By Bisola Adeyemo
Landmark report published by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) on Wednesday found that thousands of varieties of trees are at risk of extinction.
The thousands of varieties of trees are in the world’s top six countries – Brazil, where 1,788 species are at risk, other five countries are Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Colombia and Venezuela, Reuters reported.
According to the State of the World’s Trees report 17,500 tree species – some 30% of the total – are at risk of extinction, while 440 species have fewer than 50 left in the wild.
Overall the number of threatened tree species is double the number of threatened mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles combined.
BGCI Secretary-General Paul Smith said in a statement, “This report is a wake-up call to everyone around the world that trees need help.”
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Among the most at-risk trees are species including magnolias and dipterocarps – which are commonly found in Southeast Asian rainforests. Oak trees, maple trees and ebonies also face threats, the report said.
Trees help support the natural ecosystem and are considered vital for combating global warming and climate change. The extinction of a single tree species could prompt the loss of many others.
“Every tree species matters — to the millions of other species that depend on trees, and to people all over the world,” Smith added.
The top three threats facing tree species are crop production, timber logging and livestock farming, the report said, while climate change and extreme weather are emerging threats.
At least 180 tree species are directly threatened by rising seas and severe weather, the report said, especially island species such as magnolias in the Caribbean.
Though mega diverse countries see the greatest numbers of varieties at risk of extinction, island tree species are more proportionally at risk.
“This is particularly concerning because many islands have species of trees that can be found nowhere else,” the report added.
