Seed banking in a nutshell

Marshel fumbles through a bag of Podocarpus falcatus seeds, takes one out, rubs its rough surface between his thumb and index finger. Emma snaps photos measuring Elaeodendron buchananii against a twenty-shilling coin. Together we pester Lucy with questions about seed banking. What’s the humidifier for? And the fridges? And that fancy contraption in the corner? She answers our questions patiently, explaining that she’s a biotechnician, and only just started working with seeds. We’re all fascinated, running our fingers through the seeds like bowls of water. Lucy jots down coordinates in a ledger. Kathi ruminates about carbon capture. In the seed bank, we talk about temperance and socialism until our breath overheats the room, and we continue our conversation outside, lacing up mudded shoes and strolling down the hill, past the nursery, en route to make terrariums out of old cognac bottles. 

Restoring indigenous, biodiverse ecosystems is crucial for cooling the planet. But the scarcity of indigenous seeds poses a major threat to forest restoration. Without viable seeds, there’s no hope for restoring native forests. In a world where a third of our tree species are at risk of extinction, and our seasons fluctuate wildly due to anthropogenic climate change, seed banking is a necessary intervention. Preserving and caring for seeds can help avoid seasonal gaps in propagation, respond to natural disasters, and protect species for future generations.

In the office, Herbert pinches an Acacia gerarrdii seed between his fingers and holds it to my eye level. This one can be stored for long, he says. It can tolerate desiccation around 15% relative humidity and a temperature of –20°C and still be viable–or able to germinate. He tells me something about the size of the embryo, the physical properties of the seed, and the ability of the mitochondria to generate energy over time. I catch a glimpse of the thin, cream ‘O’ on the seed’s belly before he drops it back into a glass jar. 

Like everything else, seeds die. Eventually. But by storing seeds in a safe environment, where their temperature, moisture, light exposure, and oxygen pressure are carefully controlled, some seeds can stay viable for decades. Hence the humidifier. And the fridges.

For more information and resources about seed banking, visit Terraformation. For more information about seed banking and ecosystem restoration work in Kenya, visit The Centre for Ecosystem Restoration Kenya.