Seed zones, or seed transfer zones, have been developed for East Africa, parts of Europe, the contiguous United States, Hawaiʻi, Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and São Paulo state in Brazil, and they are in development in Australia. (If you know of seed zones developed in other areas, please let us know!) Interactive seed selection tools, which integrate future climate projections, are also available for North America and portions of Central and South America. There are still many areas of the world where no seed zones exist. However, there are guides to select seed sources and many resources for environmental data you can use to inform your decisions.
If you use a Geographic Information System (GIS), you can download global climate data from the WorldClim database for mapping and spatial modeling. With the FAO Data App, you can use a web browser to explore data on variables related to land, water, climate, forestry, and more; you can add these layers to the interactive map and zoom in to your region of the world. For a simpler place to start, the World Climate Regions map (based on a combination of temperature and moisture regimes) could be a guide in choosing the nearest location within the same climate region as your planting area. Another powerful tool that can provide you with additional information on climate variables, biodiversity, and restoration is Earth Map. It is an innovative, free, and open-source tool developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the framework of the FAO–Google partnership.
Additionally, there may be botanical gardens, universities, or other restoration projects in your country or region where people have experience with your species. The Seed Conservation Directory of Expertise is another place to search for experts in your region. We recommend consulting with other experts if you can, and then making your best judgment based on experience.