Building capacity of nature reserves to save China’s most threatened trees

This project is providing technical assistance to nature reserve managers based across southern China, so that they can carry out more effective conservation action for some of the country’s most highly threatened tree species. These nature reserves are responsible for the conservation of a range of incredibly rare trees, including magnolias, firs and rhododendrons, yet many of the people working on the ground have never had the opportunity to develop the skills needed to save these species. With help from the Global Trees Campaign, experts from universities and botanic gardens across China are providing regular training and mentoring to more than 60 reserve managers, helping them to introduce better patrolling, remove invasive species and plant out seedlings to boost the wild populations of these species. The new skills developed by reserve managers are helping them to ensure that more than 20 of the country’s most threatened tree species are under effective local conservation management.