Statewide Seedbank Network

The Maui wildfires exposed a critical weakness in Hawaiʻi’s resilience: a shortage of native seeds. Without sufficient reserves, communities are unable to respond. We propose using Hawaiʻi Green Fee funds to establish containerized seed bank labs across the islands. These modular units will securely collect, clean, test, and store native seeds to support large-scale restoration. Terraformation has built 17 seed banks globally, including facilities on Hawaiʻi Island and Lānaʻi. Building on this experience, we aim to create a statewide network maintaining diverse, site-appropriate native seed stocks. Working with partners such as the University of Hawaiʻi, Clay Trauernicht, the Hawaiʻi Seed Banking Partnership, and the Laukahi Network, a coordinated island-wide system shoul dbe designed. Green Fee funding can catalyze collaboration, build essential infrastructure, and ensure Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems recover and thrive after future catastrophes.