Reference datasets cataloguing the geographic and temporal distribution of biodiversity are essential for evidence-based conservation. Genomic data are invaluable for characterizing both past and present biodiversity, but creation of multi-species DNA biobanks across relevant geographic and temporal scales is an enormous task requiring multi-party collaboration. Here I outline how creative collaborations have facilitated the creation of a California wildlife DNA biobank. I demonstrate how a variety of samples collected by diverse stakeholders, often under narrow mandates, were repurposed to archive genomic diversity. I conclude with examples of genomic research that would not have been possible without the wildlife DNA biobank.
