Assessment: Almost 40 Percent of World’s Trees Face Extinction

At least 40% of tree species on earth are at risk of extinction, according to a release from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), according to a report in The Hill.

At least 16,425 of the 47,282 species are at risk of extinction, according to the assessment.

“Today, we are releasing the global assessment of the world’s trees on the IUCN Red List, which shows that more than one in three tree species are threatened with extinction. Trees are essential to support life on Earth through their vital role in ecosystems, and millions of people depend upon them for their lives and livelihoods,” Dr. Grethel Aguilar, director general of the IUCN, said in a statement.