"There is growing interest in transitioning exotic plantations to native forests. Transitions could be used where plantations have been established in locations that are not socially, environmentally, or economically viable to harvest; or where exotic plantations are established for carbon capture. The growth of native forest beneath an exotic plantation is reliant on the arrival of native seeds. We found that native seed rain had the greatest abundance and diversity in the first 20 m of plantation forest from the native forest edge. This effect was particularly prominent in fleshy-fruited seeds (i.e. seeds dispersed by birds). Our research suggests that frequent islands of native forest within an exotic plantation may be needed to assist the growth of native vegetation beneath an exotic plantation. Islands of native forest provide a source of seeds, as well as habitat for seed-dispersing birds. Plantation forests that are functionally isolated from seed sources may have a slow rate of native vegetation growth and require high levels of management to transition from an exotic plantation to a native forest."