By Melissa Blewitt

Landcare NSW in partnership with NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust hosted a Seed Collection and Conservation Workshop at the SRA Pavilion in Condobolin on Monday, 14 October.
Twenty participants including people from Hillston and Tullamore gathered together to listen to Nathan Emery, Manager of Seedbank and Conservation Collections and Laura Watts, Collections Development Coordinator from the Botanic Gardens of Sydney.
With over 20 years of experience and Australia’s largest seed collection (13,000 plus collections of 5,200 species), this was a fantastic opportunity to get involved in conservation efforts.
“Nathan and Laura talked to us about the importance of preventing extinction of species and how we can contribute to Seedbanks and Conservation Collections,” a post on the Condobolin and Districts Landcare Facebook Page read.
“It was highlighted to us if you think you have a rare or unidentified species on your property then go and collect seeds and send them in to the Seed Collection and Conservation where the experts can identify them and help preserve them.”
The Workshop covered: The importance of seed collecting for native flora; Strategies for maintaining genetic diversity; Effective seed collection and processing methods; Hands-on techniques for seed germination.
Events such as these are made possible thanks to the shared work of NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust and Landcare NSW under the Private Land Conservation Matters Project.
Image Credit: Melissa Blewitt.