Reforrestation

**Clinton1** · 10th March 2007, 05:41 PM

Climate info is here

Pic is of the north coast, showing the dry north coast ridges with sparce Eucalypt cover, and remmant tropical forest in the gully micro-climate.

The north coast has been called "de-forested" for 400 years... no-one really knows if the current tree cover is 'natural' or the result of the heavy coppicing of all available Euc's for fuel. Rocky ridges, little remaining topsoil, heavy erosion.

In the central mountain zone Teak and Mahogany, Ai-Naan (Rosewood somethingorrather) is used for small plantation. I'll get some pics if anyone is interested. Very rocky land, very rich soil.

The southern zone is the main food production area. Very rich soil, deep and red.

So, the question is:
Some people are asking for Aussie seeds to trial different trees for erosion control and fuel supply. I'm not comfortable with bringing in Aussie seeds.

Where can I learn about seed collection and provide info to encourage collection of indigenous tree seeds, as no-one seems to know about this practice?
Usually 'seedling collection' is practiced, instead of seed collection, i.e. create a small nursery planting and dig up the seedlings that come up naturally. A slow process to get large amounts of seedlings.

I'm looking for just enough info to allow some locals to give it a crack with a little confidence, they are smart people that will cotton on very quickly. (I'd pay the locals wages while collecting)

To see better, larger pics, see the link in my signature for my flickr site.

As always..... info and advice gratefully appreciated.

**dadpad** · 11th March 2007, 04:55 PM

Seed collection is actually very difficult clinton.
But this link is what you need.
http://www.dookie.unimelb.edu.au/seedbank/Seedbank.pdf
A fair percentage is devoted to lists of local plants

Additional Info
Licences- tree climbers licence
Forest operators licence
skills-
ID skills for overstory, understory, herb layer, grasses, (including non natives) and bulbs
Id skills for EVC's Environmental vegetative constructs.
Ability to stand for days at a time cutting capsules off branches.
motor vehical 4wd min to carry large quantitiies of capsule mass
undercover drying, capsule drying machine (like an enourmouse tumble dryer) in a hot (not humid) room
Seives To separate seed from capsule mass.
Storage and lableing system.

Try greening Australia's website.
http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/GA/NAT/
Search terms "seed collection"
http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/...tion&Find=FIND

other key references
Florabank guidlines for seed collection
AATSC operations Manual
GA seed germination data sheets
Seed collection of Aust Native Plants

One method of reveging may be to brush cut/branch at a time when seeds are ripe transfer the cut branches to your reveg site and lay them on the ground to drop seed naturally.

Many many countries use Aussie eucs as commercial species. Brazil, uraguy sth africa, tanzania, malaysia.

Keep your head down Clinton we are hearing some rather scary things about E/Timor here. (not that we believe half of what thet tell us.)

**Clinton1** · 12th March 2007, 10:39 PM

Thanks mate, I'll come up with an 'easy way'... its just for a single Euc species (apparantly we don't have it in Aus) at this point. They can decide to pursue it or not later, and to what level.

Its not scary, just sad.
Heaps of locals are coming up to me and apologising and are very sad about the current situation. As usual, it only takes a few idiots....

**dadpad** · 12th March 2007, 11:38 PM

A machine gun could bring down a power of seed Clinton.

I am kidding there.

**Tony Hunt** · 19th March 2007, 05:26 PM

The local Timorese eucalypt is the Timor Mountain Gum Eucalyptus urophylla. It's widely used as a plantation species and seed is available commercially.

Have a look at http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/u5380e/U5380E09.htm as a starting point.

The forestry faculty at ANU may be able to help too.

Good luck

Regards

Tony

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