IN DECEMBER 1995, RBG Kew was granted £21.6 million towards the Millennium Seed Bank project by the Millennium Commission. It is one of the Commission's National Landmark projects which celebrate the year 2000 and look forward to the next millennium. This exceptional opportunity for plant conservation was the culmination of many months' work by Kew's Seed Conservation Section, the Foundation, Public Relations, and the Buildings and Maintenance Department, guided by Prof. Charles Stirton (the Director of Science and Horticulture). Pivotal to the project application's success have been the architects, Stanton Williams, and Sir Jeffery Bowman, who steered the financial planning.

With species' impoverishment and loss accelerating globally, the project's ambitious aim is the conservation of seed samples from some 25,000 species by the year 2010. The facility will be available for safe deposit of wild plant germplasm from many sources but the geographical focus for collecting will be the world's drylands where human welfare is absolutely dependent upon plants. This collaborative effort will involve a network of overseas institutes and will dramatically expand Kew's current seed work. Closer to home, the project aims to bank a near-complete representation of UK native seed-bearing species by the year 2000 with the help of nature organisations. Underpinning the conservation effort will be a seed research programme aiming to maximise seed lifespans; some collections may well span the millennium. A comprehensive seed biology database will be another important product of this work.

At the heart of the project is the Millennium Seed Bank building which will be built near to Wakehurst Place by the end of the century. This will house the science facilities and underground bank, and it will greatly increase the opportunity for research and training visits by scientists from partner institutes. Public access to the building's central atrium will give Wakehurst's 250,000 annual visitors the chance to view the facilities and learn more about the project's vital role in conservation.The project team, under the interim management of the Director of Operations, John Lavin, is now working towards the launch of the Foundation and Friends' £7.9 m appeal to help the project reach its target for fund raising. The Kew Foundation has already received generous donations from several sponsors as well as a substantial legacy.

Contact: Roger Smith (0181-332 5080)

Email: Roger Smith