From hiking through crocodile-infested habitats to traversing mountains and flying a helicopter to the side of a cliff, it would be easy to think Brendan Espe was trying to be the next Bear Grylls. But he isn’t in the game of extreme adventure like the British TV presenter. Instead, he is looking for the rare plants that he believes could help humanity survive climate change. An environmental officer for James Cook University, Mr Espe curates the living collection of plants and animals on the Townsville campus, with a particular focus on endangered species. …In an unassuming building in Canberra, millions of native seeds sourced by people like Mr Espe are carefully stored to stay viable for hundreds of years. National Seed Bank manager Lydia Guja said it was a vital resource for the continuation of many species, as well as identifying those that could adapt to climate change.