A national inventory is underway to map, for the first time, Australia’s threatened plants held in ex situ collections. The Australian National Botanic Gardens, the Office of the Threatened Species Commissioner and BGANZ are working together on the project.
More than 1,500 Australian plant species are listed as threatened, and collections in botanic gardens, arboreta and seed banks provide vital insurance against extinction. The inventory will show which species are secured and where the gaps are, helping focus conservation effort where it’s needed most.
It will also track progress towards the national goal of securing 80% of listed threatened species in insurance populations by 2027. At the same time, it will highlight the important role botanic gardens of all sizes play in protecting Australia’s flora.
Every garden, arboretum and seed bank can contribute.
