Global Conservation Consortia approach to conserve threatened tree species

Global Conservation Consortia (GCC) approach to coordinate networks of institutions and experts who work collaboratively to prevent extinction of target groups of threatened tree species

Partners: Westonbirt, the National Arboretum; Botanical Garden Conservation International (BGCI)
Years: 2020-2021

Comprehensive conservation strategies for priority tree groups including those that cannot be seed banked will be developed. These strategies will be implemented through Global Conservation Consortia (GCC) of botanical garden partners, arboreta and NGOs across the world with centralized coordination issued by a newly appointed GCC co-coordinator supported by this project.

To address the enormous challenges threatening tree species in a substantive way, this project will develop comprehensive conservation strategies for priority tree groups including those that cannot be seed banked. These strategies will be developed and implemented with a dedicated team of botanic garden partners across the world via a suite of Global Conservation Consortia (GCC).

Four GCC (Acer, Quercus, Magnolia and Rhododendron) are currently underway and an additional two will be formed through this project, which will collectively conserve the world’s most threatened tree groups. The GCC require centralized co-ordination for effective functioning, communicating, establishing standards and procedures, and ensuring adherence. To do so, BGCI will appoint a GCC Co-ordinator who will support each of the seven GCC formation and mobilization, and track progress and outcomes toward scaling up globally coordinated tree conservation.