Seeds on Ice
Svalbard and the Global Seed Vault
In SEEDS ON ICE, Cary Fowler tells the comprehensive inside story of how the “doomsday seed vault” came to be, while breathtaking photographs offer a stunning guided tour of the vault, the windswept beauty and majesty of Svalbard, and the enchanting community of people in Longyearbyen.
With growing evidence that unchecked climate change will seriously undermine food production and threaten the diversity of crops around the world, SEEDS ON ICE offers a personal and passionate reminder that we shouldn’t take our reliance on the world of plants for granted—and that, in a very real sense, the future of the human race rides on this frozen and indispensable biodiversity.
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Shattering
Food, politics, and the loss of genetic diversity
Humans first domesticated plants by controlling the shattering of wild seeds.
Today, an environmental catastrophe is unfolding in the world's gardens, as loss of genetic diversity sets the stage for widespread hunger.
In this "dramatic and long-awaited tour de force," (Gary Nabhan) Cary Fowler and Pat Mooney review the development of genetic diversity over 10,000 years of human agriculture.
It is, as Frances Moore Lappé notes, "one of those rare books that will make you see the world differently."
Purchase: Amazon | Powell's
Unnatural Selection
Technology, Politics, and Plant evolution
Unnatural Selection is the first full-length study to focus entirely on the historical development of the control and ownership of living materials. Beginning with a detailed consideration of property rights in the United States, Cary Fowler explores current efforts to create globally applicable mechanisms. As struggles continue over the precious resources to sustain life, it is increasingly important to understand the dynamics of the choices being made and to become more knowledgeable actors in the shaping of these choices.
Purchase: Amazon