African bamboo becomes billionth seed
Anna:
April 27th, 2007
The UK’s Millennium Seed Bank Project (MSBP), based at the fabulous Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, has banked its billionth seed! The initiative came about as a result of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, some fifteen years ago. The MSBP holds more wild seeds than any other collection in the world, and has created a global network of partners who contribute seeds. By banking the seeds, partners can insure themselves against the loss of a species in its natural environments. It’s a brilliant idea, combining ecological safekeeping with global co-operation.
The billionth seed, from an African bamboo collected in Mali, was presented to the Gordon Brown yesterday ahead of the official banking ceremony at the Millennium Seed Bank set to take place on 22nd May.
(Image copyright RBG Kew)