Researchers in Australia are creating a ‘living seed bank’ to protect the country’s endangered rainforests from climate change. By studying the genomes of rainforest plants and identifying those best equipped to withstand warmer, drier environments, they aim to repopulate shrinking forest fragments with climate-resilient trees. This initiative focuses on preserving ancient lineages, like the Gondwana-descended Carabeen trees, and offers a blueprint for future genetic conservation efforts.