Seed Vault NFT Collection and Digital Healing Garden aim to promote ecological awareness and wellness through innovation.
Seoul, June 22, 2025 — A vibrant blend of native plants, digital art, and ecological advocacy took center stage at the Seoul International Garden Expo this weekend, as the Seed Vault NFT Collection drew thousands of visitors to Boramae Park in Dongjak District. The interactive exhibition—designed to highlight biodiversity and the healing power of nature—offered a unique experience by combining traditional botany with cutting-edge blockchain technology.
NFTs for Nature: A New Approach to Biodiversity Conservation
The Seed Vault NFT Collection is a joint initiative between blockchain firm Dunamu, the Environmental Foundation, and the Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute (KoAGI). The project aims to raise awareness about biodiversity by transforming rare native plants into digital collectibles, or non-fungible tokens (NFTs), using actual images of seeds stored in Korea’s Baekdu Daegan Seed Vault.
On display were domestic wild plants such as Lobelia sessilifolia—a native species known for its medicinal properties—and Mulberry. Both are among the seeds stored at the vault in North Gyeongsang Province, one of only two facilities globally dedicated to preserving seeds in perpetuity, the other being in Norway.
“The purple flower is beautiful! What kind of plant is this?” asked one curious visitor at the expo. “It’s Lobelia sessilifolia, a native plant traditionally used to aid digestion and warm the body,” explained a volunteer. “Today, we’re also minting it as an NFT.”
Interactive Experience with a Healing Twist
More than just a visual display, the Seed Vault NFT Collection offered an interactive element. Participants were invited to take a short personality quiz—similar to the MBTI—via QR code to discover their “healing seed.” In return, they received both an actual seed to grow at home and a digital NFT counterpart.
This innovative approach resonated with attendees, as evidenced by the booth’s popularity. As of June 22, the exhibit had drawn 11,155 visitors, and 44,478 NFTs had been issued through Dunamu’s blockchain platform.
Kim Ji-eun, producer at the Environmental Foundation, emphasized the dual-purpose goal of the project: “We wanted people to experience biodiversity and natural healing in a hands-on way, while also enjoying the fun and engagement that digital technology provides.”
Digital Healing Garden Offers Virtual Forest Experience
Adjacent to the Seed Vault booth, the Digital Healing Garden offered a different, immersive take on ecological restoration. Using media façade technology, visitors were surrounded by seasonal video displays of a virtual forest—spring, summer, and winter—designed to simulate nature’s calming presence.
This digital nature experience aims to provide urban dwellers, particularly those with time or mobility constraints, an alternative way to engage with the natural world.
Expert Insights: Climate Neuroscience and Nature’s Role in Mental Health
Adding depth to the event was a talk concert by Professor Jeong Jae-seung from KAIST’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Speaking on “The Hospitality of Nature, Healing and Care,” Professor Jeong addressed the rising mental health impacts of climate change.
“Rising global temperatures are increasingly linked to cognitive decline and emotional distress,” he noted. “With just a 2 to 3-degree rise, we see more memory loss and depression among local communities.”
Jeong emphasized the emerging field of climate neuroscience, which explores the relationship between environmental changes and brain health. “The restoration of natural environments, even digitally, is essential for psychological resilience,” he said. “Digital healing gardens can play a vital role in future smart cities, offering mental relief in spaces where green zones are limited.”
Nature and Innovation: A Growing Alliance
The success of the Seed Vault NFT Collection and Digital Healing Garden underscores a growing global trend: integrating ecological values with digital innovation to address urban disconnection from nature. As Seoul’s garden expo demonstrates, the fusion of technology, conservation, and wellness may hold the key to nurturing not only biodiversity, but also the mental and emotional health of future generations.
