“The purple flower is so beautiful! What kind of plant is this?”
“This is the domestic wild plant known for its strong fragrance, called ‘baechohyang (Korean mint)’. It is also referred to as ‘bang-a-ip’, and traditionally used as a medicinal herb because it aids digestion and warms the body. Today, it will also be issued as an NFT (non-fungible token).”
On the 22nd at 2 p.m., the ‘Seed Vault NFT Collection’ booth at Boramae Park in the Dongjak District of Seoul was overflowing with people who wanted to see and enjoy domestic wild plants like baechohyang and mullein, as well as those looking to issue NFTs.
The Seed Vault NFT Collection is a biodiversity conservation campaign based on NFT technology. It was planned by Dunamu, the K-Green Foundation, and the Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute (KoAGI) to re-evaluate the value of plant resources and spread awareness of the importance of biodiversity conservation. In particular, it utilizes technology from Dunamu, a blockchain and fintech company, to create and issue NFTs based on physical images of rare and wild plant seeds.
At the booth, visitors can experience domestic wild plants such as baechohyang and mullein. All of these are native plants stored in the Gyeongbuk Baekdudaegan Seed Vault. The seed vault is a facility designed for the permanent storage of various seeds until the last moment, and Korea (Gyeongbuk Baekdudaegan Seed Vault) and Norway are the only places in the world with such facilities.
This collection was held with the theme of biodiversity conservation and the value that ‘nature heals humans’. It wasn’t just a simple experience; rather, like an MBTI (personality type test), participants answer simple questions through QR codes about their attitudes towards nature, which helps them find the healing seeds that suit them. Actual seeds are given as gifts so participants can grow them at home and experience healing. Of course, NFTs will also be issued.
As of this day, the cumulative number of visitors to the Seed Vault NFT Collection reached 11,155, and the total number of Seed Vault NFTs issued by Dunamu amounted to 44,478.
Kim Ji-eun, the senior producer from the K-Green Foundation who planned and oversaw this collection, said, “We aimed to convey the message of biodiversity and nature healing not in a one-way manner, but rather to have participants see and feel it directly, and furthermore, to have fun by incorporating digital technology and issuing them as NFTs.”
Next to the Seed Vault NFT Collection, a ‘Digital Healing Garden’ has been installed. It features a virtual forest in the format of a media facade based on digital technology. Visitors can experience three themed forests—spring, summer, and winter—through videos. The Digital Healing Garden has gained attention as a natural healing space in urban areas, allowing people to feel nature without directly seeking it out.
On that day, a talk concert led by Jung Jae-seung, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at KAIST, was held under the theme of ‘Nature’s hospitality, healing, and care.’ Professor Jung noted, “Mental stress caused by climate change is increasing,” adding, “When the average temperature rises by 2 to 3 degrees due to heat waves, situations arise where the memory of people in that area decreases and the number of depression patients increases.”
Professor Jung also emphasized, “A new field called climate neuroscience has emerged to study and address these phenomena,” stating, “By restoring nature and keeping it close to us, we can overcome these crises while coexisting with nature.” He further noted, “There is no healing space in urban areas,” and stated, “The Digital Healing Garden, designed for those who lack the time or ability to experience nature, will play an important role in new smart cities.”