- The BC Seed Bank protects the unique genetic and species diversity of BC’s native plants by collecting seeds and preserving them in off-site cold storage
- Conserving rare and culturally important native species is critical for:
- Preventing species extinctions
- Restoring degraded landscapes
- Proving a seed source for restoration of degraded landscapes
- Maintaining the food and medicinal diversity of Indigenous harvest areas
- Sustaining biodiversity in the face of catastrophic events
- The BC Seed Bank will provide storage facilities and supports capacity building for more than 50 community-based organizations that form the seed bank network
- The BC Seed Bank is an initiative by Nupqu Native Plant Nursery, CDFCP, UBC Botanical Garden, and Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
Photo credit: Satinflower Nurseries
KEXMIN, Lomatium nudicaule, a culturally significant plant species that was collected for the seed bank in 2025.
Why do we need a seed bank in BC?
- BC is home to 55 federally Endangered, 13 federally Threatened, and 349 provincially rare-listed vascular plants. These species face multiple threats.
- Indigenous Peoples are concerned that important food and medicinal plants have disappeared in their territories. Local plant extinctions could impact food sovereignty, cultural practice, and language richness
- Having a seed bank ensures that rate and unique genetics persist and can be restored in the wild
The vision for the BC Seed Bank is to:
- Develop a seed bank network through training, capacity building and seed storage.
- Serve as a safety net to prevent irreversible loss of species and genetic variation.
- Create a repository of seed that can be used for restoration and the reintroduction of plant species.
- Create a data management system that is consistent with indigenous data sovereignty concerns.
- Provide opportunities for research on the germination and propagation of poorly understood species.
- Strengthen collaborations between traditional knowledge holders and western science.
- Support Indigenous Peoples’ objectives to restore land and cultural practices.
- Complement work currently done by the BC Tree Seed Centre and National Tree Seed Centre which focus on tree species but do not store seed of forbs or grasses.
Summary of Gathering Discussion
We had 72 participants attend our gathering on March 11, 2026. Attendees were asked the following questions:
Breakout Session 1: Priority Species
Q1: What criteria should we use for prioritizing species for the seed bank? (rare/species at risk/by region/local extinction risk/species used for reclamation/ culturally significant species)
Breakout Session 2: Data Sovereignty
Q1: What data sovereignty opportunities and concerns should the BC Seed Bank be mindful of?
Q2: What kind of data may be sensitive?
Q3: What sensitivities are there related to storage location and use?
ex: where the seed is stored/how it is used/who gets access to the seed and or information
Breakout Session 3: Growing Forward
Q1: What do you see as the long-term vision for the BC Seed Bank? (In 2030, picture the Seed Bank being wildly successful… )
Q2: How might we secure long-term funding for the BC Seed Bank?
Gathering Recording
Thank you to our funders
