Running repairs

Restoring lost and damaged habitats to protect diversity, improve marginal land and slow the pace of climate change.

Kew has a long track record in rescuing and rehabilitating endangered species. Now we must think bigger and work faster to restore entire habitats to lands damaged by farming, industry or natural catastrophe.

Repairing and restoring native ecosystems is a top priority in the 21st century, both to save species and boost the planet's capacity to mop up carbon and slow the pace of climate change. Kew has all the ingredients - seed of many key species, expertise in propagation and germination, scientists who understand the complexities of ecosystems, and the tools and technology to help on the ground.

In the past 10 years, Kew has supported more than 60 restoration and reintroduction projects in one way or another. We aim to build on that. By forging partnerships with other leaders in the science of fixing and restoring damaged habitats, we will create a globe-spanning network of expertise.

Kew's Breathing Planet Programme (pdf) | Help Kew: Adopt a seed for £25

Biodiversity and conservation

Every day, scientists at Kew work to understand and conserve plant diversity. Kew’s projects around the world also help to protect plants and habitats at risk, which in turn helps to safeguard vital natural services, such as the availability of clean water, provided by natural vegetation.

Find out more about Kew's work

About water, plants and biodiversity

Water is vital to life and, in turn, biodiversity cleans, cycles and regulates the world’s water. Kew’s projects around the world aim to understand and conserve valuable plant diversity, to safeguard the vital services provided by natural vegetation.

Find out more about the importance of plants for water

Saving plants from the brink of extinction

Like many things in today's world, plants are endangered. Today, 60,000 to 100,000 species of plant are faced with the threat of extinction. Kew is helping to save plant species at risk through the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership.

In 2010 Carlos Magdalena, a horticulturist at Kew, discovered the secret of growing a rare species of African waterlily – bringing it back from the brink of extinction. The 'thermal’ lily (Nymphaea thermarum) is believed to be the smallest waterlily in the world.