Conservation and climate change news
Plants have an essential role to play in mitigating the effects of climate change, because they take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Conversely, if forests are destroyed by burning, then carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere. Deforestation accounts for about one fifth of the world’s carbon emissions.
However, plants are threatened by environmental changes including climate change. Conserving plants is therefore critical to any sustainable solution to environmental change.
Kew's work in this area | Adopt a seed for £25 and help Kew protect plant life
Kew's Millennium Seed Bank partnership - Bulgaria
Plant species around the world are becoming extinct more than ever before and at an increasing rate. Kew's Millennium Seed Bank partnership in Bulgaria is working against the clock to safeguard valuable plant species that are at risk from habitat loss and over exploitation.
Kew's Millennium Seed Bank partnership – Queensland
Queensland has the second highest number of threatened species in Australia. As an insurance against their extinction in the wild, seeds are being collected and conserved as part of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank partnership. At a time when they are needed in the future, they can be grown into plants and reintroduced into the wild.
Shipping seeds
Seed collections are sent back to a seed bank as quickly as possible, so that they can be dried and processed.
Recording seed collecting data
Data is collected with each seed collection to provide an essential link to habitat and sampling information for the population.
Identifying seeds and assessing quality
A collector must be certain that they have correctly identified the target species and take some time to assess the population for its potential to yield a good quality collection.
Getting permission for seed collecting
Permission must be obtained before seeds can be collected in the wild.
In harmony with nature
23 Aug 2009
A Kew magazine reader has drummed up the innovative idea of using music to promote conservation and reach young people, producing a CD in collaboration with Kew's Millennium Seed Bank.
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Kew's coffee research in Madagascar is helping to save your daily cup
11 Aug 2009
Kew scientists have distinguished 103 different wild coffee species, but only two produce most of the world’s drinking coffee. Kew's work, which involves finding and using new species, may protect the future of your daily cup.
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Kew is working with local people to help save rainforests in Cameroon
11 Aug 2009
By providing scientific support of international standing, Kew is helping local communities to protect their natural heritage.
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Kew's projects in Southern Africa
10 Aug 2009
Kew has worked in Southern Africa for many years, and we have built a network of successful partnerships and projects in this region. By recording the variety of plant life in Southern Africa we identify threatened species and regions and help save plant life and habitats under threat.
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