Advancing Conservation of Exceptional Tree Species Through APGA-USFS Partnership

American Public Gardens Association and the United States Forest Service are partnering to establish living gene banks of tree species at risk in public gardens. Efforts focus on exceptional taxa native to U.S. forests which cannot be conserved through traditional seed banking methods. Our Tree Gene Conservation Partnership annually awards matching funds to Association members to support collaborative scouting and collecting trips, propagation, and distribution among public gardens for safeguarding in ex situ collections. This partnership, launched in 2015, has awarded nearly $200,000 in grants contributing to the conservation of 35 tree species in 28 states and Puerto Rico. Diverse collaborations among 67 public gardens, state and federal agencies, universities, forest industry, and conservation alliances have participated in the partnership to date.