Nothofagus is a genus of 37 tree species, with a disjunct distribution across the Southern Hemisphere. Nothofagus often dominates the forests it inhabits; some species form large tracts of forest (particularly in parts of South America and Oceania); whilst all species play a critical role in the ecology, functioning, and health of the ecosystems in which they are found.

However, a significant number of Nothofagus species are endangered in the wild; the IUCN Red List Assessment of Nothofagus identified 11 species as threatened with extinction and a further four as Near Threatened. With limited resources available for conservation, it is critical to identify gaps in conservation efforts especially in relation to threats, with a view to help prioritise the most urgent conservation needs moving forward.

To facilitate this, we carried out a comprehensive Conservation Gap Analysis for the threatened and Near Threatened Nothofagus (‘target species’). Our study included surveys, consultation, and literature reviews to assess the status of each target species, both in situ and in ex situ collections, as well as to identify the conservation activities currently in place, and the conservation priorities moving forward.