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Ex situ seed conservation aims to support species survival in the wild. This can be achieved by contributing genetic material for reintroduction. The goals of reintroduction are to increase both plant and population numbers, create self-sustaining populations and ultimately remove a species from its threatened listing. Quality seed collections with a broad genetic base are required to achieve this goal. Storage conditions that minimise deterioration of seeds will maximise the quality of seeds available for future use. Additionally, ex situ seed conservation provides long-term insurance against species or genotype loss until actual or potential threats can be removed. As threats to biodiversity escalate the most judicious conservation strategies will be ones that combine available resources to provide the highest possible degree of protection. Banked seeds are available irrespective of season and periods of low fecundity. Forward planning of reintroduction projects can be achieved with knowledge of the quantity and quality of banked seed. This paper discusses the challenges facing ex situ seed conservation while highlighting the benefits of integrating ex situ seed storage and plant reintroduction to help provide for better conservation outcomes.

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The Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR) is a global biodiversity hotspot with high plant diversity and endemism and a broad range of threatening processes. An outcome of this is a high proportion of rare and threatened plant species. Ongoing discovery and taxonomic description of new species, many of which are rare, increases the challenges for recovery of threatened species and prioritisation of conservation actions. Current conservation of this diverse flora is based on integrated and scientific evidence-based management. Here we present an overview of current approaches to the conservation of threatened flora in the SWAFR with a focus on active management through recovery and restoration that is integrated with targeted research. Key threats include disease, fragmentation, invasive weeds, altered fire regimes, grazing, altered hydro-ecology and climate change. We highlight the integrated approach to management of threats and recovery of species with four case studies of threatened flora recovery projects that illustrate the breadth of interventions ranging from In situ management to conservation reintroductions and restoration of threatened species habitats. Our review and case studies emphasise that despite the scale of the challenge, a scientific understanding of threats and their impacts enables effective conservation actions to arrest decline and enhance recovery of threatened species and habitats.

Establishment of viable threatened plant populations through translocations presents significant practical and logistical challenges. To address these challenges there is a need for experimental studies that inform refinement of translocation methodologies to optimise seedling survival during the establishment phase. In the present study we investigated the effect of three post planting techniques on the survival and growth of six translocated threatened plant species in south-west Western Australia over a 10-year period. Planted seedlings received summer watering for the first year, mulch or protection from vertebrate herbivores. Survival of seedlings was significantly enhanced in both watering and fencing treatments, but was not positively influenced by the mulch treatment. Plant growth was also significantly improved by the fencing treatment. Results showed that both fencing and supplementary summer watering were two very effective approaches for enhancing seedling establishment and plant persistence. We emphasise the value of integrating an experimental approach involving long-term monitoring into threatened plant species translocations and recovery programs for improving plant translocation success.