Dr. Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Director of Global Tree Conservation at the Morton Arboretum was our speak on Jan 10th. A native of Costa Rica she came to attend graduate school at the University of Florida where she met her husband who is from Lisle.  

Trees are under threat globally. Of the 60,000 tree species 1 in every 3 is threatened with extinction.  Trees are not only critical to the environment, they provide food and habitat for wildlife. In the US, 11% of tree species are threatened, while 83% of the oak ecosystem as been lost in the Chicago region in the last 200 years.
 Botanic gardens are critical to the effort to minimize the loss. They provide science, collections, conservation, breeding and public outreach and education. Rare species can be sustained and protected in a botanic garden even if lost in the wild.

Oaks are of particular importance to Morton Arboretum’s work.  They are a keystone species in many forests in the Northern hemisphere and have economic and cultural importance. Over 20% of oak species worldwide are critically endangered or endangered. 50% are threatened or vulnerable.

The Arboretum works with partners globally doing conservation planning, conservation research with a goal of population recovery and restoration. If is critical they work with the local populations to maintain their economies while finding ways to protect vulnerable trees.