Particle.news
Download on the App Store
7 ARTICLES
·
8h ago

King Charles and Cate Blanchett Unveil Kew Podcast on the Millennium Seed Bank’s Urgent Next Phase

The discussion calls for faster scaling of seed conservation to return stored plant diversity to threatened habitats.

Image
Image
Image
Cate Blanchett, wearing thin pink rimmed glasses is standing on a grey metal spiral staircase looking up at the camera. She has a grey checked jacket with a white shirt. Behind her, out of focus, in the basement is the yellow door to the Millennium Seed Bank.

Overview

  • The episode, released Oct. 20, opens Kew’s fourth Unearthed series focused on the seed bank’s past, present and future.
  • Recorded at Windsor Castle in July, the 22-minute conversation features Kew seed scientist Dr. Elinor Breman alongside the King and Blanchett.
  • King Charles praises the project as “wonderful” while urging that the work be sped up to better safeguard biodiversity.
  • Cate Blanchett, a Wakehurst ambassador, says initiatives are ready to scale but funding lacks clear direction.
  • The Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst stores nearly 2.5 billion seeds from more than 40,000 species at -20C and now supplies restoration projects from England’s South Downs to post-2019 wildfire recovery in Australia.