determine photosynthetic rates and fluorescence. Photo: Wolfgang Lewandrowski

The translocation sites are being monitored regularly to follow plant survival, health and reproduction, compared to natural populations. This includes ecophysiological measurements that provide a useful tool to quantify stressresponses and key for understanding plant physiological function relative to their environment.

Our greatest challenge is understanding below ground processes: how plant roots grow and access water through cracks and crevices within the rock.

The success of the T. erubescens research project is attributed to inter-disciplinary collaborations and links between science and practice. More than 100 scientists, practitioners and volunteers have made contributions.

The project has also provided opportunity to train the next generation of restoration scientists and practitioners through engagement with universities, volunteer groups and the community. Our outreach includes volunteer opportunities, research projects and on-ground engagement with industry. We look forward to what the future of this project holds and continue to engage with passion and persistence to improve our ability to translocate rare species that inhabit these extreme environments.

Translocated Tetratheca erubescens cutting flowering and surviving in a drill-hole on banded ironstone formations.

Photo: Wolfgang Lewandrowski

4 experimental translocations installed 3057 tube stock planted 6000 seeds sown 100+ people involved For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

33

invest in research

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire Dr Ben Miller Research Scientist Dr Russell Miller Research Scientist Ebony Cowan PhD Student

F

ire is critical to the ecology of many Australian ecosystems.

Many plant species have developed adaptations that promote regeneration following fire and, therefore, fire has the potential to be a useful tool for restoration.

Understanding fire ecology and fire risk has been a key focus of Kings Park’s research program and is becoming more important as the need for ecological restoration increases.

Fire as a key ecological process

Kings Park Science staff monitor a research burn that will help inform future fire and weed management decisions. Photo: Russell Miller

Contrasting outcomes of intensive weed control (left half of photo) vs deliberately uncontrolled (right half) treatments following a research burn in Bold Park bushland. Photo: Ben Miller

34

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

Germination, flowering and seed production are closely linked to fire in many Australian plant species. Research at Kings Park has shown the effect of smoke and heat on overcoming seed dormancy and promoting germination in many native species. This knowledge has often proved critical to improving the use of seed in revegetation and restoration.

Understanding the role of fire in the ecology of ecosystems and species is useful for developing techniques for restoration.

Our research on Mason’s Darwinia (Darwinia masonii) a threatened shrub restricted to a small area with active mining projects on the semi-arid edge of the south-west illustrates how a better understanding of the role of fire can help conserve or restore populations.

We found that, despite the infrequent occurrence of fire where it occurs, this long-lived species has a long-lived seedbank which does not establish seedlings in the absence of fire (or soil disturbance). Understanding this helps set realistic expectations for population growth and generation times in conservation.

invest in research

Plastic sheeting that forms a ‘smoking tent’ is used to stimulate seed germination to assess the composition and abundance of the species-rich soil seed bank.

Photo: Russell Miller

A research burn in post-sand mining banksia woodland restoration to assess the resilience of the restored plant community. Photo: Ebony Cowan

Fire in post-mining restoration

PhD student Ebony Cowan burns select species in post sand mining restoration to assess their recovery via resprouting.

Photo: Russell Miller

Fire in weed-invaded ecosystems Fire is a key part of the life cycle for many native species, however, it can also promote the regeneration and spread of non-native species such as Veldt Grass (Ehrharta calycina).

Rapid post-fire regeneration of grassy weeds in otherwise non-grassy ecosystems can enhance the spread of frequent fire, further favouring weedy species and leading to a selfperpetuating and degrading grass-fire cycle.

Long-term research by Kings Park scientists and land managers, in collaboration with local councils, DBCA’s Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, is assessing the effects of fire and weed control treatments in urban bushlands.

Trials of different treatment options are providing evidence that can help inform the management of urban and agricultural ecosystems prone to weed invasion. Initial results indicate that a balance between fire and weed control can help conserve native plant diversity and manage fire risk.

Burning, whether planned or unplanned, without follow-up weed management is likely to lead to ecosystem degradation and increased fire hazard in urban bushlands.

Kings Park’s fire ecology research is also investigating the role of fire in restored ecosystems. Ecological resilience – the ability of restored ecosystems to persist following a disturbance such as fire – is a desirable outcome for restoration projects, but rarely assessed. Restoration projects which enable ecological resilience can ultimately support long-term persistence of biodiversity.

