This dataset contains a list of 200 plant species and their
priority as appropriate threatened species for planting in City of Melbourne
green spaces. This is based on a Threatened Species Assessment Tool developed
by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria that was used to provide a framework to
assess and prioritise the inclusion of threatened species into landscape
plantings. The tool includes information and scoring for cultivation
requirements, conservation benefits and horticultural potential which are the
foundation of the assessment. Additional benefits specific to the City of
Melbourne and potential weed threat were also considered as part of the
assessment process. Higher priority was given to species which are the most
threatened and are indigenous to the City of Melbourne.
From this assessment process, a priority list of 56 species
has been short-listed as appropriate threatened species for
planting.
For inclusion in the Threatened Species Assessment Tool, all
species were required to be listed as threatened in Victoria.
Scores were calculated based on
the following:
• Cultivation Requirements Subtotal = Cultivation Protocols + Propagation
Protocols
• Conservation Subtotal =
Germplasm Source + Conservation Status + Germplasm Origin + Provenance +
Additional Conservation Benefit
• Total Score = Cultivation
Requirements Subtotal + Conservation Subtotal + Additional Local Benefits
Subtotal
• Total Score including
Horticultural Potential = Cultivation Requirements Subtotal + Conservation
Subtotal + Additional Local Benefits Subtotal + Horticultural Potential
Thresholds were set in certain categories which resulted in
the removal of species from priority selection. Species with cells marked with
an asterisk (*) were removed from the final priority plant list. In addition,
an overall Total Score threshold of 20 was chosen for final species selection.
This dataset is based on the “City of Melbourne Threatened
Plant Living Collection Plan” produced by R. Larke, M. Hirst and J. Arnott of
the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, and N.S.G. Williams of the University of
Melbourne. For documented methods please refer to the report (attached).
The data and report was published in May 2023.
