Protecting Ireland’s
Food Heritage
At Irish Seed Savers, conservation is the thread running through every aspect of who we are. It begins with a seed and extends to the food on your plate, the orchard in your town, and the biodiversity in your soil. In a world where food crop diversity is disappearing rapidly, we work to protect what remains — and recover what’s been lost. Ireland historically maintained a diverse array of food crop varieties, each adapted to local climate, soil, and community needs. Today, many of those crops are gone. But not all. Some survived in back gardens, old fields, and the memories of growers. We work to find them, grow them, and share them.
Our Conservation Work Includes:
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Living Seed Bank
Ireland’s only open-pollinated seed bank, preserving rare, resilient varieties essential for future food security.
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Heritage Apple Collection
The National Collection safeguards Ireland’s unique apple trees, protecting traditions and flavors for future generations.
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Research And Trials
Collaborative agroecology projects explore sustainable practices, combining scientific research with practical, on-the-ground conservation solutions.
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Seeds And Contributions
A pathway for seed and tree donations, enabling citizens to directly support biodiversity and conservation.
Stewardship Through
Shared Knowledge
Our conservation efforts are practical and participatory. We preserve genetic diversity not by locking it away, but by putting it back into the hands of people. We teach others how to save seed, graft trees, and care for heritage crops. We build networks of growers, researchers, and communities who understand that the future of food begins with stewardship.
Our Conservation Credentials:
Recognised as Ireland’s national gene bank with UN FAO and ECPGR partnerships.
Supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to maintain a collection of heirloom seeds and heritage apple trees.
Contribute to Ireland’s commitments under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food
and Agriculture
Apple Tree Collection listed in the National Inventory included in the EURISCO database of European plant genetic resources
Ireland’s national representative to the European Coordination Let’s Liberate Diversity (EC-LLD)
