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Endangered Heirloom Seed Home Page.
The Genetic Erosion Recovery Initiative is devoted to preservation of existing heirloom seed in danger of being lost.
Heirloom seeds are those handed down to us from our grand parents or our parents, or an old friend who wanted the seed grown so it would not die out.
Between 1903 and 1983, 97 percent of the vegetable varieties
commercially available in 1903 were lost. (USDA)
In 1984 and 1996, 88 percent of the remaining vegetable
varieties commercially available in 1903 were lost. (SSE)
This means that out of any 10,000 varieties commercially available
in 1903 there are 36 surviving today. (The rest are extinct!)
A 1975 National Academy of Sciences publication points out that one out of every ten plants is either extinct or in imminent danger of extinction. This amounts to over 20,000 species, many of which have potential for use as food.... Historically, man has used approximately 3,000 plant species for food, yet today most of the world's population is fed by about 20 crops (National Academy of Sciences, 1975).
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Genetic
Erosion
Recovery
Initiative (GERI):
Protecting heirloom garden seeds.