The Svalbard International Seed Vault, also known as the 'doomsday vault,' stores over 100 million seed samples to preserve plant biodiversity and safeguard against ecological disasters. Located in Longyearbyen, Norway, the vault leverages permafrost for natural refrigeration and is carefully designed to ensure the seeds remain viable for future generations. This facility serves as a backup for existing seed banks worldwide, especially those in developing countries that are vulnerable to various threats.

1. Translated from spanish – Kuno Frommfeld 10/2010
A silo savesA silo saves
100 million plant samples100 million plant samples
in the Arctic.in the Arctic.

2. The Svalbard International Seed Vault (SISV),The Svalbard International Seed Vault (SISV),
also known as thealso known as the "doomsday vault","doomsday vault", is designed tois designed to
save samples of all seed varieties known to man.save samples of all seed varieties known to man.

4. The goal is to make aThe goal is to make a Noah's arkNoah's ark,, a huge store thata huge store that
contains samples of the plants needed to restart thecontains samples of the plants needed to restart the
human being to conquer the Earth if there is an ecologicalhuman being to conquer the Earth if there is an ecological
disaster, either by natural causes or by human action.disaster, either by natural causes or by human action.

5. NOAH‘S ARK OF
THE XXI CENTURY

6. The Noah's Ark of seeds has been builtThe Noah's Ark of seeds has been built
inin Longyearbyen,Longyearbyen, a small mining towna small mining town
on the island of Spitsbergen, whichon the island of Spitsbergen, which
belongs to the Norwegian archipelago ofbelongs to the Norwegian archipelago of
Svalbard, northern Norway, about 1,000Svalbard, northern Norway, about 1,000
kilometers from the North Pole.kilometers from the North Pole.
The place has been chosen for itsThe place has been chosen for its
seismic stabilityseismic stability and with theand with the
permafrostpermafrost of the Arcticof the Arctic the placethe place
provides conservation.provides conservation.

7. Salvadora.Salvadora. The island of Norway with an ArcticThe island of Norway with an Arctic vault to fightvault to fight
especially apocalyptic effects of the climate change.especially apocalyptic effects of the climate change.

10. The Arctic vault is built inside aThe Arctic vault is built inside a frozen mountainfrozen mountain..

11. In total, the vault will receiveIn total, the vault will receive
more than 100 millionmore than 100 million seedsseeds
from all over the world.from all over the world.

12. The seeds are stored in the depths of an ArcticThe seeds are stored in the depths of an Arctic
mountain, packed in aluminum, surrounded bymountain, packed in aluminum, surrounded by
walls three feet wide.The vault haswalls three feet wide.The vault has
a tunnel 125 meters deepa tunnel 125 meters deep, dug into the rock., dug into the rock.
Even if all cooling systems failed, the scientistsEven if all cooling systems failed, the scientists
say, the temperature in the mountain wouldsay, the temperature in the mountain would
never rise above freezing temperaturenever rise above freezing temperature
due todue to permafrost,permafrost, the ice life of the region.the ice life of the region.

13. Protective cover of the tunnel
Air chambers
Office
Main hall
Storage chambers
Main tunnel reinforcement
EntEntrance

14. The entrance of the vault hasThe entrance of the vault has
aa futuristic designfuturistic design with awith a
metallic mirrors that reflectmetallic mirrors that reflect
the sun during the day andthe sun during the day and
glow in the dark at night,glow in the dark at night,
designed by Norwegian artistdesigned by Norwegian artist
Sanne Dyveke.Sanne Dyveke.
Near the door there are theNear the door there are the
compressors whose functioncompressors whose function
are to cool the interior of theare to cool the interior of the
bunker.bunker.

16. When entering the vault, the first thing you see is aWhen entering the vault, the first thing you see is a
125 meter long corridor125 meter long corridor leading to the three stores bunker.leading to the three stores bunker.

18. The interior of theThe interior of the
passage is reinforcedpassage is reinforced
with awith a steel circularsteel circular
structurestructure to avoid anyto avoid any
danger of collapse duedanger of collapse due
to erosion of theto erosion of the
mountain.mountain.

19. At the end of the passage, is theAt the end of the passage, is the control roomcontrol room wherewhere
technicians register in the vault computer each seed sampletechnicians register in the vault computer each seed sample
that is coming to the bunker from all countries.that is coming to the bunker from all countries.

20. The technicians have toThe technicians have to classify each sampleclassify each sample, specifying the, specifying the
species, origin and age. All information is stored to a websitespecies, origin and age. All information is stored to a website
whose content is freely available to the scientific community.whose content is freely available to the scientific community.

21. The seed samples are placed in packages withThe seed samples are placed in packages with
three layers of aluminumthree layers of aluminum that are tightly closed to ensurethat are tightly closed to ensure
their preservation in the best possible condition.their preservation in the best possible condition.

22. After beingAfter being
registered andregistered and
hermetically sealed,hermetically sealed,
the seed samplesthe seed samples
were placed inwere placed in
plastic boxesplastic boxes andand
moved to one of themoved to one of the
three chambers ofthree chambers of
the vault.the vault.

23. After having been preserved inAfter having been preserved in "black boxes""black boxes" thethe
samples are put into circulation only if all seed sourcessamples are put into circulation only if all seed sources
have been destroyed or exhausted.have been destroyed or exhausted.

24. Regarding safety measures, the facility is equipped withRegarding safety measures, the facility is equipped with
an armored door and perimeter fencingan armored door and perimeter fencing,,
and will be attended by Norwegian authorities.and will be attended by Norwegian authorities.

25. Its officials also cite the remote location of the facility, theIts officials also cite the remote location of the facility, the
incredibly cold winters, ice shelves and even polar bears beingincredibly cold winters, ice shelves and even polar bears being
aggressive toward humansaggressive toward humans as additional security measures.as additional security measures.

26. Today, there areToday, there are
more than 1,000 existing seed banks around the world.more than 1,000 existing seed banks around the world.
However, many of them, especially in the developingHowever, many of them, especially in the developing
countries, are permanently threatened by watercountries, are permanently threatened by water
shortages, the risk of earthquakes, floods or othershortages, the risk of earthquakes, floods or other
natural disasters, the impact of war ornatural disasters, the impact of war or
simply because of bad management en facilities.simply because of bad management en facilities.

28. To address all these dangers, which also should be addedTo address all these dangers, which also should be added
the increasing threat of the climate change or the globalthe increasing threat of the climate change or the global
catastrophe which could lead to nuclear war,catastrophe which could lead to nuclear war,
Norway has built the Dome.Norway has built the Dome.
"Our goal here is to keep a backup of the seeds"Our goal here is to keep a backup of the seeds
from around the world," says Westengen.from around the world," says Westengen.
"So, against any catastrophe, natural or man, the"So, against any catastrophe, natural or man, the
biodiversity of cropsbiodiversity of crops will be safe.will be safe. The vault is a crucialThe vault is a crucial
strategy for ensuring the future of the crops that feed us all."strategy for ensuring the future of the crops that feed us all."

30. The conservation of seeds in the vault isThe conservation of seeds in the vault is a free servicea free service,,
and countries that send their samplesand countries that send their samples
will always remain the owners.will always remain the owners.
All of them may use spare copies are preserved in theAll of them may use spare copies are preserved in the
arctic bunker, provided one of the varieties to disappeararctic bunker, provided one of the varieties to disappear
from their natural environment.from their natural environment.

33. ENDEND