Home-fragrance brand Botanica by Air Wick has partnered with two wildlife conservation organisations help save 120 native Australian wildflower species from extinction.
The organisations – World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia and conservation seed banks group The Australian Seed Bank Partnership – have launched, with Air Wick on a three-year initiative dubbed The Rare Bloom Project.
There are more than 24,000 species of native plants in Australia, including wildflowers, other flora, micro-organisms and fauna. The more diverse the plants are, the higher chance the ecosystem can withstand the threats and changes. However, more than 1300 native plant species are currently threatened, according to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation List of Threatened Flora.
“The devastating double-blow of drought and bushfires has left many of our native plants fighting for survival. Without urgent action we risk losing some of these beautiful species forever,” said Dr Romola Stewart, WWF-Australia, head of evaluation and science.
The Rare Bloom Project will build collections of flora species through having a mix of proactive seed collection, germination trials and propagation to prevent them from extinction. Some of the flora species are Baeckea kandos in NSW; Craspedia canens in VIC (grey billy-buttons); Brachyscome muelleri in SA; Euphrasia scabra in ACT (rough eyebright) and Polyscias “Douglas-Dennison” in TAS.
“Thanks to this project, our partner seed banks will be working throughout fire-affected areas over three years to document fire impacts over time and collect, germinate and store seeds for use in ongoing research and restoration efforts,” Damian Wrigley, national coordinator for the Australian Seed Bank Partnership said.
Air Wick has launched a TVC sharing a story on the company’s goal of connecting people with nature and protecting the native wildflowers.
