CSS Trees - Morton Arboretum

With one-third of the world’s tree species threatened with extinction, cross-sector conservation efforts are more important than ever. The Center for Species Survival Trees (CSS Trees) was established in 2023 through a strategic partnership between the IUCN SSC and The Morton Arboretum, in Illinois, United States.

The mission of CSS Trees is to work with partners to promote and support the conservation of tree species and forest ecosystems, primarily in biodiversity hotspots. CSS Trees is the first Center to focus entirely on trees, and the only one hosted at an arboretum. Its establishment represents an important milestone towards bringing attention to plant conservation among the broader conservation community, as well as expanding support for plant-focused specialist groups. CSS Trees is also one of the first two Centers to be hosted in the same metropolitan region, along with nearby CSS Freshwater at Shedd Aquarium. Together, these Centers aim to position Chicago as a global hub for biodiversity conservation.  

Activities at CSS Trees are conducted under the One Plan Approach, which integrates conservation on location (in situ) and in collections (ex situ). We collaborate with IUCN SSC Specialist Groups to conserve species through the Assess-Plan-Act cycle. Species with the highest conservation needs are prioritized by conducting Red List assessments. The team develops tools for tree conservation, such as creating conservation gap analyses for ex situ collections of priority tree genera. Using participatory decision-making approaches developed by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group, we lead and contribute to conservation action plans, with particular focus on oaks (genus Quercus), and translate these plans into conservation action projects that are executed with local communities to promote preservation, management, and recovery of threatened tree species. Building capacity for conservation and raising awareness about conservation issues are also priorities for CSS Trees.
We work most closely with the IUCN SSC Global Trees Specialist Group (GTSG) and the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG), and seek to expand these collaborations to other groups and programs. CSS Trees recognizes that zoos, aquariums, and botanical gardens have a critical role to play in preventing species extinctions. We lead and support botanic garden networks, including ArbNet, BGCI, the American Public Gardens Association, and the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak (GCCO)

Supporting the Species Conservation Cycle

1
From Assessment to Action: Safeguarding the World’s Oaks

CSS Trees works with global and in-country partners to safeguard the world’s more than 400 oak species. Oaks (genus Quercus, family Fagaceae) are our flagship tree group because of their global economic, ecological, and cultural importance. In collaboration with the Global Tree Assessment team and the IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group, the Morton Arboretum ASSESSED the world’s oak species in 2020. Equipped with this information, staff at CSS Trees are working closely with the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group and the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak to lead and facilitate conservation planning workshops with stakeholders to PLAN conservation and recovery actions for oaks. We have on-the-ground ACTION projects with partners in the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Malaysia, and Indonesia. These projects seek to benefit oak ecosystems while supporting local communities.

2
Building Capacity for Tree Conservation in Biodiversity Hotspots

There is an urgent need to expand capacity in tree identification, propagation, restoration, and conservation, particularly in biodiversity hotspots where species loss is greatest. The Species Steward Training Program at CSS Trees focuses on working with local partners to build their capacity in these regions, empowering and supporting them to become advocates for protecting their natural resources, particularly trees. Virtual modules are being created that include information on best practices for collecting herbarium specimens, starting a nursery, and propagating rare and threatened tree species. The virtual courses are complemented with in-person workshops and technical support visits. Efforts to date are focused in Mexico and Central America.

3
Working with Botanic Gardens to Conserve the Trees of the United States

The goal of this project is to use the One Plan Approach to ensure survival and sustainable management of threatened or at-risk species of U.S. trees, particularly exceptional species that cannot be stored in seed banks. CSS Trees supports survey, collection, propagation, and cultivation of U.S. trees of conservation concern underrepresented in ex situ collections, and promotes genetically-diverse ex situ collections of high conservation value in botanic gardens. The team also adapts and develops tools that help scientists, land-managers and botanic gardens better conserve priority species. Partners in these efforts include the USDA Forest Service, United States Botanic Garden, Botanic Gardens Conservation International-U.S., NatureServe, ArbNet, and many more.

Meet our team

Silvia Alvarez-Clare
Silvia Alvarez-Clare

Silvia is the Director of Global Tree Conservation at The Morton Arboretum in Illinois, USA, a program focused on safeguarding threatened tree species through science-based conservation work conducted with stakeholders around the world. She is a member of the IUCN SSC Global Trees Specialist Group, and a National Geographic Society Explorer. She leads the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak and serves as lead for CSS Trees.

Silvia is the Director of Global Tree Conservation at The Morton Arboretum in Illinois, USA, a program focused on safeguarding threatened tree species through science-based conservation work conducted ...

Amy Byrne
Amy Byrne

Manager for Global Tree Conservation and Conservation Planning Officer. Member of the Global Tree Conservation Program at The Morton Arboretum, Amy manages the Center for Species Survival Trees. In this role, she helps establish strategic priorities and work plans for the Center. She leads projects in the USA and Southeast Asia, and collaborates with partners in Mexico and Central America, supporting their tree conservation work. Amy is a trained facilitator with the IUCN Conservation Planning Specialist Group. As such, she organizes and facilitates conservation planning workshops to develop collaborative, and inclusive action plans for threatened tree species. Amy is also the global coordinator for the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak (GCCO); the GCCO is a network of institutions and experts working to implement conservation strategies to prevent extinction of the world’s oak species.

Manager for Global Tree Conservation and Conservation Planning Officer. Member of the Global Tree Conservation Program at The Morton Arboretum, Amy manages the Center for Species Survival Trees. In ...

Kate Good
Kate Good

Kate Good is a Red Listing Officer in the Center for Species Survival Trees and a member of the Global Tree Conservation Program team at Morton Arboretum. Through spatial analyses, literature review, and working with regional species experts, Kate aims to better understand the conservation status of species. In addition to Red List Assessments, a major outcome of her work is producing conservation gap analysis for oaks in Mexico and Central America, as well as Southeast Asia. These analyses identify the most urgent threats and conservation priorities of both in situ and ex situ populations. As a certified red list assessor, Kate is also responsible for all new and updated red list assessments through The Morton Arboretum.

Kate Good is a Red Listing Officer in the Center for Species Survival Trees and a member of the Global Tree Conservation Program team at Morton Arboretum. Through spatial analyses, literature review ...

Tari Marshall
Tari Marshall

Tari Marshall is the Director of PR and Social Media for The Morton Arboretum. She is a public relations and marketing specialist with experience managing national and international communications for major nonprofit organizations and corporations. She joined The Morton Arboretum in 2019.

Tari Marshall is the Director of PR and Social Media for The Morton Arboretum. She is a public relations and marketing specialist with experience managing national and international communications for ...

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