Threatened palms and magnolias of the Tropical Andes in Colombia

Facilitating conservation of four threatened palms and magnolias of the Andes by establishing and implementing recovery strategies and engaging local communities in conservation actions.

Partner: Botanical Garden of Medellin
Years: 2020-2022

This project aims at gathering further knowledge of the population status of four threatened tree species (two palms, Ceroxylon alpinum (EN) and Ceroxylon quindiuense (VU) and two magnolias, Magnolia hernandezii (EN) and Magnolia jardinensis (CR)) and establishing as well as implementing recovery strategies for their in-situ conservation.

Magnolia silvioi (EN)

The Andes are the most species-rich diversity ecoregion and one of most threatened regions on Earth. This project focuses on a region in Colombia with severely fragmented populations of threatened palm trees and magnolias. These species are well-established in terms of taxonomy. However, ecological research related to the current status of their populations for conservation actions are not fully addressed yet.

This project seeks to facilitate species conservation by establishing an effective recovery strategy at the species population level for four threatened palms and magnolias and engaging local communities in conservation actions. Conservation actions will include rapid phenology surveys, demographic assessments for each species targeted, establishment of local nurseries, plant propagation, and finally, reinforcement planting. In the long term, this project will mitigate regional forest loss by encouraging communities to achieve their own conservation initiatives.