PhD student Ebony Cowan (Murdoch University) is investigating whether post-mining restored banksia woodlands of different ages demonstrate ecological resilience to fire at Hanson Heidelberg Cement Group’s Gaskell sand mine near Ellenbrook in Perth’s northern suburbs. By studying restoration ages between three and 26 years, Ebony hopes to understand different plant responses to fire and determine if, and at what age, resilience to fire is established.

A breakthrough in the 1990s identified smoke as a germination stimulant for many native plant species.

Ebony used this stimulant to assess fire-related germination cues of soil seedbank communities in restoration sites of different ages. Species that normally resprout following fire were also selectively burnt to assess whether there is a size threshold for recovery via resprouting.

5 experimental fires assessing fire and weed treatment effects 97% lower Veldt Grass density with post-fire weed control 198 plots in a post-fire and weed control monitoring network 106 banksia woodland species emerged following smoke tent treatment 1200+ species from 80 genera respond to smoke

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

35

invest in research

Out of sight

Take a look underwater Dr Elizabeth Sinclair Research Scientist A cool water seascape from Two Peoples Bay near Albany contains five species of seagrass (Amphibolis antarctica, A. griffithii, Posidonia australis, P. coriacea, Zostera nigricaulis).

Photo: Renae Hovey

W

e are fortunate in Australia to have beautiful beaches with stunningly biodiverse near-shore marine life.

The swaying seagrass meadows make up an important part of this living ecosystem. It is lovely to snorkel just metres from the shore over the gently moving leaf canopy to watch the crabs, schools of juvenile fish and starfish quietly go about their business.

Seagrass meadows are structurally complex and play a critical role in supporting diverse biological communities.

From the tiniest transparent paddle weeds just a few centimetres tall to the two-metre-tall wire weed, seagrasses provide food and homes for many living creatures. Like land plants from which they evolved, seagrasses have strong roots deep in the sediment, protecting coastlines from storm surges and improving water quality.

36

In addition, the largest seagrasses (Posidonia species) capture carbon at up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests.

The health of seagrasses is generally most threatened where there is a large human population. People modify estuaries and coastlines with in-water developments (harbours, groynes, marinas), activities (dredging, fishing, boating) and pollution (agricultural and sewerage run-off). Widespread seagrass losses have occurred globally and locally within Cockburn Sound (~80%) and WA’s World Heritage Site at Shark Bay (~36%).

Declining health leads to a thinning of the shoot canopy and eventual loss often goes unnoticed – ‘Out of sight, out of mind’ for many who don’t snorkel or dive.

Restoring these marine meadows is just as important as restoring terrestrial ecosystems, but it is not without its challenges, even after a

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

stress has been removed. Changed water movement and polluted sediments can be long lasting. One of the biggest challenges is getting them to grow in a constantly moving liquid medium!

Multidisciplinary research and experimentation have led to the development of effective methods for restoring seagrass meadows.

Our research has focused on the large temperate seagrass species where seeds, seedlings and adult plants can be grown. Researchers assessed genetic diversity and dispersal of Ribbon Weed fruit (Posidonia australis) to understand natural coastal processes.

Genetic markers showed just how much diversity there is within and among meadows. High diversity means pollen and seeds disperse widely via currents.

Seagrasses tend to grow best where they have previously grown – where the unseen carbon storage

invest in research

A Posidonia transplant experiment in Gathaagudu (Shark Bay). Photo: Martin Breed

of accumulating rhizomes, leaf sheaths and roots (known as matte) is buried in the sand.

Adult plants (rhizome with 3-4 shoots) can be replanted and secured using wire ‘staples’ to prevent them from moving while new roots are growing.

Restoration methods can assist wire weed (Amphibolis spp.) seedlings to establish by providing a biodegradable substrate for attachment. Malgana Land and Sea Rangers have been working with researchers, sharing Traditional Ecological Knowledge and adapting seagrass restoration methods.

Typically, one or two species are the focus in restoring seagrass ecosystems. Re-establishing the dominant species enables other smaller faster growing species to recolonise naturally. Seaweeds and algae start to grow on the transplants and fish and invertebrates begin to use the new habitat.

However, it takes five to ten years before shoot density and biodiversity is similar to a natural undisturbed meadow.

Restoration guidelines have been developed and consideration is given to selecting the most appropriate source of plant material for restoration – either through matching (similar genetic composition) or using climate projections to match for future conditions, for example selecting plants which may be more tolerant to warmer ocean temperatures. A seagrass restoration framework developed with Malgana Rangers can be applied to restoration activities in the next decade.

