Why save seeds ?

All life on earth depends on plants. Plants are the basis of ecosystems in which all animals, including humans, live, survive and grow. By saving seeds we can save plants.

Despite our reliance on plants, we are at a crisis point. It is thought that 60,000 to 100,000 plant species are under threat. Direct threats to plant survival are climate change, habitat loss, invasive alien species, and over-exploitation. The root causes of these threats are difficult to control and include human population growth and socio-economic factors.

Seed banks provide an insurance policy against the extinction of plants in the wild and provide options for their future use. They complement in situ conservation methods, which conserve plants and animals directly in the wild. The Millennium Seed Bank already holds seeds from species thought to be extinct in the wild. In addition, seed banks provide a controlled source of plant material for research, provide skills and knowledge that support wider plant conservation aims, and contribute to education and public awareness about plant conservation.