Britannica: What types of native plants have been chosen for seed storage and restoration by the Native Seed Hub and why these plants in particular?
Way: Seed production is initially being focussed on species which are difficult to obtain and use for meadow creation. For example, seed of dyer’s greenweed (Genista tinctoria) requires a period of cold stratification in order to break dormancy and this has been selected for seed production. The devil’s-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) is being grown as it has also proved difficult for some growers to germinate and our seed expertise helps us overcome these problems.
Seed storage and production is not the whole story: we continue to collect seed from the wild in order to have all UK native species represented by at least one high quality seed collection, and we aim to make additional collections from threatened species in support of biodiversity action plan targets. Through development of the UK Native Seed Hub, we are also collecting seed of more widespread species which are used in habitat creation and restoration schemes. To ensure that landowners have a wider choice of material, we wish to store additional collections from species which occur in a range of environments. For example, we would like to grow the beautiful harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) from seed collected from both acid and calcareous grassland origins.
We have consulted growers and the conservation agencies to align as far as possible with their current habitat and species priorities, and will keep this under review to make sure that we are producing the species that will be most useful to growers.
Britannica: What steps do Native Seed Hub researchers and organizers intend to take to help native plants move from seed stocks at the Millennium Seed Bank (MSB), Wakehurst to natural landscapes across the UK?
Way: The seed collections that we have stored in the MSB for conservation are generally too small to be of direct use for habitat restoration. That’s why we have recognised the need to harvest much larger seed collections for some species by using our experienced horticulture team and new seed production beds at Wakehurst Place, West Sussex. In most cases the collections that we harvest, containing many thousands of seeds, will in turn be provided to wildflower growers to multiply and sell to customers creating habitats with native species. Kew already produces a seed list for access to its thousands of conservation collections by scientists around the world. Our UK Native Seed Hub collections will also be publicised to growers. We will also cooperate with Flora Locale, Natural England, and other bodies to support development of best practice and to help share technical advice and case studies which will assist future projects.
Britannica: By making native seeds available to conservation groups and commercial seed companies, the Native Seed Hub hopes to have a positive impact on biodiversity in the UK. In what ways will an increase in native plant diversity benefit local ecosystems and human communities?
Way: We are fortunate that the UK still has some wonderful sites rich in wildlife, but too often these sites have become isolated fragments of habitats that were once widespread. Even where careful management such as by grazing, mowing or woodland coppicing is used to maintain the balance of plants and animals on these sites, the long-term future of these habitat fragments and their associated wildlife can look bleak when faced with potentially rapid environmental change. By providing quality native origin seeds into the market, the UK Native Seed Hub will help land managers to join up these habitats through habitat restoration and creation initiatives. In many cases we will supply common native species to help extend and enlarge habitats. We also expect that our knowledge of propagation of more specialist species (typically the very early or late blooming species) will help to provide additional species diversity to restoration schemes. The native plant communities that result will become a haven for wildlife and will be appreciated by all those that visit. We also benefit from the varied ‘services’ that these habitats provide for us free of charge, from capturing and storing carbon to alleviating flooding to supporting native pollinators so essential for agriculture, especially fruit-growing. It is recognised that diverse, semi-natural habitats are key to providing these economic benefits and will be essential in helping the UK adapt to climate change.
Britannica: It is possible that the Native Seed Hub project could serve as a model for seed storage and native plant restoration elsewhere in the world. In what regions or countries could such projects have the greatest benefits?Way: The UK Native Seed Hub is founded on the knowledge and extensive collections of UK flora held by Kew, but there is growing interest among the MSB Partnership to provide support to regional habitat restoration efforts. We have been influenced by the Chicago Botanic Garden’s National Tallgrass Prairie Seed Bank in United States, which supports research and practical restoration efforts through extensive prairie seed collections, and by the Western Australia Seed Technology Centre, which collects stores and propagates seeds from the Western Australian flora for many applied uses. However, the MSB Partnership is very broad and the priority in some of the partnerships in the emerging economies has been to initially safeguard species that are at threat from land-use change. As habitat restoration becomes a greater priority nationally, the stored seed collections will provide a platform to support these efforts.
Britannica: Many people derive enjoyment from gardening and caring for plants. Are there ways in which members of the public can become involved with the Native Seed Hub and efforts to restore native plants in the UK?
Way: Certainly: everyone can play their part in communicating the value of native plant species and the importance of restoration of our fragmented habitats. Visitors to Wakehurst Place will be able to find out more about the species that are being grown and see the beauty of these species when grown in seed production beds. There is a growing awareness of the potential of native species gardening at home but if you are making a purchase of native plants or seeds at your local garden centre or through a catalogue, do check that the species is truly of native origin and that it is appropriate for your conditions. If your garden already has a good range of wildflowers in the lawn or in adjacent meadows, for example, then it may be possible to encourage them to spread into your garden by changing the way that you manage the plants at the moment. Your local Wildlife Trust may have suggestions or materials that can guide you.
We are also pleased to hear from any enthusiastic botanists out there who would be interested in volunteering to make seed collections from native species. Without the effort of many individuals and the assistance of a range of landowners, it would not have been possible to create such an extensive collection in our seed bank, and we hope that we can count on further support in the future.