加拿大 Seeds of Diversity – 加拿大种子保育与遗传多样性保护非营利组织

机构概况

加拿大多样性种子网络（Seeds of Diversity）成立于1989年，是一家以保护加拿大传统园艺种子与授粉生物多样性为使命的全国性会员制非营利组织。机构由来自加拿大全境的种子保育志愿者组成，目前拥有3000余名会员，并依靠会员及社会人士的慈善捐赠维持运营。机构总部设于安大略省滑铁卢地区，会员与志愿者在全国超过150个”Seedy Saturday / Seedy Sunday”种子节活动现场开展种子交流与公众科普，旗下12000余名园丁网络共同致力于守护加拿大园艺种子的遗传资源。机构董事会由全体会员选举产生，志愿者构成涵盖加拿大不同地区与多元背景的非营利治理与社区领导力量。

项目与种子保护活动

机构核心项目包括：加拿大种子图书馆（Canadian Seed Library）以永久保藏方式备份会员手中稀有种子，自2020年启动以来已收藏2900余种区域适应性与稀有品种，是加拿大最大的传统种子保藏互换平台之一；社区种子种植外联计划（Community Seed Grow-outs）每年由会员将最濒危的种子品种扩繁并互换；年度会员种子交换（Annual Member Seed Exchange）已运营24年；Seedy Saturdays全国种子节网络覆盖150余场活动；以及面向青少年的Youth in Food Systems项目，2022年正式成为机构青年项目，涵盖青年食物市集、种子保育与《Food Leaders Interview Series》访谈系列等。

治理与合作网络

机构董事会由全体会员选举产生的志愿者董事组成：主席 Kate Veinot（渥太华 Just Food 运营与社区规划总监）、秘书 Rebecca Ivanoff（安大略生态农民协会种子项目经理、参与式育种师）、财务主管 Susan Ladner（种子公司主理人兼种子保育家），以及 Katlynn Sverko、Patricia McKinnon-Coco 等董事，贡献非营利治理与社区领导经验。机构与加拿大种子安全Bauta家庭计划（Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security）合作运营蔬菜种子生产商网络（Vegetable Seed Producers Network），并支持加拿大种子库、蜜蜂友好型耕作项目及大蒜稀有品种收藏。

历史与影响力

机构源自1989年加拿大园艺界对传统种子流失与遗传多样性萎缩的关注，30余年来在加拿大园艺与食品安全领域建立了公认的领导地位。机构出版的《Seeds of Diversity》月刊电子通讯及多本种子保育书籍长期为家庭园丁提供实操指南，会员制电子资讯与社群活动持续推动公众参与种质资源保护。作为加拿大非营利种子保育网络的代表性机构，Seeds of Diversity 通过将会员、董事会、合作伙伴与志愿者串联为协同网络，使濒危园艺品种得以在代际间持续繁衍。

官网：https://seeds.ca/

Organization Overview

Seeds of Diversity is a Canadian non-profit membership organization founded in 1989 to protect traditional garden seeds and pollinator biodiversity. The organization is led by seed-saving volunteers from coast to coast, with over 3,000 members, and is primarily funded by charitable donations from members and supporters. Headquartered in the Waterloo region of Ontario, the organization coordinates a network of more than 12,000 gardeners across Canada and supports volunteers at over 150 Seedy Saturday and Seedy Sunday events each year. A volunteer Board of Directors, elected by the membership, guides the organization’s vision and oversees its staff and programs.

Programs and Seed Conservation

Key programs include the Canadian Seed Library, a permanent seed-backup initiative launched in 2020 that now safeguards more than 2,900 regionally adapted and rare seed varieties; the Community Seed Grow-outs, through which members multiply the most endangered varieties each year; the Annual Member Seed Exchange, in operation for 24 years; the nationwide Seedy Saturdays network with over 150 events; and the Youth in Food Systems program, which became the organization’s official youth initiative in 2022 and includes youth-led food markets, seed stewardship, and the Food Leaders Interview Series. A monthly e-bulletin and a backlist of seed-saving books support home gardeners with practical guidance.

Governance and Partnerships

The volunteer Board of Directors includes Chair Kate Veinot, Director of Operations and Neighbourhood Planning at Just Food in Ottawa; Secretary Rebecca Ivanoff, Seed Program Manager at the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario; Treasurer Susan Ladner, a seed company owner and conservator; and directors Katlynn Sverko and Patricia McKinnon-Coco, bringing experience in non-profit governance, accessibility design, and community organizing. The organization collaborates with the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security on the Vegetable Seed Producers Network and contributes to pollinator conservation, garlic variety preservation, and seed-library development across Canada.

History and Impact

Founded in 1989 in response to growing concerns over the loss of traditional seed varieties and the erosion of crop genetic diversity in Canada, Seeds of Diversity has built a recognized leadership role in Canadian horticulture and food security over more than three decades. The organization’s monthly Seeds of Diversity e-bulletin and backlist of seed-saving books provide ongoing practical guidance for home gardeners, while its membership-based communications and community events continue to broaden public engagement in seed conservation. By linking members, board, partners, and volunteers into a coordinated network, Seeds of Diversity helps ensure that endangered heritage varieties remain alive in cultivation for future generations.