More than a third of the world's trees are threatened with extinction

If you're not a tree hugger now, you might want to be one soon. A recent report revealed that more than one in three tree species are at risk of extinction. The global assessment of trees is part of the update of the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The report was released to coincide with the UN COP16 Biodiversity Summit.

The numbers paint an alarming picture. Of the estimated 58,000 species believed to exist worldwide, more than 16,000 tree species are threatened with extinction. In other words, more than a third of all tree species are threatened. (Sanjana Gajbhiye, more at earth.com)