In an alarming development for conservationists, nature lovers – and anyone who likes to breathe oxygen – a recent report has revealed that almost 40% of the world’s trees are at risk of extinction.
The Global Tree Assessment, a groundbreaking, decade-long assessment that involved 1,000 tree experts from all over the world, has resulted in 166,061 tree species being included on the IUCN Red list of Threatened Species.
46,337 of these trees are classed at risk of extinction.
In a statement at the release of the IUCN Red List, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Director General, Dr Grethel Aguilar, explains the importance of classifying the at-risk trees.
This can both promote awareness, and act as a warning sign for things to come:
“The IUCN Red List shows that more than one in three tree species are threatened with extinction. Trees are essential to support life on Earth through their vital role in ecosystems, and millions of people depend upon them for their lives and livelihoods. As the IUCN Red List celebrates 60 years of impact, this assessment highlights its importance as a barometer of life, but also, crucially, as a unique tool guiding action to reverse the decline of nature.”
The 1,000 researchers – including representatives from some of the IUCN’s world-famous partner organisations like Conservation International, NatureServe, Missouri Botanical Garden and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – helped to compile the biggest IUCN Red List to date.
It assessed trees from all around the world, revealing for the first time the huge number of trees at significant risk.
Researchers found out that in each one of the world’s 192 countries there are species of tree that are at risk of extinction.
Shockingly, the list also reveals that the number of trees that are threatened is more than double the total number of threatened animals and birds.
Dr Dave Hold, Vice President for Global Solutions at Conservation International’s Moore Centre for Science, explained in the statement exactly why the decline in tree species could be devastating for other plants and animals too:
“Trees directly underpin the survival of so many species – including many found on the IUCN Red List. Thriving, naturally diverse forests are essential in mitigating both climate change and biodiversity loss, and as such solutions for one crisis often have mutually reinforcing benefits for the other.
This makes the growing number of threatened tree species included on the Red List all the more troubling. Without biodiverse ecosystems that include healthy and diverse tree populations the world will face an even greater climate threat than the one we are already facing.”
Why are so many trees in danger?
There are many factors at play here, many of which human activity has a considerable part in.
The first of these factors is deforestation. As we cut down trees – particularly those on island – to make space to build houses and office buildings, create space for farming and other agriculture, we also decimate forests and their ecosystems.
This is particularly the case in South America. While this continent has more tree diversity than any other place in the world, a considerable proportion of those trees are at risk of extinction.
Why?
Because so many forests are being cleared to allow for more farming of crops, more space for ranches for livestock.
Add to this the fact that reforestation projects tend only to plant a small number of different tree species, rather than replicating the huge diversity in forests that have cut down, and you have a recipe for declining diversity and extinct ecosystems.
And as Dr Eimear Nic Lughadha – Senior Research Leader in Conservation Assessment and Analysis at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – added in the statement, this situation is only getting worse:
“Although the proportion of tree species reported as threatened in South America – the world leader in tree diversity – is lower (25%), this percentage is sure to increase, because many tree species from South America have yet to be described for science and tree species new to science are more likely than not to be threatened with extinction.”
Alongside deforestation, climate change is a hugely contributory factor in the serious decline of tree species. As sea levels rise, temperatures change, and storms become more frequent and more ferocious, the trees feel the impact.
Obviously, trees are important to human and animal life across the globe. So it tracks that the lives of people, plants, animals, and fungi may all be threatened too if tree diversity is allowed to continually decline.
Not only do trees absorb the carbon dioxide that is threatening our atmosphere and release the oxygen we need to breathe, they also play a huge part in other natural processes too.
They are central to our existence on this planet because of their role in cycles of carbon, water, and other nutrients; they help regulate our atmosphere and make the soil we need to grow our food.
Furthermore, trees are used in human processes such as building, creating medicine, fuel and even food.
But for the animals that call the trees their home, the situation is even more dire. Cleo Cunningham, Head of Climate and Forests and Birdlife International explained in the statement that as more and more trees become threatened, there will be an ever-growing detrimental effect to the bird species across the world:
This important analysis of threatened tree species highlights just how critical it is to protect and restore diverse, healthy forest ecosystems. Over two-thirds of globally threatened bird species are dependent on forests. This report must be taken seriously; for the local communities and Indigenous peoples that rely on forests, for the wildlife that depends on trees and for enhancing forest resilience to climate change.”
So what can we do about this natural travesty?
Well thankfully, action projects are already underway worldwide to try to redress the balance.
Habitat protection and restoration projects, seed banks, and botanic garden collections are working hard to prevent heartbreaking tree extinctions.
In some countries, tree species are becoming focal to local and governmental planning policy.
But, as Sam Ross – Sustainable Project Analyst at the Zoological Society of London – notes in the statement, we need to do more:
“Despite growing pressure to halt worldwide deforestation by 2030, this year, most of the world’s 100 most significant tropical timber and pulp companies have made limited progress in disclosing their zero deforestation and traceability commitments. We must all do more to safeguard these vital forest ecosystems, especially consumer goods manufacturers, financial institutions funding forestry, and agriculture companies.”
As a species, we need to be more responsible in our stewardship of the planet.
We need to plant more trees, and different trees, rather than cutting them down.
We need to farm more responsibly, and reduce our carbon footprints.
And as much as we can work hard as individuals, the bulk of this needs to be done from a governmental and big business level.
The future of our species, our trees, and our planet depends on it.
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