Chile Races to Save Last Wild Tree of Its Kind

Conservationists in Chile’s Robinson Crusoe Island are working to save the last known wild Dendroseris neriifolia tree, a species native to the Juan Fernández archipelago. Eleven Dendroseris species are unique to these islands off the Chilean coast, but habitat degradation, invasive plants, and introduced mammals have decimated their populations. Researchers collected 400 seeds from the lone, nearly 150-year-old tree, finding 29 potentially viable ones.

These seeds have been sent to the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom, where they are undergoing germination trials. The project intends to share seedlings with UK botanical gardens to refine cultivation techniques.

Ultimately, the goal is to restore wild populations of Dendroseris, a crucial food source for the endangered Juan Fernández firecrown hummingbird. Successful restoration will require long-term investment in habitat recovery and invasive species control.