INTRODUCTION TO SEED COLLECTION

Hi THERE AND WELCOME!

Let’s start your training by identifying what the key purpose of the Wonthaggi Seed Bank and Nursery is:

There is a very important difference between native and indigenous plant species. So what is the difference? Native means that the plant species is found growing naturally somewhere in Australia, not necessarily our local area. Indigenous means that the plant species is found growing naturally in a specific area such as the Bass Coast and South Gippsland Shire. Our Nursery only propagates plant species that are indigenous to these Shires.

The Seed Collection Team visit areas around the Bass Coast and South Gippsland Shires to collect seed for propagation back at the Nursery. This is done each week on a Monday morning, weather permitting.

What a wonderful way to give-back to your community and enjoy the company of others who also contribute to help preserve our wonderful landscape; from boggy places to the highest points in the Strzeleci Ranges.

Look at this stunning Microseris (Yam Daisy seed head) that you might be involved with collecting. Take a peep here and see what this species looks like as a flower.

Preparation – Before you join the team.

Before you join in with the Seed Collection Team, some ‘behind-the-scenes’ administration MUST BE attended and this requires you to register with two agencies:

1. Parks Victoria (PV)

All WSBN and other volunteers that complete authorized activities on PV land (such as seed collecting) must be registered for the activity on a web platform called ParkConnect.

This allows PV to communicate important updates on the park and helps with emergency management in case of incidents in the park. This is a legal requirement.

Register as a Parks Victoria volunteer:

Click this link and follow the steps listed here ParkConnect
Select ‘Register’
Supply your email and create your password and click ‘Register’
Log back into ParkConnect and check you have created a profile – your name should appear in the top right hand corner of the web page

Link your ParkConnect volunteer registration to the Wonthaggi Seedbank and Nursery group:

Log into ParkConnect
On the Home Page > Volunteer > Search Groups and Activities > scroll down > Search programs and groups
Enter the following in the Group Name field: Wonthaggi Seed Bank and Nursery
Click the Search button
Wonthaggi Seed Bank and Nursery should show in the list below.
Click the arrow (to the right of screen) and select, ‘Join Group’
To check whether you have been added you can head to the Volunteer menu again, then select My activities.
Log out of ParkConnect

2. Service Victoria

You must have this check to participate in the WSBN Seed Collection Team activities. It is free for volunteer work and must be added to your Parks Victoria volunteer information. This is also a legal requirement.

Apply for a Working with Children Check (WwCC):

Go to the Service Victoria – Apply for a Working with Children Check website
Read through the information as you will need an identity check during the process.
Click Get Started when you are ready.
Select ‘Log in’ or ‘Create a new Account’
Follow the prompts, tips:
Choose ‘Volunteer’ as the check type
You have to provide photo ID and scan your face using a phone, or you can take your application and ID to Australia Post. See the Service Victoria website for more information.
Choose the appropriate type of work (remember you can use it for any volunteer work)
You will get a response from Service Victoria in a week or so.
Log out of Service Victoria when complete
You can still join in to the Collections group while waiting for the WwCC. Just let Team Leader know that you are waiting for the check.

WhatsApp – Communication Tool

Finally, it is optional to give your mobile number to the Seed Collection Team WhatsApp Administrator to receive notifications of future outings.

Seed Collection Team Activities

What do we do?

The Seed Collection Team’s main objective is to collects seeds. However we also weed areas, do general cleanups, map specimens and learn about new areas. The Team Leader will let the group know if weeding and cleanups are the objective of the next outing.

As we are out in all kinds of weather you must reduce the risk of outdoor hazards such as insect/snake bites, sunburn and cold/heat stress.

What do I need to bring?

As a minimum you should wear:

Long pants (even in summer)
Covered shoes (even in summer)
Long sleeved shirt (yep, even in summer)
Sunhat/beanie
Raincoat (as needed)
Gardening gloves

Optional:

Secateurs
Pocket tool (pliers, knife)
Weed digger (for weeding days)
Folding spade (for weeding days)

Highly recommended:

Snake garters
Water bottle

The Team Leader will provide the following, but please feel free to bring your own:

Paperbag (for seeds)
Sunscreen
Insect repellent

At the end of the activity, we have morning tea, discuss the seeds collected and decide on future sites, so bring a thermos of tea/coffee or a cool drink.

