The need to conserve global plant diversity is urgent.
Our collection priorities are driven by national and international targets. We focus on collecting species most at risk of extinction and curate our collections to international gene bank standards.
We work with our colleagues in the Office of Environment & Heritage and National Parks and Wildlife Service targeting species listed as threatened and endangered. We also target species being affected by a threatening process - such as species likely to be affected by Myrtle Rust (Austropuccinia psidii) and Phytophthora - and vegetation groups affected by land clearing or climate change such as rainforests. The Rainforest Seed Conservation Project at the Australian PlantBank contributes to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation and conservation planning for threatened species. Recognising the conservation role that ex situ seedbanking can provide, the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation has a target of 75 per cent of threatened plant species in accessible ex situ collections, preferably in the country of origin, and 20 per cent of them included in recovery and restoration programs by 2020. Our ex situ (off site) seed and plant collections provide an 'insurance policy' against loss of plant diversity and contribute to global conservation and sustainability targets.
Without plants, there is no life. The functioning of the planet, and our survival, depends upon plants. Global Strategy for Plant Conservation