This new infrastructure, subsidized to the Island Council (Cabildo Insular), primarily aims to conserve native and endemic species, protect traditional agricultural varieties, and enhance the island's adaptation to climate change.
The Minister of Ecological Transition and Energy, Mariano H. Zapata, highlighted during a visit to the facilities that "protecting our biodiversity also means preserving the genetic heritage that makes our islands unique. This Seed Bank will allow us to conserve traditional species and varieties so they continue to be part of the future of El Hierro and the Canary Islands".
Zapata added that the action "reinforces the commitment of the Government of the Canary Islands to climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation, relying on science, knowledge, and collaboration with island administrations".
For his part, the president of the Island Council of El Hierro, Alpidio Armas, thanked the investment, calling it "fundamental for the island," and stated that it will allow "us to continue safeguarding the plant species that make us unique and repopulate different areas of our geography with new specimens grown at El Creal".
The project includes equipping the bank with the technical infrastructure for the conservation and traceability of plant material, as well as the collection, selection, cleaning, classification, and storage of seeds following scientific criteria. It will also involve the inventory of traditional agricultural varieties through fieldwork and the compilation of ethnobotanical knowledge.
Furthermore, a digital collection management system will be implemented, and training and outreach programs will be developed. The El Creal Environmental Center will be consolidated as a reference point for environmental education and ecological resilience, promoting green employment.