Where and when?

Times

The Seed Collecting Team will commence walking around or into the site at 9am unless told otherwise. The activity usually goes for between 1 to 2 hours, depending on the site.

Places

The meeting place for future sites is usually discussed in the previous week’s outing. There is a WhatsApp group, which is handy to be part of if there are last minute changes.

If the weather is going to be severe (too wet or too hot), the collection will be cancelled, sometimes the night before. If the collection goes ahead on a day when you are not comfortable in participating in an outdoor activity, please do not attend that collection day and catch us on the next trip out.

We will carpool for some sites, usually meeting in Wonthaggi and Inverloch as starting points.

Site

The Seed Collection Team starts walking promptly at 9am. If you are going to be late, please use WhatsApp or messaging to let the team know. The team can then let you know where we are heading. Please do not collect seed on your own and catch up to the team as soon as you can.

At most sites we will be using rough tracks, and sometimes cross country or delving into thick bush. Care needs to be taken at the site, at all times. Again, if you are not comfortable participating at a particular site, please do not attend the collection for that week and catch us at the next collection.

Plants

WSBN has permits issued by a number of governing agencies including Parks Victoria to collect seed/cuttings for propagation to improve local biodiversity. However, there are rules as to what we can collect and how much can be collected.

What species?

We are prohibited from collecting any protected species, such as orchids. Other species may be threatened or perceived to be uncommon. In all these cases, we do not collect seed. We must leave the plant and refer any queries back to our plant ID experts in the Nursery.

How much seed can I collect?

We must follow the guidelines that are on the seed collection permits. The Team Leaders have the permits but the key principles are listed here. This also means that if there are only a few seed/pods/berries on the plant, we do not collect from that plant.

The seed collecting permits include guidelines:

Collection should not exceed more than 5% of available cutting material or 10% of the seed on any one plant, from a maximum of 25% of the plants of that species in the area; this will ensure that sufficient quantities of seed are left as a food source for local insects and small animals, and that enough seed remains, to allow for natural regeneration
Collection of material from plants listed in Victoria as rare or threatened species (VROTS list) may either be restricted or not permitted at all
No plant material may be taken from small populations
Vehicles must not be driven off any roads or tracks
Please keep a record of the species, quantity of seed collected per species and the location and date of collection (you maybe required to submit your records to Council).
Seed collected from “wild” populations is not to be sold commercially as seed.

When to collect?

Seeds from different species will ripen in different ways. Below are some of the ways to tell when seed is ready to collect:

Banksia – The cone can be collected when it is brown. It is best that you collect when you can see other cones already shedding seed or just opening.
Olearia, Ozothamnus, Cassinia – When the seed heads are white/cream and fluffy and are easily removed. As these species can be tricky to identify, cut a sample of the foliage to bring back to the Nursery for identification.
Bursaria – Seed pods will be just brown but not open, tricky!
Hakea – Collect the woody fruit from the older, inner part of the branch when they are brown, preferably in the second year of fruiting.
Eucalypt and Leptospermum – the capsules must be brown and best collected if you can see other nuts opened or opening. You can split a capsule open to see if seed is mature enough to collect (ie brown and dryish).
Platylobium/Pultenaea and Acacia – Pods must be brown and dry, but not open.
Solanum – Collect when berries are very ripe – red or orange, depending on species. These (unlike others) are best to be put into a plastic bag, as they get mushy.
Juncus and Gahnia – Most species are collected when the seeds are brown, however Gahnia sieberiana is collected when the seeds are red.
Austrostipa, Rytidosperma, Themeda – Seeds/seed heads come off the stalk easily when stripping (pulling) the stalk.
Xanthorrhoea – Seeds and stalk need to brown and dry

The Team Leader will generally check the plant before collecting the seed, but feel free to double check the seed and check back with the team leader if you are unsure.

