Inside the World’s Biggest Biodiversity Vault

Name: Inside the World’s Biggest Biodiversity Vault
Uploaded: 2025-10-22 08:28:21
Duration: 105 s
Description: Marking 25 years of preserving the planet’s biodiversity, the Millennium Seed Bank now safeguards nearly 2.5 billion seeds from 40,000 species,

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) — the world’s largest collection of wild plant seeds.

Hidden beneath the English countryside at Wakehurst, the MSB preserves nearly 2.5 billion seeds from over 40,000 species.

It serves as a global safeguard for biodiversity, aiming to restore ecosystems and nsure ecological resilience as climate change accelerates.

Dr. Charlotte Lusty, Head of Seed Collections, described it as “the greatest diversity on the planet in one place.”

Since opening in 2000, the MSB has worked with 279 partners across 100 countries, supporting conservation and habitat restoration.

Seeds are stored in sealed containers at -20°C, allowing many species to remain viable for decades or even centuries.

With COP30 approaching in Brazil, Lusty urged world leaders to expand restoration initiatives and view seed banks as “dynamic resources” essential for securing the future of life on Earth.

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