Translated from spanish – Kuno Frommfeld 10/2010

A silo savesA silo saves 100 million plant samples100 million plant samples

in the Arctic.in the Arctic.

The Svalbard International Seed Vault (SISV),The Svalbard International Seed Vault (SISV),also known as the also known as the "doomsday vault","doomsday vault", is designed to is designed to save samples of all seed varieties known to man.save samples of all seed varieties known to man.

The goal is to make a The goal is to make a Noah's arkNoah's ark,, a huge store that a huge store that contains samples of the plants needed to restart the contains samples of the plants needed to restart the

human being to conquer the Earth if there is an ecological human being to conquer the Earth if there is an ecological disaster, either by natural causes or by human action.disaster, either by natural causes or by human action.

NOAH‘S ARK OF THE XXI CENTURY

The Noah's Ark of seeds has been built The Noah's Ark of seeds has been built in in Longyearbyen,Longyearbyen, a small mining town a small mining town

on the island of Spitsbergen, which on the island of Spitsbergen, which belongs to the Norwegian archipelago of belongs to the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, northern Norway, about 1,000 Svalbard, northern Norway, about 1,000

kilometers from the North Pole. kilometers from the North Pole. The place has been chosen for its The place has been chosen for its

seismic stabilityseismic stability and with the and with the permafrostpermafrost of the Arcticof the Arctic the place the place

provides conservation.provides conservation.

Salvadora. Salvadora. The island of Norway with an ArcticThe island of Norway with an Arctic vault to fight vault to fight especially apocalyptic effects of the climate change.especially apocalyptic effects of the climate change.

..

The Arctic vault is built inside a The Arctic vault is built inside a frozen mountainfrozen mountain..

In total, the vault will receive In total, the vault will receive more than 100 millionmore than 100 million seedsseeds

from all over the world. from all over the world.

The seeds are stored in the depths of an Arctic The seeds are stored in the depths of an Arctic mountain, packed in aluminum, surrounded by mountain, packed in aluminum, surrounded by

walls three feet wide.The vault has walls three feet wide.The vault has a tunnel 125 meters deepa tunnel 125 meters deep, dug into the rock., dug into the rock.

Even if all cooling systems failed, the scientists Even if all cooling systems failed, the scientists say, the temperature in the mountain would say, the temperature in the mountain would

never rise above freezing temperature never rise above freezing temperature due todue to permafrost,permafrost, the ice life of the region. the ice life of the region.

Protective cover of the tunnel

Air chambers

Office

Main hall

Storage chambers

Main tunnel reinforcement

EntEntrance

The entrance of the vault has The entrance of the vault has a a futuristic designfuturistic design with a with a

metallic mirrors that reflect metallic mirrors that reflect the sun during the day and the sun during the day and glow in the dark at night, glow in the dark at night,

designed by Norwegian artist designed by Norwegian artist Sanne Dyveke.Sanne Dyveke.

Near the door there are the Near the door there are the compressors whose function compressors whose function are to cool the interior of the are to cool the interior of the

bunker. bunker.

When entering the vault, the first thing you see is a When entering the vault, the first thing you see is a 125 meter long corridor125 meter long corridor leading to the three stores bunker. leading to the three stores bunker.

The interior of the The interior of the passage is reinforced passage is reinforced with a with a steel circular steel circular

structurestructure to avoid any to avoid any danger of collapse due danger of collapse due

to erosion of the to erosion of the mountain. mountain.

At the end of the passage, is the At the end of the passage, is the control roomcontrol room where where technicians register in the vault computer each seed sample technicians register in the vault computer each seed sample

that is coming to the bunker from all countries.that is coming to the bunker from all countries.

The technicians have to The technicians have to classify each sampleclassify each sample, specifying the , specifying the species, origin and age. All information is stored to a website species, origin and age. All information is stored to a website whose content is freely available to the scientific community.whose content is freely available to the scientific community.

The seed samples are placed in packages with The seed samples are placed in packages with three layers of aluminumthree layers of aluminum that are tightly closed to ensure that are tightly closed to ensure

their preservation in the best possible condition.their preservation in the best possible condition.

After being After being registered and registered and

hermetically sealed, hermetically sealed, the seed samples the seed samples

were placed in were placed in plastic boxesplastic boxes and and

moved to one of the moved to one of the three chambers of three chambers of

the vault. the vault.

After having been preserved in After having been preserved in "black boxes""black boxes" the the samples are put into circulation only if all seed sources samples are put into circulation only if all seed sources

have been destroyed or exhausted. have been destroyed or exhausted.

Regarding safety measures, the facility is equipped with Regarding safety measures, the facility is equipped with an armored door and perimeter fencingan armored door and perimeter fencing, ,

and will be attended by Norwegian authorities.and will be attended by Norwegian authorities.

Its officials also cite the remote location of the facility, the Its officials also cite the remote location of the facility, the incredibly cold winters, ice shelves and even polar bears being incredibly cold winters, ice shelves and even polar bears being aggressive toward humans aggressive toward humans as additional security measures. as additional security measures.

Today, there areToday, there are

more than 1,000 existing seed banks around the world.more than 1,000 existing seed banks around the world.

However, many of them, especially in the developing However, many of them, especially in the developing countries, are permanently threatened by water countries, are permanently threatened by water

shortages, the risk of earthquakes, floods or other shortages, the risk of earthquakes, floods or other natural disasters, the impact of war or natural disasters, the impact of war or

simply because of bad management en facilities.simply because of bad management en facilities.

To address all these dangers, which also should be added To address all these dangers, which also should be added the increasing threat of the climate change or the global the increasing threat of the climate change or the global

catastrophe which could lead to nuclear war, catastrophe which could lead to nuclear war, Norway has built the Dome. Norway has built the Dome.

"Our goal here is to keep a backup of the seeds "Our goal here is to keep a backup of the seeds from around the world," says Westengen. from around the world," says Westengen.

"So, against any catastrophe, natural or man, the "So, against any catastrophe, natural or man, the biodiversity of cropsbiodiversity of crops will be safe.will be safe. The vault is a crucial The vault is a crucial

strategy for ensuring the future of the crops that feed us all." strategy for ensuring the future of the crops that feed us all."

The conservation of seeds in the vault is The conservation of seeds in the vault is a free servicea free service, , and countries that send their samples and countries that send their samples

will always remain the owners.will always remain the owners.

All of them may use spare copies are preserved in the All of them may use spare copies are preserved in the arctic bunker, provided one of the varieties to disappear arctic bunker, provided one of the varieties to disappear

from their natural environment. from their natural environment.

ENDEND