Party Trick

Wattles and gums (Acacias and Eucalypts) are both central to our reforestation work.

Wattles are also crucial as they are ‘early colonisers’ or the first to appear in a landscape after a fire. Because of this it was assumed that the heat of a fire brought their seeds to life. Scientists discovered, however, that it wasn’t necessarily the heat from the fire that broke their seeds dormancy but the smoke.

By soaking the seeds in water infused with smoke – ‘Smokewater’ (aka Pyroligneous acid) you can trick them into germinating without fire. At least that’s the theory….