New book unlocks secrets of Pilbara plants

• Industry partnership delivers an easy-to-use guide for restoring landscapes 

The Botanic Garden and Parks Authority and BHP Billiton Iron Ore have teamed up to meet the challenge of restoring landscapes in the Pilbara by publishing a new book on seeds of the arid North-West.

Environment Minister Albert Jacob said the book, the Pilbara Seed Atlas and Field Guide, was one of the outcomes of eight years of research through an industry partnership between the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority and BHP Billiton Iron Ore.

"This is one of the results of an important partnership with industry to help deliver better environmental outcomes in the Pilbara," Mr Jacob said.

"The Pilbara Seed Atlas and Field Guide is the first of its kind to translate complex science into a practical tool to help miners, pastoralists and conservation managers to rehabilitate their land.

"I am impressed with the practicality of the book and how easy it is for people without scientific backgrounds to identify local plant species.

"The book encourages the reader to look at the cumulative effects of mining and other activity on the region to restore landscapes as a whole, rather than restoring each site in isolation.

"The efficient and cost-effective solutions presented in this book are essential if we are to successfully restore the diversity of plants and animals and reconnect natural areas on a large scale."

The book includes an identification guide for more than 100 common plant species, and how to collect, clean, store and germinate their seeds.

The publication is one part of the Restoration Seedbank Initiative, a $5 million research partnership between the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, BHP Billiton Iron Ore and The University of Western Australia.

The initiative focuses on achieving better results in seed storage and expanding Kings Park's seed research capacity to improve the ability to germinate and grow seeds for restoration.

The research is developing new technologies, including coating seeds in polymer or clay-based mixes to aid germination and survival in a process called seed pelleting.  This is helping to improve the industry average of just five per cent survival rate for seeds used in restoration.

Fact File

• The Pilbara Seed Atlas and Field Guide is published by CSIRO Publishing

• It is co-edited by Western Australian scientists Todd E Erickson, Russell L Barrett, David J Merritt and Kingsley W Dixon 

Minister's office - 6552 5800