Conservation genomics for threatened flora

Using cutting-edge genomic technologies, our research supports the NSW Government’s Saving our Species and Assets of Intergenerational Significance programs, and informs the recovery and long term management of threatened flora.

To assist biodiversity managers, we developed a simple, standardised workflow that streamlines the collection, analysis and application of genomic information across diverse threatened plant species.

We advocate for a shift away from questioning whether genomic information is needed, and toward asking: what critical conservation questions can genomic data help us answer?

The key publications below showcase our approach, highlighting the workflow, the cost-effectiveness, and the importance of integrating genomics into conservation planning:

• A conservation genomics workflow to guide practical management actions.
• Conservation genomics within government-led conservation planning: an Australian case study exploring cost and benefit for threatened flora.
• The impact of taxonomic confusion on conservation resources – Why population genomics should inform threatened species determination.

(updated as of 8/7/2025)

The Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience has undertaken an extensive body of conservation genomics work across a wide range of threatened species to directly inform key conservation actions such as translocations, the establishment of ex-situ collections, and the resolution of taxonomic uncertainties.

The species listed below are the subject of completed reports that have supported a number of agencies within the NSW Government and projects involving Transport NSW, various Botanic Gardens and the Big Scrub Conservancy. Links are provided for species included in our research publications.

For more information, please contact Samantha Yap.