Our Challenge
For the past six years we have been working to enhance our ability to meet the growing demand for seed preservation, seed production and increased seed collection.

Our existing seed bank (a 485 square foot adobe guest house built in the 1920s) is at maximum capacity. The five freezers that preserve our seed collection by keeping it at a cold and constant temperature are full. There is no additional space in the seed bank to add new freezers. The facility's electrical system is at capacity and has no backup generator. In addition, our seed bank has an unreliable alarm system and no sprinkler system to protect the rare and, in many cases, priceless seeds from vandalism, fire, theft or power failure.

Native Seeds/SEARCH is building a new $1.5M conservation facility that will provide a larger, safer and more secure location to house our seed collection. As a result, we will be able to not only continue our work but also expand the work we do. Although we've raised nearly $1.1M as of April 2010, we still have a way to go.  Please read below to see if you would like to join the campaign effort.

Highlights of the New NS/S Seed Bank:

• Increased seed safety and security with back-up generator, security system and sprinkler system.
• Nearly 5,200 sq. feet of work space including administration and conservation offices, a state of the art seed vault, cold storage and a seed processing area big enough to accomodate several staff and volunteers.
• Partnership with Pima County to create demonstration gardens, historic orchards, community classroom space, a retail outlet and a commercial kitchen.
• Active and passive green construction features, including solar energy, recylced blue jean insulation and infrastructure for a rainwater harvesting system.
• A beautiful hand tiled donor wall to recognize our Campaign supporters.
• Located at Tucson’s new Brandi Fenton Memorial Park in the Binghampton National Historic Landscape, this site is listed on the National Register of Historic Landscapes because of its extensive agricultural legacy.

I'd like to donate to the Capital Campaign.

Visit our wish list (type Native Seeds/SEARCH in the search window) for items needed for the conservation center. 

For additional photos, go here.