SEEDS WORTH SAVING

Becky Searle shows you how you can save money, have healthier plants and protect food diversity just by saving seeds

- Becky Searle

On the Norwegian island of Svalbard, 400 feet beneath a mountain and encased in rock, lies the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. It's one of the most protected places on Earth, chosen for its geological and climatic stability to keep its precious contents safe. So, what is so critically important that it deserves such a fortress? Seeds, of course! It contains around 1.1 million seeds of around 6000 different plant species contributed by seed banks worldwide. The purpose is to preserve these seeds in case something catastrophic should happen on Earth.

Seeds are the foundation of all life on Earth. They're the embryonic form of a plant, encasing a tiny root called a radicle and a little leaf or leaves called cotyledons. They also contain a small amount of energy to help the roots go down, and the leaves go up. The whole thing is encased in a protective outer shell called the seed coat. Seeds can lie dormant for many years, protecting their precious contents until conditions are suitable for germination. One seed was recently germinated after being preserved in Arctic ice. It was estimated to be 32,000 years old.

WHY SAVE SEED?