A recent IUCN press release (bit.ly/4ioZaJr) revealed that 16,425 of 47,282 assessed tree species are now categorized as threatened, comprising > 25% of species assessed on the IUCN Red List. The number of threatened trees surpasses that of all threatened birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and spans 192 countries.
Indonesia is home to c. 5,918 tree species (BGCI, 2024, bit.ly/3D41zcz). A total of 5,261 (> 88%) of Indonesia's tree species have been assessed for the IUCN Red List, with 1,178 (22%) categorized as threatened. Based on the ex situ collection database of botanic gardens in Indonesia, managed by the National Research and Innovation Agency (makoyana.brin.go.id), only 180 (c. 15%) of threatened Indonesian tree species are represented in these ex situ collections.
To support the ex situ conservation of threatened Indonesian trees, Forum Pohon Langka Indonesia has developed the Ex-Situ Network Program, which is dedicated solely to providing seedlings of threatened tree species. The network currently consists of 15 local nurseries across nine provinces. Utilizing the seedlings available in these nurseries, we organized a simultaneous tree-planting movement on Indonesia's National Tree Planting Day, 28 November 2024. We successfully planted 402 individuals of 41 species, including eight Critically Endangered, seven Endangered and 17 Vulnerable species. A total of 21 institutions participated, representing 11 provinces from Sumatra to Papua.
We hope this movement, to be repeated annually, will ensure greater representation of threatened tree species in ex situ collections. We will coordinate with all participants to ensure proper maintenance of the seedlings planted in their institutions, and work to expand the ex situ network to guarantee the availability of threatened Indonesian trees seedlings for future planting initiatives.
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