Scientists Studying Earth's Trees Issued a Stark Warning to Humanity

From towering coastal redwoods to dinosaur-era Wollemi pines and firs that make the perfect Christmas trees , even our most revered woody plants are in grave danger.

But the loss of these species isn't just a blow to local forests – it threatens entire ecosystems, research shows.

In 2021, the State of the World's Trees report revealed a startling finding: one-third of all tree species are on the brink of extinction, totaling around 17,500 endangered tree species.

This is more than double the number of all threatened mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles combined.

Some tree species are so rare that only a single known individual remains , such as the solitary palm, Hyophorbe amaricaulis , in Mauritius.

In a subsequent study from 2022 , the same researchers issued