Conserving threatened leguminous rain forest trees in the Middle Magdalena Valley of Colombia

Conserving threatened leguminous rain forest trees in the Middle Magdalena Valley of Colombia. Phase 1: Filling critical gaps in taxonomic knowledge

Partner: New York Botanical Garden
Years: 2025-2026

This project leverages resources and expertise in tropical tree research and conservation at the New York Botanical Garden and at two Colombian institutions to build conservation capacity for threatened leguminous trees in the Middle Magdalena Valley of Colombia, with the long-term goal of implementing both in-situ and ex-situ actions to improve the conservation status of these species, seven of which are currently listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered.

Established in 1891, the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is dedicated to the study, conservation, and sustainability of the Earth’s plant diversity. The Middle Magdalena Valley of Colombia harbors exceptional tree species richness and endemism. Most of the lowland forests in the region have been converted to pasture, relegating numerous threatened tree species to small, isolated fragments of forest.
This project represents phase 1 of a larger project, with the primary goal of filling conservation-preventing gaps in taxonomic documentation, primarily within the species-rich genus Swartzia, through integrated field, herbarium, and molecular laboratory studies. These species were identified as priority species in the Conservation Action Plan for the Threatened Trees of Colombia. We expect that this research will illuminate previously undocumented threatened species and generate data to guide subsequent conservation actions. It will also foster the growth of a collaborative network of scientists, conservationists, horticulturalists, and reserve managers within Colombia to support these future efforts.