Wollemi Pine (𝘞𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘢 𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘴)

There are secret undiscovered canyons in the Wollemi Wilderness.

One of them contains the only known population of the Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis). A 200 million year old species, that disappeared from the fossil record 2 million years ago, only to be discovered in 1994.

Since then scientists have learnt a lot about the Wollemi Pine, and one of the things they have learnt is how to established new populations. Insurance populations in case the wild plants were ever impacted by climate change, fire or disease.

Those new populations were established in other secret gullies; deep wet canyons so far apart that a single catastrophic event should never impact them all.

But it did.

This is that story.

Find out more about the species as part of the NSW Saving Our Species program

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PlantHeroesSurvey (see below or follow link)

Thanks to Dr Heidi Zimmer, Berin Mackenzie, Ian Allan- our generous interviewees.

Special appreciation as well to The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan. The team here have researched, propagated, stored and grown this species since it’s discovery. It is with sincere regret that their voices are not included in this story.

Plant Heroes Survey

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Supported by: Australian Network for Plant Conservation

Interviewees: Dr Heidi Zimmer, Berin Mackenzie and Ian Allan

Produced in collaboration with the New South Wales Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (Saving Our Species Program).

Supported by Australian Botanic Garden Mt Annan, Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, University of New South Wales & University of Melbourne.