Conservation of endemic threatened trees on Guadalupe Island

Preservation of three endemic threatened tree species on Guadalupe Island in Mexico

Partner: Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas, A.C.
Years: 2020-2023

Guadalupe Island is a priority site in terms of biodiversity conservation. Since the removal of feral goats that were the cause for numerous species extinction, the island has been recovering. However, more efforts are needed to restore the habitat lost to invasive species. This project aims at replanting 45’000 additional seedlings of three Endangered trees species: Pinus radiata, Cupressus guadalupensis and Quercus tomentella.

Oaks and pines forest: restauration between 2006 and 2016

Guadalupe Island is a Biosphere Reserve, as well as an Important Bird Area and an Alliance for Zero Extinction site. However, the introduction of feral goats on the island has led to severe degradation. Due to this unfortunate introduction, at least 26 plant taxa have become extinct. The removal of goats was the beginning of the island’s recovery. The next phase is to do actively restore these habitats through reforestation. Since 2015, 93’200 trees have been replanted with a survival rate of over 80% but the original forest coverage is far from being restored.

This project proposes to plant 45,000 additional seedlings of three Endangered trees, Pinus radiata, Cupressus guadalupensis and Quercus tomentella, on 180 hectares of degraded forests and to implement prevention measures to protect Cupressus guadalupensis from fire. These actions will benefit not only the forest ecosystems but also the fauna that rely on these habitats such as endemic landbird species Junco insularis and Haemorhous mexicanus amplus and many endemic invertebrates.