Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank (Portland State University)

Description

The Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank & Plant Conservation Program is the primary off-site conservator of genetic resources of native plants of Oregon, ensuring the survival of threatened and endangered species and the availability of seeds for restoring Pacific Northwest ecosystems.

To realize this vision, we seek to provide comprehensive off-site conservation resources in support of habitat-based conservation efforts in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, and to use our expertise in support of plant conservation regionally, nationally and globally.

Once part of Portland's Berry Botanic Garden, the 35-year-old Seed Bank moved to Portland State University in 2011. We continue the work begun in 1983, preserving seeds of native plants and conserving native plant populations, with the help of hundreds of volunteers over the years. We have also added a program called Citizen's Rare Plant Watch, in which "citizen scientist" volunteers visit rare plant populations all over Oregon to assess their current health.