Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to collect, treat and store seed for native revegetation projects.

The unit applies to individuals who work under broad direction and use discretion and judgement in the selection and use of available resources to collect seed in a bush environment.

Legislation, regulations and by-laws relating to the collection and removal of plant materials from public and private land apply nationally and in some states, territories and jurisdictions. Users are advised to check with the local, relevant authority

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Unit Sector

Ecological Restoration (ECR)

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.

Unit Mapping Information

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=c6399549-9c62-4a5e-bf1a-524b2322cf72

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit.

There must be evidence that the individual has collected and stored native seed from at least ten different species. The collected seeds must have at least one representative from each of the following seed types:

• fleshy fruits
• dry dehiscent seed
• dry indehiscent seed.

There must also be evidence that the individual has:

• sought and obtained permission and approval to collect seed from at least one of the following protected environments or people, including:

• local government or roadside
• state forest
• national park
• Indigenous elders or custodians on country
• private property

• used and maintained materials, equipment and resources efficiently and safely
• identified seed species accurately
• followed workplace policies and procedures for collecting seed
• assessed the seed against quality standards for seed collection
• accurately recorded seed collection information and results.

Knowledge Evidence

An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

• environmental protection requirements and procedures for minimising environmental impact
• laws governing seed collecting from public and private land, including:

• basics of commonwealth, state or territory laws
• licensing requirements and application procedures for seed collection on public land
• permits and access to Indigenous lands
• negotiating access to private land

• ecological principles for seed collection, including:

• identifying plants and range of seed species required for collection
• basic ecological ecosystems for locating seed collection targets
• native plant and seed characteristics of revegetation site

• assessing seed quality characteristics, including:

• types of diseases and pests likely to infect seed species
• seed size, viability and stage for collection
• provenance

• ethical considerations for collecting seed, including plant scarcity and impact of seed collection on natural regeneration
• procedures for collecting, treating, storing and labelling seed, including:

• recognising seed ready for collection
• weather and environmental conditions
• location on plants to collect seed
• extracting seed from plant receptacles
• winnowing and separating seed waste
• labelling seed and the need for accuracy in documentation
• seed treatments and storage requirements for seed species
• seed storage life expectancy

• organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures for collecting seed, including:

• collecting seed sustainably, minimising seed collection impact on the environment
• collecting seed hygienically using biosecurity principles to prevent the spread of pests and disease

• seed collecting resources and equipment, including:

• safe use and operation
• basic maintenance
• cleaning and storing

• recording and reporting requirements
• seed collecting timeframes, including availability and viability
• workplace health and safety requirements, including:

• safety and environmental hazards associated with the collection, treatment and storage of seed
• personal protective equipment
• collecting seed from height.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of the skills in this unit of competency must take place under the following conditions:

• physical conditions:

• skills must be demonstrated in the field collecting a range of seed specified in the Performance Evidence, from an area requiring approvals, or an environment that accurately represents workplace conditions

• resources, equipment and materials:

• live plants with accessible seeds
• tools and equipment required to collect seed or seed receptacles and for extracting, cleaning seed
• seed storage containers and storage environment
• specific items of personal protective equipment when collecting seed

• specifications:

• workplace procedures and processes for seed collection
• forms and procedures for applying for permission and approval for site access and seed collection
• workplace instructions and specifications for seeds to collect
• legislation and regulations for flora protection and biosecurity.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=c6399549-9c62-4a5e-bf1a-524b2322cf72