A team of botanists from three continents set out in search of Karomia gigas, a Critically Endangered tree with fewer than 20 remaining individuals estimated to be surviving in the wild. Emily Beech describes the trials and tribulations in the search for the seed. In October 2016, GTC led a survey trip to look for Karomia gigas, a tree now found only in southeast Tanzania. An expert team, including representatives from Missouri Botanical…
In May 2017, Imperial College London master’s student Brett Wilson undertook Global Trees Campaign sponsored fieldwork in Kyrgyzstan’s fruit and nut forest to find one of the rarest wild apples on the planet. In this blog, he shares his experiences and describes what his research means for a species on the edge. A forgotten world Apples are one of the world’s most recognised fruits and in today’s age are harvested extensively across the world….
GTC, alongside the Island Conservation Society and biodiversity consultant Bruno Senterre, went in search of two Critically Endangered tree species known only from a single island in the Seychelles archipelago, Silhouette. Silhouette island Silhouette is an island of two ridges, with cliffs, valleys and waterfalls like the one above. It is home to many interesting plant species including the threatened trees Trilepisium gymnandrum and…
Why these species? Southern China hosts more than 200 threatened tree species. These include many species of camellia (relatives of tea), fir, magnolia, oak and rhododendron found nowhere else in the world. Because of extensive habitat loss in the 20 th century, many species now exist only in small patches of forest, which have since been designated as nature reserves. Although nature reserves protect the remaining forest habitat, this may not…
Why this species? The unique Betula chichibuensis also known as Chichibu Birch, is named after its home of Chichibu District in Honshu, Japan. The species, once believed to be widespread across Japan, is now only found in limestone outcrops of the mountains of the district and occurs in subpopulations with very small ranges. Deforestation for logging outside of protected areas and natural disasters such as landslides after heavy rain threaten…
Until recently, Betula megrelica – a birch species endemic to the Caucasus – was only known to grow on two mountains in north-west Georgia. But the discovery of a new population this autumn by a team of Georgian and UK botanists has raised hopes for the future of this Endangered tree species. Betula megrelica trees are true mountaineers of the plant world. They can be found clinging to steep slopes at altitudes between 1500-2000m, their stems…
Why this species? Beng trees are protected by law in Cambodia, but illegal logging has escalated since the 1990s. Furniture made from its flame-coloured timber has become a status symbol and sells for high prices to the country’s rapidly growing middle-class for use in hotels, boardrooms and mansions. The demand for beng timber far exceeds the supply, and the species is vanishing from even the most remote protected areas. The trade is…
Why these species? Magnolias are among the world’s most ancient trees and are greatly admired for their stunning goblet or star-shaped flowers. However, magnolias are under severe pressure around the world, with around half of all species threatened with extinction. In northern Vietnam, these species have lost much of their forest home to rice paddies, farms and pasture, and are now found only in a small number of protected areas. Although…
The simple decisions we make at home can also help to conserve threatened trees. Our everyday purchases often come from faraway places and it can be hard to determine whether they have been sustainably sourced, or whether their harvesting has threatened trees or their habitat. Below we provide suggestions of a few of things you can do to help ensure your actions do not add to the threats facing the world’s tree species: Use wood and paper…
In 2016, GTC awarded Oxford University Masters student, Daniela Requena Suarez, with a grant to support her research on a group of threatened tree species in the Peruvian Amazon. In this blog, she shares insights into her research and tells us what seed collection can mean for the conservation of these amazing trees. Not all trees are equal in the Amazon. Shihuahuaco (Dipteryx sp.) trees grow to be giants, many reaching 60 meters in…
What a year for tree conservation! In this blog, we review our successes from 2016 and give a sneak peek of what’s in the nursery for 2017….. Natural selection Red listing is a key part of GTC’s approach, to prioritise where conservation efforts are most needed. The updated Red List of Magnoliaceae published last year highlighted the startling truth that nearly half of the world’s magnolia species are threatened with extinction. In the face of…
In the next installment of our interview series we meet another dedicated conservationist working with GTC to save the world’s most threatened trees from extinction. Introducing Ibu Cici Viviani, Coordinator of the Herbarium and Reforestation Program at Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Ibu Cici heads OFI’s contribution to the GTC project ‘Securing the future of threatened tree giants in Borneo’….