b'Flower Bells of Ireland seedlings sprout.PHOTO: SSEin these collections will also increase, along with more-efficienttinue to be vibrant. Many of them focus on region-specific varie-ways of accessing genetics related to desirable traits. ties which generally have cultural and historical significance, for Sally Norton, research leader at the Australian Grainsexample non-profit Native Seeds/SEARCH in Arizona works to Genebank, also believes management of genebank collectionspreserve indigenous seeds from the American Southwest. SSE, will improve, with increased use of genomic and digital technolo- which will celebrate its 50th year in 2025, prioritizes heirloom gies. In 2023, her genebank launched an online seed cataloguevarieties from all parts of the U.S., maintaining them under strict using the GRIN-Global Database System. accession guidelines to respect their historical and regional To help genebanks with their collections, to use native spe- uniqueness. The collection extends beyond the United States cies for land rehabilitation projects and more, its also positiveto all parts of the Americas, and all of its current seed is open-that seed production areas for Australian wild plants are beingpollinated and non-GMO.developed. This may be occurring elsewhere as well. SamanthaOrganizations such as these continue to run many programs Andres at Western Sydney University notes that not only are theand educational initiatives to ensure the importance of seed-sav-seeds of some native species difficult to collect in the wild, buting and sharing remains alive in U.S. communities. At SSE, they wild populations can also be subject to over-collection. hold many activities at their 890-acre Heritage Farm. Among And while Ola Westengen at the Norwegian University of Lifeother initiatives, they also have a Community Seed Network to Sciences would like to see better collaboration between nationalconnect seed savers with experienced mentors, a comprehen-genebanks around the world, she observes that there is a solidsive Virtual Seed School course and an annual conference to international governance framework in place for conservation,gather experts and all other enthusiasts. use and benefit sharing: The Plant Treaty.Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, a Virginia seed firm owned Its great to see more and more countries joining this treaty,cooperatively by about 20 members, is also very active, making she says, and I think it helps national genebanks secure fund- over 800 varieties available to customers each year, grown by ing for their operation and management, and for making theabout 90 small farmers and by customers who are also amateur diversity they conserve available to usersnot only in their ownbreeders. Things are going well, says manager Ira Wallace. country but among all treaty members.There is continued interest from small farmers and gardeners. Sales went up during the pandemic and have stayed steady. Small Organizations and Local Initiatives In partnership with SSE and Native Seed/SEARCH, Southern Returning to small independent seed companies, cooperativesExposure holds nation-wide trials conducted by gardeners and and non-profits, while they may be fewer nowadays, they con- makes the resulting data about variety performance in different 44/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2025'