Seeds have two faces, like the God Janus
who looked to the past with one face and to the future with the other.
Seeds are bearers of the past, from the evolution of life until today,
and at the same time they are a link tot he future;
to the plant that can grow out of it,
if they fall into the right place at the right time and under the right conditions.

This not longer seems self-evident,
Because nature groans under the fragmentation of the landscape,
over fertilization and soil erosion.
More and more seeds, and the relevant wild native plant species,
are threatened and on the red list.
For the future of these species, the assistance of mankind is of ever-increasing importance.
If we want to preserve diversity, we must help nature.

The seed bank of Belgium, now conserves a lot of endangered and extinct seeds.
For many species, and for our biodiversity, their research, conservation, volunteers and the Institute for Nature and Forests Research, is their only future.