Priority U.S. Trees Conservation Awards

ArbNet, Botanic Gardens Conservation International-US, The Morton Arboretum, NatureServe, and the United States Botanic Garden are pleased to announce the recipients of the Priority U.S. Trees Conservation Awards. 

The Priority U.S. Trees Conservation Awards build upon foundational work to identify the native trees of the United States, confirm their taxonomy and assess their conservation status through initiatives including the Global Tree Assessment and NatureServe assessments.

The publication of the U.S. Trees Checklist in 2021 provided an important starting point for understanding which trees occur in the country and which are most at risk. The awards translate that knowledge into direct conservation action by supporting institutions located near the remaining wild populations of priority species.

With the announcement of the 2026 award recipients, projects supported through the entire award program are advancing the conservation of 31 of the 63 priority U.S. tree taxa identified as poorly represented in living plant collections. Since the program began in 2025, nearly $107,000 has been awarded through 19 awards to 16 organizations in 12 states, creating a growing national network of public gardens and arboreta working to prevent the loss of native tree diversity. Awarded projects support field surveys, the collection of seeds and other plant material, propagation research, and the establishment or expansion of genetically diverse conservation collections.

2026 Award Recipients

Eight institutions from seven states across the United States were selected in 2026 to receive Priority U.S. Trees Conservation Awards ranging from USD $3,000–$10,000 to support the collection, propagation, and safeguarding of 16 priority tree taxa in ex situ conservation collections.

Atlanta Botanical Garden (Georgia)

Project: Building Ex Situ Collections of Four Priority Trees in Florida and Georgia

Target species: Cartrema floridana, Crataegus austromontana, Crataegus alleghaniensis

Auburn University Davis Arboretum (Alabama)

Project: Collecting Priority Alabama Trees 2026

Target species: Crataegus aemula, Crataegus ashei, Crataegus mendosa, Crataegus alleghaniensis, Viburnum alabamense

Missouri Botanical Garden (Missouri)

Project: Ex Situ Conservation of Priority Missouri and Arkansas Trees: Field Collection and Propagation of Three At-Risk Species

Target species: Crataegus lanuginosa, Crataegus padifolia, Leitneria pilosa

San Antonio Botanical Garden (Texas)

Project: Collection & Propagation of At-Risk Tree Taxa

Target species: Esenbeckia berlandieri, Fraxinus gooddingii, Prunus murrayana

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (California)

Project: Safeguarding Arctostaphylos hooveri Through Additional Collections for Broader Ex Situ Representation

Target species: Arctostaphylos hooveri

South Carolina Botanical Garden (South Carolina)

Project: Conserving Sideroxylon tenax in South Carolina

Target species: Sideroxylon tenax 

The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky (Kentucky)

Project: Conserving and Propagating Viburnum alabamense and Co-occurring Taxa in Kentucky

Target species: Viburnum alabamense

UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden (California)

Project: Expanding Ex Situ Conservation of Piute Cypress (Hesperocyparis nevadensis)

Target species: Hesperocyparis nevadensis

2025 Award Recipients

Ten institutions from eight states across the United States were selected in 2025 to receive Priority U.S. Trees Conservation Awards ranging from USD $3,000–$5,000 to support the collection, propagation, and safeguarding of 18 priority tree taxa in ex situ conservation collections.

Atlanta Botanical Garden (Georgia)

Project: Conserving Rare Trees of Wildlife and Cultural Value with Key Partners in 3 U.S. States

Target taxa: Asimina obovata, Crataegus aemula, Ilex cuthbertii

Denver Botanic Gardens (Colorado)

Project: Conserving Ostrya chisosensis

Target taxa: Ostrya chisosensis

Dunn Gardens (Washington)

Project: Conserving Crataegus okennonii

Target taxa: Crataegus okennonii

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (Florida)

Project: Safeguarding Mosiera longipes (O.Berg) Small in South Florida: Seed Banking, Propagation and Plant Distribution

Target taxa: Mosiera longipes

Gardens of Golden Gate Park (California)

Project: Safeguarding the Pygmy Cypress (Hesperocyparis pygmaea): Conservation of an At-Risk Species through Public Garden Partnerships

Target taxa: Hesperocyparis pygmaea

Hoyt Arboretum–Portland Parks and Recreation (Oregon)

Project: Arctostaphylos nortensis, Hesperocyparis nevadensis, Juniperus grandis, and Sophora leachiana Collection Grant 2025

Target taxa: Arctostaphylos nortensis, Hesperocyparis nevadensis, Juniperus grandis, Sophora leachiana

The Huntington (California)

Project: Conserving Aralia humilis and Mariosousa millefolium

Target taxa: Aralia humilis, Mariosousa millefolium

Missouri Botanical Garden (Missouri)

Project: Collecting and Conserving Priority Crataegus Species in Central Arkansas

Target taxa: Crataegus ouachitensis, Crataegus padifolia

New Mexico BioPark Society (New Mexico)

Project: Rare Plant Conservation Seed Collections

Target taxa: Crataegus wootoniana, Quercus ajoensis

San Diego Botanic Garden (California)

Project: Enhancing Rare California Oak (Quercus cedrosensis) Representation in Ex Situ Collections

Target taxa: Quercus cedrosensis