Save a Species
There are an estimated 400,000 plant species on Earth - as many as a quarter are threatened with extinction. You can help Kew protect threatened plants by saving a species outright today.
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The Millennium Seed Bank Partnership works with partner countries to collect seed from plants and habitats at risk from climate change and the ever-increasing impact of human activities.
We also save the seed of plants faced with the threat of extinction and those of most use in the future. The seeds are banked at Kew's Millennium Seed Bank and in partner seed banks around the world. Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) and its partners have banked over 2.4 billion seeds since 2000 and are working on new techniques to expedite the conservation of at-risk species.
The average amount it costs to ensure a species of plant will never become extinct is £2,000.
To recognise your extraordinary contribution, we will send you a certificate and a photograph of the plant species that you are responsible for safeguarding. You'll also receive an invitation to go behind the scenes on a tour of Kew's Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, West Sussex.
How to sponsor
To save a species, email donate@kew.org or call us on 0208 332 3248.
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Acampe orchid
£2,000
Found growing on trees and rocks of dry tropical forests on the island of Madagascar, the orchid Acampe pachyglossa has evolved thick leathery leaves and the same metabolism as cacti to cope with the dry conditions. They are found in almost every habitat on the island, from the coast to the highest mountain summit, and from the rain forest to the spiny forest.
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Glossy-leaved gardenia
£1,000
Native to West Africa, this shrub has long been praised for its beauty. Its handsome glossy leaves and fragrant flowers make it a popular houseplant in temperate regions, and it’s considered sacred in some of the villages where it grows wild. We’ve secured its seeds in the MSB from Burkina Faso, where it’s considered one of the country’s rarest plant species.
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Mampay
£1,000
With a Critically Endangered conservation status, there are only a handful of this unique Madagascan tree left in the wild. On the very brink of extinction, the mampay is a prime example of the fragility of Madagascar’s ecosystems, but Kew and others are working with local communities to secure its future.
