There are nearly 60,000 tree species on the planet and at least 30% of them are at risk of extinction in the wild, according to a new State of the World’s Trees report by Botanic Gardens Conservation International.
The 17,500 tree species at risk are wide-ranging, from oaks to magnolias to tropical trees, BBC News reported. The largest threats to the trees include forest clearance for crops (29% of tree species impacted), logging (27%), clearance for livestock grazing or farming (14%), clearance for development (13%) and fires (13%). Climate change also remains a looming threat, according to experts.
Environmentalists called for increased conservation efforts following the study’s findings.
"Each tree species has a unique ecological role to play," Sara Oldfield, co-chair of the Global Tree Specialist Group, told BBC News. "With 30% of the world's tree species threatened with extinction, we need to urgently scale-up conservation action."
