Dr. Robin Probert captivated the audience with his seed conservation expertise
Narberth: At the Christmas lunch for the Narberth and District Probus Club, Dr. Robin Probert shared some fascinating insights. He was the guest speaker at Plas Hyfryd, and everyone was eager to hear what he had to say.
Dr. Probert, who retired in 2013, had quite the impressive career. He spent 37 years at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, making him their longest-serving staff member. He even led the seed conservation efforts at the Millennium Seed Bank, which Sir David Attenborough once called the most important conservation project ever.
He started his journey at Kew back in 1974, just after the Kew Seed Bank moved to Wakehurst Park in Sussex. During his talk, he shared stories about how the seed bank grew its collection, especially from the Mediterranean, and how they developed new ways to keep seeds viable.
Today, the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership is a big deal in plant conservation, with over 2.4 billion seeds from more than 39,000 species. They store these seeds under strict conditions, drying them out and keeping them at minus 20 degrees Celsius in a super secure building.
The audience really enjoyed Dr. Probert’s presentation. You could tell they were genuinely interested in his experiences and knowledge. It was a great way to celebrate the season and learn something new.
Looking ahead, the next meeting for the Narberth and District Probus Club is on Tuesday, January 30, at 12:30 PM. Tony Enson will be the speaker, and he’ll be talking about Patagonia.
If anyone wants to join the club or get more info, they can reach out to Patrick Jones at 07846 660904. Sounds like a fun time ahead!
