The Hon Sussan Ley MP, Minister for the Environment
Senator the Hon Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Women, Senator for NSW
The Morrison Government is funding series of projects through Greening Australia that will enhance the protection of native habitats, build capacity in our native seed and nursery industry, and deliver a ten-year native seed and landscape restoration strategy.
Environment Minister the Hon Sussan Ley and Liberal Senator for Western Sydney, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, launched the project at Greening Australia’s seed production area in Richmond today, just a few kilometres from the horrific Kurrajong fires, as part of the Commonwealth’s initial $50 million Wildlife and Habitat Bushfire Recovery package.
“Seeds are where so much of our recovery starts and the process of identifying, planning and gathering seed stores is incredibly complex,” Minister Ley said.
“With this funding, Greening Australia will be able to work closely with our Expert Panel to identify high priority plants and ecological communities.
“These are not seeds that can simply be purchased at a local nursery and an important part of the package is increasing the capacity of the native seed and nursery industry.”
Senator Payne said the funding was a critical part of the Morrison Government’s locally led approach to managing the risk of bushfires.
“Important ecological rejuvenation will be undertaken on the doorstep of where the Gospers Mountain mega blaze struck,” Senator Payne said.
“It will provide a critical boost to wildlife and habitat recovery.”
Greening Australia’s CEO Brendan Foran outlined the extensive field work required to determine native seed supply needs, identify seed harvesting opportunities and produce the seeds and plants needed for landscape restoration.
“We will work with a broad range of stakeholders, including local communities, Indigenous groups, environmental and natural resource management organisations, government, fire agencies, fire ecologists, regulators and land managers,” Mr Foran said.
“To restore native vegetation we need to access seeds from those areas and that is an incredibly detailed process in itself.
“We need to know we are putting the right species in the right place to support both the natural plant life and the wildlife they support in our future climate.”
The delivery of the funding to Greening Australia is an important step in the wildlife and habitat recovery process.
