News Published: 24 September 2024

Dendroseris neriifolia is a tree that only grows in the Juan Fernández archipelago situated in the Pacific Ocean. Only a single specimen survives in its natural habitat, a remote ravine, represents the perilous situation facing many of the over 40 Chilean tree species which are now on the verge of extinction.

To address the urgent need to develop and implement conservation actions for these unique tree species, an Integrated Conservation Planning Workshop took place in September 2024 at the University of Concepción, Chile. The workshop, organised by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) together with the Landscape Ecology Laboratory of the University of Concepción, was facilitated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG). Fondation Franklinia generously funded the workshop.

The workshop brought together 28 specialists from different Chilean organisations, who after five days of participatory discussions, developed an integrated conservation plan to secure the future of Chile’s threatened endemic tree species. One of the most important elements of this workshop was the scope as endemic species from the Juan Fernández Archipelago, as well as from the central and southern region of the country were included. The workshop therefore provided the opportunity for experts to come together to share experiences from these different regions and for many, meeting for the first time.

The Director of the Landscape Ecology Laboratory of the University of Concepción, Dr. Cristian Echeverría Leal, indicates that “the workshop gives us an impetus to advance by leaps and bounds in the planning of the conservation of these species. Bringing together several specialists, actors and institutions in this activity allows us to achieve commitments, on the one hand, and also to give a vision and an action plan that can attend not only one, but 40 species, both insular and on the continent.”

When the plan is published later this year, there will be a governance team which will be responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the plan.