A new seagrass restoration method is trialled at Gathaagudu.

Malgana Ranger Nick Pedrocchi and Dr John Statton deploy a ‘seagrass snagger’, a biodegradable, sand-filled hessian tube for assisting natural recruitment of dispersing Amphibolis seedlings.

Photo: Gary Kendrick

3000+ seagrass samples genotyped 200+ seagrass ‘families’ genotyped Restoration methods developed for 3 species 80%+ survival of adult transplants 5 years to form dense meadows 10 years to restore biodiversity and sequester carbon Narrow leaf seagrass or needle grass (Halodule uninervis), a fastgrowing tropical seagrass, recolonises a two year old Posidonia restoration site. Photo: Gary Kendrick For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

37

listen and learn

Growing food plants for Yindjibarndi Country Patrick Courtney Manager Horticultural Development

Yindjibarndi people and Kings Park staff collect seed in Triodia grassland ecosystems, August 2018.

Photo: Luke Sweedman archive

L

earning how to grow Australian native food plants through sharing knowledge and research is an important way to keep Indigenous culture alive and ensure these species are restored to Country.

Adverse environmental changes drive land degradation, habitat destruction and biodiversity loss, as well as put additional pressure on Indigenous communities through the loss of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and culturally important species.

Kings Park is forming enduring links and partnerships with Indigenous peoples of Western Australia through extension programs.

A major aim of these programs is to support and enhance the understanding of TEK and culture through science and horticulture programs.

Incorporating TEK into science and horticulture is changing the way we understand, communicate and

38

Luke Sweedman and Jordan Toner from Kings Park conduct field training, August 2018. Photo: Luke Sweedman archive

mitigate the impact of environmental change on cultural and biological diversity.

The Wanggalili Project is a partnership between the Yindjibarndi people, government, non-government organisations and business to preserve culturally significant flora and develop sustainable agriculture. Integrating TEK and propagation practices will develop locally grown native plant products for commercial sale.

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

The role of Kings Park was to provide direction and technical support relating to plant science and horticulture.

The Land, Culture and Religion Advisers of the Juluwarlu Aboriginal Corporation provided guidance for Yindjibarndi conventions when visiting Country before any plant collections were made. Local native plants were collected and assessed as potential products for local communities to use on commercial scale.

listen and learn

Yindjibarndi people and Kings Park staff on Country at Millstream Chichester Ranges, November 2018.

Photo: Luke Sweedman archive

Nursery propagation trial of Bajila, Capparis spinosa or Caper Bush, and Jirrwirliny, Capparis lasiantha or Split Jack, at Kings Park, 7 March 2019.

Photo: Dave Blumer

This partnership resulted in some important advances in the scientific and horticultural knowledge of food plants: • Developed effective collection, cleaning and storage programs for at least six species.

• Improved the fundamental knowledge regarding seed biology and propagation of poorly studied species.

• Developed beneficial seed treatments to enhance germination and seed viability.

• Established protocols for commercial scale production of seven target species.

Plant stock was grown-on following nursery propagation trials to ensure genetically valuable material was available.

Selected plants are being grown at Kings Park for longer-term assessment. Plants were transported from Noongar Country back to Yindjibarndi Country in 2019 for use in planting trials by the Yindjibarndi people.

Seed X-ray images of Wajurru seeds, Cynanchum floribundum, or Native Pear.

Seed viability can be assessed and compared to germination levels in laboratory tests. Photo: Dave Blumer

Kings Park wants to form similar mutually-beneficial partnerships across Western Australia to support local Indigenous communities restore culturally-important species on Country, integrate TEK and restoration science practices and conserve a greater genetic resource through seedbanks for future programs.

14 species collected 5 species targeted for horticultural potential 5000+ seeds were treated and sown in the Kings Park Nursery 600 plants have undergone laboratory-based trials 400+ tube stock returned to Country

The Wanggalili Project has been a positive experience and led to valuable knowledge sharing. There is a greater understanding of horticultural methods needed for these native food plants important to the Yindjibarndi people.

This partnership has dissolved boundaries and pushed forward returning native plants to Country in many ways.

Capparis lasiantha. Photo: Dave Blumer For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

39

build up capacity

International connections Patrick Courtney Manager Horticultural Development

B

otanic 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.

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

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

• 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.

40

Installation of restoration trial, Thumama Nature Park, January 2013.

