The California Seed Bank: Conserving the Botanical Diversity of the Golden State

California is the most biodiverse state in the country, boasting over 6,500 native plant taxa with high levels of both rarity and endemism. In the face of habitat destruction, climate change, altered fire regimes, the spread of invasive species, and many other threats, there is an urgent need to protect this botanical diversity. 

Seed banking is a cost-effective strategy for the long-term conservation of plant diversity. The California Botanic Garden maintains a collection of over 6,200 accessions representing over 2,500 taxa - the largest seed repository dedicated to conserving the flora of California. Learn how these collections help safeguard our most threatened plants from extinction, conserve material for habitat restoration, and serve as source material for research as well as for living collections at botanic gardens for increased public education and appreciation. In this talk you’ll learn about the facility, the collection, and the projects with the goal of seed banking all possible native plant species of California. You'll also learn about the basic principles of seed saving with applications for the home.

Presenter: Cheryl Birker, the Seed Conservation Program Manager at the California Botanic Garden (CalBG).

Registration for this class is required.

Photo credit: Cathrin Callas, UC Master Gardener