How to collect?

Different plants will have seeds or berries or seed pods to collect. Below are some of the different seed collection methods:

Banksia – Snip off the whole cone using secateurs
Olearia, Ozothamnus, Cassinia – Carefully pluck the head of seeds from the plant, if you disturb the plant, all seeds will take to the air! Another way is to shake the seed heads into a paper bag (ozothamnus and cassinia in particular as they have large seed heads)
Bursaria – Place paper bag onto head of seeds and shake into bag.
Hakea – Use secateurs to snip the woody fruit and wear gloves
Eucalypt and Leptospermum – Pluck capsules from the branches
Platylobium/Pultenaea and Acacia – Carefully pluck each pod from the branch
Solanum – Pluck the ripe berries
Juncus and Gahnia – Cut seed stalks upside down into large paper bag.
Austrostipa – Strip the seeds from the stalk.
Rytidosperma, Themeda – Cut seed stalks upside down into large paper bag.
Xanthorrhoea – Cut seed spear from stalk, or using pliers, collect individual seeds

Talk to the Team Leader on how best to collect the seed if you are unsure.

Completion

Once the seeds have been collected from the plants, the Team Leader will write up a tag giving details of the seed.

The tag is written using a permanent marker as some of the seeds may sit in the prepping igloo back at the Nursery for some time.

The tag will show the following:

Botanical name of the plant
Date collected
Site name
“To be identified” (if needed)

The bags of seeds are then given to another team member who will deliver the bags to the Nursery (usually someone attending on Wednesday Nursery or doing a watering).

Mapping

The location of plants is documented so that both the seed collection group and nursery propagators can identify where to collect seeds. The plant ID experts may request specific seeds to be collected and mapping allows quick identification of where to find seeds.

Using iNaturalist for mapping

The mapping and reporting is done on iNaturalist, which has a project “Wonthaggi Seed Bank and Nursery Collections” (WSBNC) for that purpose. This project is restricted so only approved members can add to the project. This is because there are many projects collecting information about plants, the WSBNC project on iNaturalist generally only collects information on seeds which we propagate.

Access to iNaturalist WSBNC project

Create an account in iNaturalist if you do not already have one:

Go to the iNaturalist site: https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/
Select ‘Sign up’
Add your Email, username and passwords and select appropriate consents.
Select ‘Create an Account’

Request access from WSBN member responsible for the project, let them know your username and email.
You will receive an invite for the project through email or next time you log in to iNaturalist.

Adding observations to the WSBNC project

Make sure you have downloaded the iNaturalist app to your smartphone and have logged in.
Open the iNaturalist app
In the My Observations view, click the + sign down the bottom of the screen
Take a picture of the plant – see below for pictures required – click OK
Click ‘What did you see’
Either type in a botanical or common name, or select from the list that may show. A list may not show if you are not within phone coverage or if the photo is too general. The team leader will usually give you the botanical name.
Add any notes:
- Where a flower or fruit is required for identification, but there are none on the plant at the time, put in a note “placeholder only, will return for flower/fruit”
- If the plant cannot be identified, put in a note “To be identified. Sample sent to nursery”.
Click to save the draft observation.
In the My Observations list, make sure the observations are NOT uploading. Click Stop, if needed. (You will be double checking the observation before uploading, there isn’t that much time to do so on collection outings.)

Checking and submitting observations

Once you have been out with the collections group and have a list of observations, you will need to go through each one and check the details before uploading.

Once these observations are uploaded to iNaturalist, our plant ID experts in the nursery will be notified and will confirm the observation, if they can. They may request further photos or change the botanical name. Note that this is a public forum and other users may also change your observation. If there is a difference of opinion between our plant ID expert and another person (rarely happens) then chat to the plant ID expert and see what to do from there. There are some instances where you will delete an observation if it is not clear what the plant is, or a consensus cannot be reached.

