A Global Conservation Consortium for Oak

The Global Conservation Consortium for Oak (GCCO) has launched! Developing the GCCO was a collaborative effort—and involvement from passionate IOS members was an integral component. Sharing your expertise, knowledge, and experience with oaks at the last Triennial Conference workshop at UC Davis was vital to successfully launching the GCCO. Thank you for your contributions. 

Led by The Morton Arboretum, in partnership with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the GCCO aims to mobilize a network of institutions and experts to work collaboratively in order to develop and implement a comprehensive conservation strategy that prevents the extinction of the world’s oak species. It was formed to deliver integrated conservation of oak species through practical ex-situ (in cultivation) and in-situ (in the wild) conservation and to disseminate species recovery knowledge. There are various roles and tiers of membership for the Consortium: Consortium Lead (held by The Morton Arboretum), Consortium Steering Committee (CSC), Species Champions, Safe Sites, and Affiliates. Please see the “Ways to Participate” page fo the Global Conservation Consortia website to learn more about each tier of GCCO membership and to identify the level at which you would like to participate.

The Morton Arboretum will be hosting a GCCO kick-off meeting May 28–29th, 2020 at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Ill., USA. If you would like to be included on the mailing list, have any questions, or want to submit your RSVP, please email Amy Byrne (abyrne@mortonarb.org).

Prior to the GCCO kick-off meeting, we will be hosting an informational webinar on February 26th at 11 am CT (UTC -6:00 hours) to review the GCCO governance structure and long-term goals. This will be an opportunity for you to ask questions and learn more about the Consortium. We will try to record the webinar so those who can’t attend can view it later. If you would like to receive a calendar invite to join the webinar, please email Amy Byrne.