AHS LIVE: Tree Conservation in the Americas
with Dr. Silvia Alvarez-Clare, director of the Global Tree Conservation Program, The Morton Arboretum
Thursday, October 8, 2026 from 2-3 p.m. ET
Virtual
$15 AHS members/$20 non-members
This program is approved for 1 CEU with the Association of Professional Landscape Designers
Join Dr. Silvia Alvarez-Clare, the American Horticultural Society’s 2026 Scientific Award recipient, to learn about tree conservation efforts throughout the Americas. From the Global Tree Conservation Program and the Center for Species Survival, to the Global Trees Specialist Group and the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak, Dr. Alvarez-Clare will share the research and projects saving tree species from extinction.
As director of the Global Tree Conservation Program at The Morton Arboretum, Dr. Silvia Alvarez-Clare safeguards threatened tree species through science-based conservation work with stakeholders around the world. Her research uses long-term monitoring, experimentation, and ecological techniques to understand how changes in climate, land use, and soil nutrients impact plant communities, particularly trees. She translates her research into better policies, improved management practices, and restoration actions that aid in saving tree species from extinction.
Dr. Alvarez-Clare spearheaded the creation of the Center for Species Survival: Trees, which was established at The Morton Arboretum through a strategic partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission to serve as a catalyst for tree conservation and accelerate the actions needed to reverse species loss. Her scientific research with the Morton Arboretum provides models for tree health and ecosystem health throughout the world, including shaping plant collections and horticultural approaches and environments.
She has influenced horticulture in the United States through collaborations such as the US Forest Service’s Forest Health Protection Program, researching the value of tree genetic diversity in urban areas. As a National Geographic Explorer, she also galvanizes support internationally to conduct scientific research on endangered oak flagship species and to plant thousands of trees in Mesoamerica with local communities.
She is a member of the advisory board for the Global Trees Specialist Group, a network of more than 300 experts that is part of the Species Survival Commission of the IUCN. Dr. Alvarez-Clare also leads the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak, a network established by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) to ensure that no species of oak goes extinct. She is also a mentor for the National Science Foundation-funded project Rare Plant Network (Rare RaMP), which focuses on training and mentoring post-graduates in plant research and conservation.