International Palm Day!

[Cindy Adair]

On this day April 17 in 1794, the Father of Palms, Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, was born. 
 

Today is International Palm Day, a day to recognize the plight of endangered palms, their fragile ecosystems, and their roles in the environment. Join us in celebrating palms!

 

[Cindy Adair]

Palms at risk! 
 

Research published in 2014 found that 83% of 192 endemic palms in Madagascar are threatened, nearly 4x the proportion estimated for plants globally & exceeding the rate for all other plant groups in Madagascar.

 Habitat destruction is a huge problem. 
 

[Cindy Adair]

More palms at risk!
 

Research on West Indian palms found that, of 134 taxa, 90% of them are endemic to the islands. 30 were estimated to be Endangered or Critically Endangered. So much work needs to be done to prevent these palms from slipping into extinction.

[Cindy Adair]

Through our Save the Species campaigns, we are helping conserve iconic species throughout the world. Sabinaria magnifica in Colombia is one such palm.

 The range is very small and vulnerable, so we helped SalvaMontes buy land last year to establish a preserve.

 

[Cindy Adair]

Did you know one of the most amazing and endangered palms in the world was discovered through a posting on our PalmTalk forum?

 Posted photos of Tahina spectabilis led botanists to this amazing palm, & we helped conserve it through our Save the Species campaign.

[Cindy Adair]

Palms are keystone species, and just like in an arch, if the keystone is removed, everything comes crashing down.

 For example, Lear’s Macaw depends on the palm Syagrus coronata, its favorite food. Conservation efforts for the bird include planting more palms!

[Cindy Adair]

Hawaii has just one genus of native palms, Pritchardia, but all 24 native species are endemic, i.e. found nowhere else in the world. 16 are Endangered or Critically Endangered.
 

We are partnering with the National Tropical Botanic Garden to help save these special palms.

 

[Cindy Adair]

Thanks for celebrating International Palm Day with us!
 

To learn more about what you can do to save palms, check out our website www.palms.org.

For the latest news & to be a part of a global force for palm conservation, join us (memberships start at $0).