Global Tree Specialist Group
Knowledge | Action | Conservation
About
Trees are of exceptional ecological importance, playing a major functional role in the world’s ecosystems, and supporting many other plants, animals and fungi. Many tree species are also of direct value to people, providing a wide range of socio-economic benefits. Loss of tree diversity may lead to abrupt declines in biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services and ultimately ecosystem collapse. One third of all tree species are currently threatened with extinction, representing a tree extinction crisis. But extinction is not an inevitability – ongoing actions are conserving and restoring trees. More action is needed and urgently.
The IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (GTSG) is a global network of experts who, working in their own regions and institutions, all contribute to the conservation of globally threatened trees. Established 20 years ago, we now have over 100 expert members from botanic gardens, herbaria, universities and both governmental and non-governmental organisations.
Who we are
The IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (GTSG) is a global network of experts who, working in their own regions and institutions, all contribute to the conservation of globally threatened trees. Established 20 years ago, we now have over 100 expert members from botanic gardens, herbaria, universities and both governmental and non-governmental organisations.
The mission of the GTSG is: To conserve tree species globally, by sharing knowledge and catalyse action to halt declines, restore populations and prevent extinctions.
The GTSG is part of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission a science-based network of thousands of volunteer experts from around the world, working together to achieve the vision of “a just world that values and conserves nature through positive action to both prevent the loss and aid recovery of the diversity of life on earth.”
Chair – Malin Rivers
GTSG members – directory coming soon
What we do
The Global Tree Specialist Group (GTSG) is working to conserve tree species globally, by sharing knowledge and catalysing action. GTSG is part of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission (SSC) a science-based network of thousands of volunteer experts from around the world. The SSC is working to conserving biodiversity under the three components: Assess, Plan and Act.
Assess
Promoting and implementing IUCN Red List assessments for trees has been central to the work of the GTSG since the outset. Since 2015 we have worked on the Global Tree Assessment, coordinated by BGCI and with over 60 institutional partners. In September 2021, the State of the World’s Trees report was published by BGCI, providing the first assessment of all of the world’s trees.
Global conservation assessments for trees are published with supporting documentation on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The GlobalTree Portal is an essential web-based resource showing the distribution, national and global conservation status of all tree species and monitoring of conservation action. We encourage all involved in tree species conservation to use the Conservation Action Tracker.
Global conservation assessments for tree species are utilised in defining Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites for tree species. KBA and AZE processes both assess global priority sites of importance for conservation.
Red List assessments, KBA and AZE assessments link directly into conservation planning and action for trees.
Plan
Using Red List assessments to prioritise tree conservation action, the GTSG and its members, work with partners and stakeholders, in tree conservation planning at a national, multi-species and individual species level. This work is carried out in collaboration with Conservation Planning Specialist Group.
Tree Conservation Planning in Colombia
GTSG is working on a joint project with the IUCN/SSC Colombia Plant SG entitled “Conservation prioritisation, planning and action for Colombian Trees” is now underway. More than ¾ of all Colombian trees have already been published (or submitted to) the IUCN Red List as part of the Global Tree Assessment. These assessments show that at least 600 tree species in Colombia are threatened with extinction, the majority of these endemic to the country. This exciting joint project is using information from the IUCN Red List assessments, together with a survey of existing conservation action for trees in Colombia to inform and prioritise conservation planning. We are using the BGCI Conservation Action Tracker to record information at species level. As part of the project, we will also be building on the expertise, experience and existing efforts of other SSC Groups, the zoo community, national Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) initiatives and other conservation bodies to ensure synergies and complementary approaches can be found. A workshop will be held in January 2024 to bring together and review the various project findings and to finalise the action plan. We are sincerely grateful to the Indianapolis Zoo for funding this project.
An important component of tree conservation planning is to review conservation action and identify gaps. GTSG members have been involved in a range of conservation gap analysis activities working for example with the Global Conservation Consortia.
Act
The GTSG and its members, working with partners, are involved in in situ and ex situ conservation for a wide range of threatened tree species together with ecological restoration activities.
We also recognise that provisions for tree conservation need to be at the heart of international biodiversity and climate change policy and that policy mechanisms should be applied to tree species with increased resolve and commitment. The Global Tree Assessment has provided essential information for various policy implementation, such as CBD, CITES and UNFCCC.
GTSG Projects & Case Studies
Resources
GTSG Newsletters:
A newsletter is shared regularly with the membership providing updates on the Global Tree Assessment, other news and calls to action for the group.
Red List Publications:
Taxonomic and regional Red List publications produced by BGCI and the Global Trees Campaign.
Training Materials:
- Basic guidance for threatened tree conservation
- Red List E-Learning Modules: These are a set of 4 e-learning modules on red list assessments of trees. These modules offer an introduction to tree red listing for anyone interested in getting involved with red listing of tree species. These modules are also available in French, Spanish, and Chinese.
GlobalTreeSearch:
The world’s most comprehensive list of tree species name and their country level distribution.
Other Publications:
- Coming soon
Useful Links:
- Botanic Gardens Conservation International – hosts the secretariate for GTSG as well as the lead partner in the Global Tree Assessment. BGCI is also hosting the GlobalTree Portal and the GlobalTreeSearch database.
- Fondation Franklinia – Fondation Franklinia is a private foundation that provides grants to support conservation of threatened tree species throughout the world. The foundations supports primarily conservation action on the ground, and is the lead funder of the Global Tree Assessment.
- The Center for Species Survival for Trees – based at The Morton Arboretum, this is one of 12 Centers for Species Survival associated with SSC and the first for plants. The Center aims to improve data and knowledge about the biodiversity crisis through assessments of threats to trees, building conservation capacity in biodiverse regions such as Mesoamerica and southeast Asia. Conservation action will build on the Morton’s on-the-ground projects with partners in the U.S., Mesoamerica (Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica), and southeast Asia (Malaysia and Indonesia) that benefit tree ecosystems and local communities. For more information, please contact Silvia Alvarez-Clare Director of Global Tree Conservation at The Morton Arboretum: salvarezclare@mortonarb.org
- Fauna & Flora
- Reverse the Red
- TRAFFIC – is driving action to reduce illegal trafficking and enhance benefits to people from legal and sustainable trade of wild species.
