Data-Driven Restoration Policy: Applying Global Tree Diversity Evidence to Accelerate KMGBF Target 2

Tree diversity is fundamental to the ecosystem resilience, yet tree species information remains insufficiently incorporated into global restoration strategies. The Global Tree Assessment, coordinated by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and the IUCN/SSC Global Tree Specialist Group, provides the first comprehensive conservation assessment for the world’s ~57,500 tree species, revealing that at least one-third are threatened with extinction. Leveraging this evidence base is essential for advancing KMGBF Target 2, which calls for restoring at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030.

The GlobalTree Portal aggregates data from the Global Tree Assessment offering species-level, country-level and global views of distribution and threat status. The GlobalTree Portal highlights gaps in both in situ and ex situ conservation and supports conservation planning decisions around species selection, and monitoring.  It helps address key barriers to implementing Target 2 identifying where restoration is most needed, which species to prioritize and which interventions are required. By making data transparent and accessible, the Portal supports evidence-based decisions, mobilizes collaboration and fosters accountability.

The Global Tree Assessment also identifies tree species whose survival depends on a single irreplaceable site, generating a list requiring urgent action. These data help countries determine where restoration yields the highest biodiversity return and where rapid intervention is needed to prevent loss.

To strengthen policy integration, the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) aligns plant-focused actions with KMGBF targets that countries can embed in NBSAPs, and national and regional conservation strategies. This ensures that plant - and tree - conservation actions are systematically incorporated into national planning and restoration frameworks, providing a coherent pathway for implementation.

We will present case studies to show how countries, organisations and individuals can use the GlobalTree Portal and the GSPC to guide species selection, direct funding, align restoration with national biodiversity strategies and strengthen collaboration with local partners (including ). Embedding the tree information within policy and planning processes offers a scalable pathway to accelerate progress toward KMGBF Target 2 while safeguarding irreplaceable tree diversity and the ecosystems they support.