The Tasmanian Government has announced it will provide $175,000 each year in continual funding for the operation of the Tasmanian Seed Conservation Centre at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.

State Minister for the Environment, Brian Wightman, said that the funding will ensure the centre’s continued operation and shows that the Government is dedicated to proteting and preserving the state’s diverse plant life.

“The seed bank is vital for our environment, but also our natural economic advantages,” Mr Wightman said.

“It protects plant biodiversity; with a major focus on threatened flora.

“It also helps us study and understand the dormancy and germination behaviour of native Tasmanian seeds.

“That’s vital information for restoring landscapes threatened by degradation.

“It is also needed for any future translocation projects which may be needed to prevent our threatened plant species becoming extinct.”

The centre was funded by the Kew Millennium Seedbank Partnership for its first five years. It has since been operating from within the garden’s budget.