Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are home to some of the critically endangered Garry oak ecosystems. Only five per cent remains today after much has been lost to land development. These ecosystems continue to face threats including climate change, wildfires, invasive species and urban development. Now, a novel B.C. rare and culturally significant seed bank will try to preserve seeds from native plant species, with the goal of repopulating critical ecosystems in the event of disaster. The plan to collect and preserve the seeds involves the Nupqu Native Plant Nursery, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, University of British Columbia botanical gardens, and the Coastal Douglas fir Conservation Partnership, administered by the B.C. Conservation Foundation.” …The team has already begun the specialized process of seed collecting in Garry oak ecosystems, and collected 12,000 seeds from seven species to date.