Why do we save seeds?

Seeds are the beginnings of life. From the food we can grow today, to the wondrous habitats they can create. They offer us a chance to capture, store and even design the landscapes of the future. In this episode of Unearthed: Nature needs us from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew find out how scientists around the globe are working against the clock to protect species on the brink of extinction. From the Millennium Seed Bank - the world’s largest global seed bank for wild plant species - to intrepid collection trips in harsh conditions, Dr Mya-Rose Craig explores the breadth of current research about seeds. Dr Katie Field from the University of Sheffield tells us the story of how plants and fungi colonised and shaped the planet we know today. Then Joycelyn Longdon @climateincolour meets with Kew’s Charlotte Couch and The Natural History Museum’s Ben Town at Kew’s Community Allotment to discuss how everyone can benefit from biodiversity research that includes and values communities. Subscribe to this podcast to catch up on earlier episodes of Unearthed and enjoy a new episode every fortnight. You can find out more about Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and support their cutting-edge conservation research and training at Kew.org.        See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Wildlife is becoming extinct at an alarming rate and habitats are under strain. What can nature itself teach us about how to heal our planet and support biodiversity? In Unearthed, the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew invites you to explore how plant and fungal knowledge can be harnessed to change our world for the better. Series 3 “Unearthed: Nature needs us”, takes us on a journey from soil to sky, scaling the tangle of nature’s systems and interactions to help us tackle the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Dr Mya-Rose Craig (AKA “Birdgirl”) hears from Kew experts, as well as communities and organisations across the world who are combining learnings in science, wildlife, conservation and restoration to work within the bounds of nature and help halt the devastating impacts of unsustainable human activity. From farming practises and food production to land use, pollinators, traditional techniques, tech and forestry to tackling poverty and inequality through environmental policy, join us as we untangle the secrets of nature and seek solutions to our world’s problems. Subscribe to all episodes and catch up on earlier series of Unearthed from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew on this feed.