News published: 17 May 2023

BGCI’s Conservation Action Tracker is a collaborative hub for tree conservation information and an essential resource to identify and track conservation actions on tree species worldwide.

The Conservation Action Tracker is displayed in BGCI’s GlobalTree Portal, the first portal dedicated to conservation information at the species, country and global level for the world’s c. 60,000 tree species. The Conservation Action Tracker collates conservation information at the species level, such as recovery/action plans, ex situ collections, propagation protocols, in situ management, planting, policy for species protection, and education/awareness about species conservation.

This information is gathered from a wide range of people and organisations working with tree species across the world. For example, some of the information is from BGCI tree conservation projects which are managed collaboratively with in-country partners. In addition, information on some taxonomic groups or specific countries, such as oaks (Quercus spp.) and magnolias (Magnolia spp.) are collated through the Global Conservation Consortia. Botanic gardens, IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Specialist Groups, NGOs, and corporate organisations have also input. Recently we had a notable contribution to the Conservation Action Tracker from Sociedade Chauá NGO who provided conservation action information for 84 Brazilian tree species (see the figure below).

We are calling for your collaboration to contribute conservation action information and to update information for threatened tree species that you might be working with, or that you have worked with in the past.

Almost 2,800 tree species are assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, most of them concentrated in tropical countries. BGCI’s Conservation Action Tracker is now showing updated information for conservation actions for trees, since February 2023. To date, the Conservation Action Tracker holds information for 389 Critically Endangered species (see Map 1 for the number of Critically Endangered trees for which we hold conservation action information, by country). Additionally, check some examples on the Conservation Action Tracker for the Critically Endangered Magnolia domingensis, Karomia gigas and Buchanania barberi.

However, information is still lacking for some of the world’s most threatened tree species. For many countries, we still need conservation action information for most of the Critically Endangered tree species (see Map 2 for the % of Critically Endangered trees for which we lack information in the Conservation Action Tracker, by country). With your support, we would like to collect conservation action information for all Critically Endangered tree species.

By tracking conservation actions at species level, we hope facilitate collaboration, learning from past experiences and avoid duplication of effort. Additionally, we are able to identify gaps in tree conservation. This information is essential to help tree conservation planning through the prioritisation of future conservation actions to prevent the extinction of tree species.

For more information contact Itxaso Quintana at: itxaso.quintana@bgci.org