The Millennium Seed Bank (MSB), located at Wakehurst in West Sussex, is the world's largest wild plant seed bank. Managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, it serves as a global "insurance policy" against plant extinction caused by climate change and habitat loss.
Key Figures (as of 2025)
Total Seeds Stored: Nearly 2.5 billion individual seeds.
Species Conserved: Over 40,000 different wild plant species.
Global Reach: Seeds collected from 190 countries and territories through 279 global partners.
UK Coverage: Holds collections for over 98% of the UK’s bankable native flora.
Core Operations and Research
Secure Storage: Seeds are dried to approximately 5% moisture and stored in underground, sub-zero vaults at –20°C. These vaults are designed to be bomb, flood, and radiation-proof.
Cryopreservation: For "recalcitrant" species whose seeds cannot survive traditional drying and freezing, the MSB uses liquid nitrogen at –196°C to preserve genetic material.
Active Restoration: The bank is not merely a storage facility; seeds are frequently withdrawn for habitat restoration, such as reintroducing plants after Australian bushfires or restoring UK meadows.
Scientific Output: Since 2000, MSB scientists have published more than 520 research papers and trained over 3,000 professionals in seed conservation.
2025 Milestones and Future Goals
25th Anniversary: In October 2025, the MSB celebrated its 25th anniversary with the launch of the £30 million Seeds Future Fund to accelerate global conservation impact over the next quarter-century.
Restoration Focus: Current priorities include the Native Seeds for Restorationproject (2025–2028), which researches how UK seeds respond to extreme environmental stressors like drought and heat.
Sustainability: The facility recently upgraded to a low-temperature transcritical CO₂ refrigeration system to reduce energy consumption by 20% and lower carbon emissions.
Visiting Wakehurst
Visitors can explore the Millennium Seed Bank exhibition to see scientists at work through glass-walled laboratories. While the public cannot enter the underground vaults, interactive displays explain the journey of a seed from collection to long-term storage.