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The Red List of Oaks, published jointly by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and Fauna & Flora International (FFI), through the Global Trees Campaign (GTC), identifies 78 wild oaks as being in danger of extinction, from a global total of over 500 species.
The proportion actulaly under threat may however be much higher, as over 300 species have so little data on them that it is near impossible to make any judgement of their status.
Oaks are important to the well-being of people all over the world, providing essential ecological, economic and cultural services. Oak trees are valued for their uses as a source of timber, cork, dyes and animal fodder. They are of symbolic value in many cultures and widely planted ornamentally.
Ecologically, oaks are keystone species in a wide range habitats from Mediterranean semi-desert to subtropical rainforest. Oaks are under threat in the wild from general forest loss and over-exploitation of particular species.
The Red List of Oaks presents a review of the conservation status in the wild of oaks worldwide, undertaken by the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group.
Since its establishment in 2003, the primary role of the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group has been to assess the global conservation status of tree species in selected geographical areas and taxonomic groups. The Red List of Oaks is the fourth publication in The Red List of Oaks.
