Caring for live plants in living collections is an important conservation strategy for the rarest plants of our region. Conservation seed banking is the most efficient and inexpensive way to ensure the long-term viability of rare plant populations. Seeds are collected using careful protocols to avoid damage to wild populations and cooled into dormancy before deep-freeze storage. After a few years or a few decades, these seeds can be grown to help the conservation of their species—by being part of research that helps conservation professionals know how to best store and grow the plants, or by being reintroduced to the wild.