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Menehune Man
February 29th, 2008, 05:15 PM
The "Doomsday" seed vault opens in Norway

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/26/norway.seeds/index.html

The story

A vast underground vault storing millions of seeds from around the world took delivery of its first shipment Tuesday.

Dubbed the "Doomsday Vault," the seed bank on a remote island near the Arctic Ocean is considered the ultimate safety net for the world's seed collections, protecting them from a wide range of threats including war, natural disasters, lack of funding or simply poor agricultural management.

Norwegian musicians performed Tuesday as part of an elaborate opening ceremony marking the opening of the vault, located 130 meters (427 feet) inside a frozen mountain. Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental and political activist who won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, placed the first seeds inside the vault, followed by other dignitaries.

Be sure to click on the "Read full story" link

tutusue
February 29th, 2008, 05:44 PM
I saw this subject covered on tv within the last week. Can't remember which show/station but it was fascinating, The vault is, basically, impervious to anything and everything.

salmoned
March 1st, 2008, 08:07 PM
Silly to think that any 1 place could possibly be adequate. Better to have a dozen or more of these vaults, located in mostly non-remote areas. They could also support active planting or re-adoption of heritage crops to some degree, to provide benefits prior to 'Doomsday' scenarios.

craigwatanabe
March 2nd, 2008, 11:24 PM
I think there were several seed storage sites around the world. This one particular site in Norway is just one of the most elaborate.