Through a Position Statement released today, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) proudly recognizes and applauds the significant contributions made by botanic gardens, aquariums, and zoos in their critical mission of conserving wild animals, fungi, and plants.
The increasingly urgent climate crisis has led to a boom in commercial tree plantations in an attempt to offset excess carbon emissions. However, authors argue that these carbon-offset plantations might come with costs for biodiversity and other ecosystem functions. Instead, the authors say we should prioritize conserving and restoring intact ecosystems.
By Lauren Crosby Medlicott
A species of small holly tree last seen nearly two centuries ago has been rediscovered in Brazil and scientists say it is an “incredible find”.
The tree, 'Ilex sapiiformis' also known as the Pernambuco holly, was feared to have been extinct. But it was recently found in the urban city of Igarassu, in Pernambuco state, by an expedition that spent six days exploring the region in the hope of locating the species.
WASHINGTON, September 14, 2023 -
by ETH Zurich
For centuries, human activity has intentionally or unintentionally driven the spread of plant species to areas far outside their native habitat. On average, about 10% of non-native species worldwide become invasive, often causing large ecological and economic consequences for affected regions.
by Dhanapal Govindarajulu
Allowing forests to regenerate on their own has been championed as a strategy for reducing planet-heating carbon in the atmosphere while also boosting biodiversity, the benefits ecosystems offer and even the fruitfulness of livelihoods.
In an effort to slash carbon emissions and provide relief from extreme heat, governments across the nation and globally have pledged to plant trees. But the US is not equipped with the tree seedlings to furnish its own plans, according to a new study.
US tree nurseries do not grow nearly enough trees to bring ambitious planting schemes to fruition, and they also lack the plant species diversity those plans require, according to research published in the journal Bioscience on Monday,
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has published a report that provides a snapshot of current U.S. forest and rangeland conditions and projects conditions 50 years into the future. The Resources Planning Act Assessment report uses a mixture of scientific, climate and economic projections to identify drivers of change, resources and trends across all land ownerships, as well as summarize probable outcomes for nature-based economies.
by Andrea Wild, CSIRO
When the unusual branches of a tall tree were first noticed in a canyon northwest of Sydney in 1994, it sparked great excitement in the botanical world. The tree was new to science. It had very few living relatives and a lineage dating back millions of years to the Cretaceous period.
by Brenda Dawson
The cooling shade of UC Davis’ mature, leafy trees impressed Nurjannah Wiryadimejo enough to help the now-graduating senior choose to become an Aggie. “When I first came to Davis, what struck me was how beautiful the cork oaks are. I’d never seen such beautiful tree-lined streets like the ones by the Memorial Union,” she said. “But now I’ve realized that a lot of the trees on campus aren’t well suited for the future climate, when there will be more heat and extreme weather events,” said the environmental science and management major.
