UK Threatened Flora Project
Working with a range of partners and volunteer groups to increase the quantity and quality of seed collections conserved at the Millennium Seed Bank from the UK’s threatened flora.
Concerted effort in recent years has ensured that 98% of the UK’s native bankable flora is represented by at least one collection stored in the MSB.
The UK Threatened Flora Project aims to enhance these collections by sampling seeds from multiple populations of threatened species to capture genetic variation across the UK. This will provide a wider resource for use in research and conservation and the Project will enable Kew to directly support biodiversity targets laid out in the UK Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.
Collections made over the course of this project will be available for research and to support species and habitat recovery programmes. Sustainable and thriving populations of plants and wildlife deliver natural capital gains such as healthy water systems, thriving pollinator populations, and engagement with natural areas and the associated social benefits. Access to, and availability of, collections will provide opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of the UK’s threatened species.
Objectives
- Build comprehensive, genetically representative seed collections from the UK’s threatened flora and ensure that these are accessible to users.
- Provide specialist advice, training and technical expertise on collecting and storing seed.
- Undertake research to understand and overcome constraints to the collection, storage and use of native plant materials and facilitate their use in research and biodiversity conservation initiatives.
- At least 360 new collections of priority threatened species
- Plant information sheets, including detailed germination and propagation protocols, produced for 12 threatened species
- Provide seed, plants, advice or technical assistance to at least twelve partner or client organisations
PROJECT LEADER
Stephanie Miles - UK Collections Coordinator
TEAM
Jennifer Peach - UK Threatened Flora Project Officer
Alice Livingstone - Project Horticulturalist
- Other botanic gardens such as National Botanic Garden of Wales and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
- Large organisations such as the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, Wildlife Trusts, Plantlife and the National Trust
- National statutory agencies such as Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Nature Scotland
- A range of local flora groups and specialist botanists
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