Photo: Patrick Courtney

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

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

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.

build up capacity

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

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.

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.

Two year old translocated seedling of Mulanje Cedar, Widdringtonia whytei, on Mulanje Mountain, Malawi.

Photo: Carole Elliott

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 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

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

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.

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

41

decade of action

A Call for Action

10 Actions for The Decade – What Kings Park is doing for The Decade

1. Empower a global movement

2. Finance restoration on the ground

3. Set the right incentives

4. Celebrate leadership

Continue connecting government, researchers, industry and the community to empower restoration activities

Maintain leading practice restoration for Kings Park and Bold Park to conserve biodiverse ecosystems for everyone

Continue attracting and training university students to address objectives of The Decade, with support from the Friends of Kings Park and other sponsors

Supporting individuals and organisations that are raising the bar for ecosystem restoration outcomes

6. Invest in research

7. Build up capacity

Expanding research opportunities within our managed bushland areas and around the State to inform conservation and restoration practice

Maintaining an outward focus to deliver advice and professional development opportunities for other land managers and organisations to build ecosystem restoration knowledge, research, and capacity

8. Celebrate a culture of restoration

9. Build up the next generation

Exploring opportunities to work with local communities and integrate traditional ecological knowledge and restoration science practices that support communities on-Country

Ecosystem restoration requires a hands-on approach. Kings Park staff and volunteers work hard to restore native plants in Kings Park, Bold Park and beyond, through weeding and planting activities, monitoring, research and education.

Photo: Dave Blumer

42

For People & Plants | Special Issue | Spring 2021

Engaging with the education sector to promote restoration ecology in school and tertiary level curriculum and learning programs

5. Shift behaviours Continue engaging with the broader community, through education, training and knowledge sharing of restoration expertise, experience and successes

10. Listen and learn Continue sharing practical restoration advice from Kings Park experts, communicate achievements and explore new solutions with others to improve restoration outcomes

Kings Park scientists have contributed to several publications on Western Australian ecosystems, available for purchase at Aspects Gallery Shop or online.

decade of action

Be a Change Maker

What you can do to support The Decade #GenerationRestoration Plant a native garden

Restore your local bushland

Become a citizen scientist

Volunteer your time and skills

Grow native plants at your home, school, or workplace to restore urban biodiversity and create links between remnant habitats

Support restoration efforts by your local council or ‘Friends of’ group, or commit to restoring one extra hectare on your managed lands

Contribute your time and knowledge to research through a citizen science program, like ClimateWatch in Kings Park

Volunteer with Friends of Kings Park and your local ‘Friends of’ group to learn about and grow native plants, make friends, and invest in the future

Partner with us

Make a donation

Stay informed

Share your story

Partner with us on ecosystem restoration research projects and provide support for student scholarships, education and training opportunities

Invest in ecosystem restoration. Your donations and memberships to Friends of Kings Park supports vital research and conservation efforts

Continue learning about native ecosystems and restoration initiatives, both here in Western Australia and around the world

Keep the conversation going by sharing your story through art, song, storytelling, or other social means using #GenerationRestoration

Join us at one of our quarterly native plant sales. Photo: Jason Thomas Editors: Elizabeth Sinclair, Carole Elliott, Laura Skates, Chris Olney, Tony Scalzo Maps: Emily Tudor Design: Ji Min for roRo Graphic Design Printed by Daniels Printing Craftsman, using vegetable-based inks which are natural and soluble, and responsibly sourced paper from sustainable forests.

Our plastic is biodegradable, and all paper and metal waste is recycled in accordance with our green policy.

Produced on behalf of the Friends of Kings Park, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Kings Park, Western Australia, 6005.

Tel: (08) 9480 3643 Email: admin@friendsofkingspark.com.au (Or you can leave a message at BGPA Administration 9480 3600).

ISSN 1039-8856 Print Post Publications PP64393810020

Back Cover: Landscape images by 1. GoogleEarth Image © 2021 Maxar Technologies 2. Carole Elliott 3. Jarrah Tree, Wikimedia Commons 4. Carole Elliott 5. Renae Hovey

Feeling inspired?

For more information, practical tips, and ways to partner with us, scan the QR code or visit the link below. www.friendsofkingspark.com.au/ un-decade-on-restoration/

OCEANS AND COASTS

FORESTS

FARMLANDS

GRASSLANDS, SHRUBLAND AND SAVANNAH

URBAN AREAS