Singapore Botanic Garden. (Image via Singapore Visit)

Singapore Seed Bank to Protect Regional Plant Species from Climate Change

Kinanty Nadia Putri
Social & Life
Educations
Jul 14, 2019
2919
Southeast Asia is known for its biodiversity with approximately 50,000 plant species growing across the region, but climate change has put many of them endangered and Singapore wants to take its part to protect it while also marking the start of the annual Singapore Botanic Gardens Heritage Festival.

Singapore has just launched its first seed bank on Saturday (7/13) at the Botanic Gardens to provide habitat restoration and species conservation projects in the country and region. The launching was held by National Parks Board within colonial style houses of former Raffles College at Cluny Road.

With gallery and outdoor garden facility, visitors can learn about the seed bank and conservation work guided tours and public talks.

Second Minister for National Development Desmond Lee who attended the launch of the facility said that the natural mechanism to protect seed may not be enough, as threats from diseases, climate change, and natural disasters are growing. That is why Singapore seed bank, he emphasizes, is also intended as a form of insurance for plant diversity.

US$ $1.17 million was also raised to support research and development into the optimization of seed storage methods, especially the tropical plants--one of which is the intsia palembanica or merbau that can produce good quality of timber but is critically endangered in Singapore.

The facility can store up to 25,000 seeds of plant species but at present Botanic Gardens 10,000 species.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/seed-bank-botanic-gardens-climate-change-plant-diversity-11717496?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Singapore , Botanic , Biodiversity , Climate , Travel , SoutheastAsia