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The Global Conservation Consortium for Oak brings together the world’s oak experts, conservationists, and the botanic garden community to ensure that no wild species of oak becomes extinct.
No one garden or arboretum can or should conserve all of the world’s threatened oak species, so a coordinated, global effort is needed. Led by the Morton Arboretum in collaboration with BGCI and dozens of other partners, the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak (GCCO) was launched to prevent extinctions and ensure healthy oak species and populations for the future.
The goal of the GCCO is to mobilize a coordinated network of institutions and experts who work collaboratively to develop and implement a comprehensive conservation strategy to prevent the extinction of the world’s oak species.
Coordinated by

About the GCCO
Comprising around 450 species, oaks are found in forest and shrubland ecosystems throughout the northern hemisphere.



Lead Coordinator
The GCCO is being led by The Morton Arboretum.
For questions or more information on how to join, or if you are interested in learning more about current GCCO activities please contact Amy Byrne, GCCO Coordinator.
Current Steering Committee Members:
- Dr. Murphy Westwood, The Morton Arboretum (USA)
- Dr. Maricela Rodriguez, (Mexico & Central America)
- Allen J. Coombes, Jardin Botanico Universitario BUAP (Mexico & Central America)
- Dr. Yi-Gang Song, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden (China)
- Dr. Hoàng Văn Sâm, Vietnam National University of Forestry (Southeast Asia)
In other regions where threatened oak species occur such as Europe and Africa, we are still looking to identify Consortium Steering Committee members If you are interested in joining as a committee member for another region, please contact Amy Byrne.
Join the GCCO
Link to the conservation action tracker
Operational Regions
The GCCO is currently divided into the following operational regions:
United States
There are 91 native US oaks. The GCCO is focusing on 29 species of conservation concern, under the coordination of Amy Byrne (The Morton Arboretum).
Mexico/Central America
Mexico is an important centre of diversity for oaks with more than 168 species distributed across multiple habitats, with around 32 species that are threatened in the wild.
Dr. Maricela Rodriguez is coordinating the GCCO in Mexico and Central America, focusing efforts on the priority, threatened and Data Deficient species in this region, outlined in The Red List of Oaks 2020 report.
China
With around 117 oak species, of which 36 are threatened, China is another important diversity hotspot for oaks. Dr. Yi-Gang Song from Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden is coordinating oak conservation efforts in this region, focusing on the priority threatened, and Data Deficient species, outlined in The Red List of Oaks 2020 report.
Southeast Asia
There are around 86 oak species in Southeast Asia. 36 species are threatened. Dr. Hoàng Văn Sâm, Vietnam National University of Forestry, is coordinating efforts in the Indochina region of Southeast Asia. Focus in this region is on the priority threatened, and Data Deficient species, outlined in The Red List of Oaks 2020 report.
Resources
Manual para la Propagacion de Quercus
Written in Spanish
The Conservation Gap Analysis of Native US Oaks
Written in English
Written in English
Newsletters
Written in English
Written in English
Written in English
Written in English