Open iNaturalist either on the app or on the website. (the following instructions uses the app)
Go to My Observations.
Scroll down to find the first observation made for that collection outing.
Click to open the observation
Check the photos and delete those that are not useful (blurry, doubles etc)
Click the edit icon to make the following changes/checks:
- If the name needs to change to the botanical name, click on the name and then enter the correct name.

Or, you can search to find the correct plant in iNaturalist. Click into ‘Species Search’ field and start typing.

iNaturalist may give a list of suggestions just using the photo too. Once you have searched or identified the plant from the iNaturalist suggestions, click on the correct botanical name

You can also use the compare tool to make sure that your plant matches the suggested iNaturalist plant.

Use other resources if needed to confirm the plant:

Internet resource: VicFlora – https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/search
Book resource: Flora of Melbourne, Bull.M
Check that the location is correct, if not, click on the location and use the map to adjust. Zooming in on the location increases the accuracy, zooming out will decrease accuracy. Click the to save the location.
Finally, and most importantly, click the ‘Add to project(s)’ field.
- Click the checkbox next to Wonthaggi Seed Bank and Nursery Collections project
- Enter whether the plant is invasive or not.
- Click the to save it to the project
Once you have checked the details and added the observation to the WSBNC project, click the at the bottom of the Edit Observation screen to save all your changes.
Click the return to get back to My Observation list
Repeat the above for each observation.
Once you have completed the above actions for each observation, click ‘Upload’ on the My Observations listing. Depending on your phone settings, you may have to do this using wifi.

Finalising observations in iNaturalist

As you are the owner of the observation, any comments or confirmations will come back to you in your Activity list.

Keep an eye out for any activity on your recent observations and make sure if our plant ID experts change a plant name that you click on the activity and click the Agree button.

You can just make note of other users outside of the WSBN who will also confirm your observations. Our plant ID experts are the ones to look out for.

Photo taking tips:

Our plant ID experts back at the nursery rely on either photos or samples we take back to them to identify plants.

When they only have iNaturalist to work with it can be very difficult for them to be certain sometimes.

Below is a list of tips for making it easy for those plant ID experts:

Plant	Photos
Acacia	Mature leaf Flower from above and side (show the way flowers are arranged on their stems) For Acacia dealbata and Acacia mernsii a close up of the leaf showing glands along the axis is needed. For other Acacias you will need to photograph the leaf at the stem to show location of glands along the leaf. Whole plant
Austrostipa, Rytidosperma, Themeda	Close up of seed head Whole plant
Banksia	Mature leaf or branchlet Cone Flowering cone if possible Whole plant
Bursaria	Mature leaf and stem Seed pod Whole plant
Cassytha	Close up of vine, use a ruler for Cassytha to determine correct species (width of vine and whether very fine hairs on stem) Close up of berry Whole plant
Clematis	Close up of vine Mature leaf Flower if possible (tips of stamens on male flowers if available) Whole plant
Eucalypt	Mature and juvenile leaves Bark Buds (show the way buds are arranged on their stems) Seed capsule Whole plant
Gahnia	Close up of seed head Close up of leaf and end of leaf Whole plant, include a person in photo to show comparative height
Hakea	Leaf Seed pod Flower if possible from above and side Whole plant
Juncus	Close up of seed head Close up of leaf/stalk. Cut a stalk lengthwise in the middle and photograph, to show the pith Whole plant, include a person in photo to show comparative height
Leptospermum	Mature leaf and stem Mature seed pod Flower if possible from above and side Whole plant
Olearia, Ozothamnus, Cassinia	These can be very difficult to identify just from photos. Close up of both the top and underside of the leaf is needed. Photo of the flower head, both the top and underside. Whole plant
Platylobium/Pultenaea	Mature leaf Mature seed pod if possible Flower from above and side Whole plant
Solanum	Mature leaf Close up of flower generally needed for ID from above to show edges of flower Berry when ripe (red or orange depending on species) Whole plant
Xanthorrhoea	Close up of plant near ground Photo off middle of plant from the top (X.minor) Flower spike if possible. Whole plant

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