Seeding Success

Seeding Success is a native seed based project, run by the EK Sustainable Communities Team with Indigenous rangers and Traditional Owners across the Kimberley region.

Participants in the project build skills and capacity in identifying native plant species, understanding seed ripeness and viability, and documenting Traditional and local knowledge about the seasonality of seeding and growing.

Other activities include:

• advancing technical skills in native seed collection
• seed cleaning and the preparation of seed for the restoration, propagation and food industries
• the Seeding Success project works closely with the Wattleseed Collective and the Kimberley Community Seedbank to ensure maximum collaboration and benefit across all Sustainable Communities projects.

Ranger picking Goonanggi (cluster fig) Ficus racemosa, Gooniyandi Country.

Throughout 2024 and 2025, Nyangamurta and Karajarri rangers, as well as Bunuba Traditional Owners have participated in seed collection and training field trips to identify, collect and store the seeds of culturally important fruit species on their own Country.

In late 2024, participants travelled to Kununurra with the EK team on a Kimberley native seed industry exposure trip. On this trip, rangers and Traditional Owners participated in collecting, processing and storing seed on a large scale and learnt about the requirements of operating a successful seed enterprise.

Kununurra industry exposure trip: Amy Wright (Gelganyem Seed Operation), Holly Timperley (Environs Kimberley), Leesharni Thomas (Nyangumarta Rangers), Riley Shaw (Gelganyem Seed Operation), Venus Aspro (Nyangumarta Rangers), Mandy Shoveller (Environs Kimberley), Jacqueline Shoveller (Karajarri Rangers/Environs Kimberley).

In 2025, knowledge collected throughout the project, in addition to scientific knowledge provided by SKIPA (Society for Kimberley Indigenous Plants and Animals) members, will be used to publish a Kimberley Fleshy Fruit Guide. This will outline best practice guidelines for the sustainable collection, cleaning and storage of fleshy fruits for the Kimberley Seeds initiative.

Ficus species pluralis, commonly found across the Kimberley

Recording knowledge about edible species is important for Traditional Owners to keep cultural knowledge alive. It also opens the door to potential business opportunities in the bush food sector. EK will continue to work with rangers and Traditional Owners to clean and store native seed on Country, to an industry standard, and to promote a strong conservation economy in the Kimberley.

Venus Aspro (Nyangamurta Rangers) cleaning Kapok seed, Gelganyem Seed Operation

Partners: Kimberley Seeds Initiative, Kimberley Community Seedbank, SKIPA, Nyangumarta Rangers (facilitated by Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation), Karajarri Rangers (facilitated by Karajarri Traditional Lands Association), Yawuru Country Managers (facilitated by Nyamba Buru Yawuru), Wiyi-yani u baali ganbawarra (Bunuba Women).

Funders: This project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government's State NRM Program.