Restoration Seed Ecology with Dr Lucy Commander

Dr Lucy Commander is a consultant ecologist, who writes, edits and reviews publications, gives guest lectures, and facilitates workshops. Currently, Lucy is the Project Manager for the update of the Florabank Guidelines for best practice native seed collection and use, with Australian Network for Plant Conservation and partners.

In June 2019, Lucy organised the Nature City Seminar in Perth through Perth NRM. The seminar brought people together to share research and case studies on how to better manage, restore and connect with nature in urban areas. Lucy was also the lead editor of the Australian Network for Plant Conservation's Guidelines for the Translocation of Threatened Plants, published in 2018 and funded by the NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub.

Lucy's background is as a Restoration Seed Ecologist, and has spent over a decade undertaking scientific research with the mining industry to improve mine restoration. She is interested in knowing what grows where and why, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, and has recently been focusing on seed traits to improve seedling emergence in the early stages of restoration. She is also focused on defining targets for restoration and developing completion criteria.

Lucy is passionate about nature in urban areas, and connecting people, particularly children, with nature. She volunteers with her local bushland friends group to undertake ecological restoration.