Native Plant Conservation Campaign* News: New State of the World’s Trees Assessment published

September 8, 2021

 

On August 31, Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI, a Native Plant Society of the United States* Affiliate) released the first assessment of the status of and threats to this planet’s tree species. The assessment found that 30% of trees species are at risk of extinction. Trees store 50% of the worlds carbon and provide habitat for millions of species of fungi, insects, birds and other wildlife.

 

 

(London, UK, August 31, 2021) — Today, Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) has published a landmark State of the World’s Trees report. The report, compiling work led by the Global Tree Assessment (GTA), is the culmination of five years of research to identify major gaps in tree conservation efforts. It is one of the first assessments of the world’s threatened trees. 

 

Examining the globe’s 60,000 tree species, it reveals that 30% (17,500) of tree species are currently at risk of extinction.

 

That means there are twice the number of threatened tree species globally than threatened mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles combined.  

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The report finds hope for the future, however, as conservation efforts led by the botanical community worldwide are growing. Identifying which trees are at risk and ensuring these are protected is the most effective way to … restore endangered species. The report reveals that at least 64% of all tree species can be found in at least one protected area, and about 30% can be found in botanic gardens, seed banks, or other ex situ collections, but further action is needed.

 

The State of the World’s Trees report brings together research from over 60 institutional partners, including botanic gardens, forestry institutions and universities worldwide, as well as more than 500 experts who have contributed to tree assessments in the last five years.

 

Tree species are the backbone of the natural ecosystem. They store 50% of the world’s terrestrial carbon and provide a buffer from extreme weather, such as hurricanes and tsunamis.

 

Many threatened tree species provide habitat and food for millions of other species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, insects and microorganisms. The extinction of a single tree species could cause a domino effect, catalyzing the loss of many other species.

 

Despite this, it has often been animals that have received most attention as requiring urgent protection. With a third of tree species on the verge of extinction, the State of the World’s Trees Report hopes to raise awareness of the trees that are equally at risk and require action to prevent extinction.

 

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The greatest threats facing trees include habitat loss from agriculture and grazing, followed by over-exploitation from logging and harvesting. The report finds that 1 in 3 trees currently harvested for timber are threatened with extinction.

 

Climate change and extreme weather are emerging threats to tree species globally. As the temperature and weather of the world changes, many trees risk losing areas of suitable habitat.

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At least 180 tree species are directly threatened by sea level rise and severe weather events. … An increased occurrence of fire is a major threat to trees … Globally, land use change to agriculture alongside increasing global temperatures compound the risk of fire to many tree species.

 

Despite nearly a third of tree species threatened with extinction, the report indicates hope for the future if conservation efforts continue and further action is taken. With the publication of the State of World’s Trees Report, BGCI hopes to catalyze action among policymakers and conservation experts across the world.

 

To aid that, BGCI has launched a new GlobalTree Portal, an online database tracking conservation efforts for trees at a species, country, and global level.

 

Both the report and portal show for the first time which trees need the most protection, where action is needed most urgently, and most importantly, where the gaps in conservation effort are, so that resources and expertise can be deployed most effectively. Used together, the report and portal provide the tools and information for countries, policymakers, and experts to bring species back from the brink.

 

In the report, BGCI recommend five key actions for policymakers and experts in order to protect and bring back threatened species:

This method of conservation has a track record of successfully bringing back tree populations from the brink. Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and the Global Trees Campaign has helped to recover over 400 threatened tree species over the past 15 years.