News Published: 4 February 2025

98.5% of Central American tree species have been assessed on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) through the Global Tree Assessment initiative. 22.75% of these species are classified under some category of threat. Given the urgency, complexity and limited funding available for tree conservation, it is key to connect those carrying out similar activities at regional, national and even local levels. This lack of communication often leads to duplication of efforts and a lack of capacity building.

In July 2024, the Costa Rican non-profit Osa Conservation with the support of Fondation Franklinia, BGCI, and The Morton Arboretum, gathered experts and organizations from Mesoamerica to work together in benefit of the endangered trees, in a Tree Conservation Think Tank. Through talks, field activities, and discussion sessions, the 24 participants, from 11 countries, developed new alliances to conserve rare and endangered trees in the immensely biodiverse region.

By discussing the different themes of the meeting, including conservation prioritisation, action and restoration, the valuable expertise present in the Mesoamerican countries was made clear, but also the variability in resources and capacity across the region. It demonstrated the need to develop an exchange of knowledge and experiences through a Mesoamerican Tree Conservation Technical Network.