Although the Horn of Africa is a major centre of plant diversity and endemism, there is as yet no complete red list of plants for Ethiopia or Eritrea. This preliminary publication is a product of a red list initiative designed to stimulate conservation interest in, and action for, the many rare and endemic woody species found in these two biologically rich countries.

This document has been produced by the Global Trees Campaign under the auspices of the IUCN-SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. It lists 117 endemic species with proposed threatened or near threatened categories, and 19 species that are proposed as Least Concern. Introductory text provides extra background to the region and the tree red listing programme.

The publication is the first in a proposed series designed to make information on the threat status of trees readily available to inform conservation planning, policy and action on the ground.

Support for this publication from Defra (the UK Government Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) is gratefully acknowledged.