Montane Cloud Forest Conservation in Mesoamerica

The Morton Arboretum’s Global Tree Conservation Program is developing sustainable and integrative conservation and management plans for Mesoamerican montane cloud forests that incorporate prioritization of conservation areas using spatial modeling, tree planting, and capacity-building.

Montane cloud forests are a rare habitat type found at higher elevations—usually between 800 and 3,500 meters—characterized by a nearly constant presence of clouds at the canopy level. These forests are exceptionally biodiverse and are considered one of the most threatened ecosystems on earth.

Montane cloud forests play a crucial role in the water cycle by capturing moisture from clouds and contributing to water supply downstream. They also hold a significant proportion of oak species in Mesoamerica, where they are important structural and functional components of the forest. They serve as hosts to hundreds of species of epiphytes, insects, and amphibians, as well as provide shelter and food to animals, protect water sources, and prevent soil degradation and erosion.

Montane cloud forests are one of many important ecosystem types in Mesoamerica—a region including Mexico and Central America. Mesoamerica is the center of diversity for oaks (genus Quercus), with 164 described species to date in Mexico. Oaks occupy multiple habitats within the region, where they are often keystone species, shaping ecological relationships and providing multiple ecosystem services and economic benefits. A milestone report—the Conservation Gap Analysis of Native Mesoamerican Oaks—published in 2024 by The Morton Arboretum and colleagues, highlights the urgent need for expanding survey and exploration work in Mesoamerica, as well as increasing the representation of oak species managed in botanic gardens and arboreta there.

In 2018, the Arboretum’s Global Tree Conservation Program began working to conserve Quercus insignis, or “Chicalaba,” an endangered oak that occurs in montane cloud forests ranging from Mexico to Panama. Arboretum staff collaborated with local researchers and conservation organizations to conduct studies, collect and propagate acorns, and lead outreach activities with stakeholders.

Using Q. insignis as a flagship species, we were able to promote the conservation of montane cloud forest habitat, bring together a group of local scientists and conservation leaders from Costa Rica to Mexico, and even develop a local network of tree conservationists called “Guardianes de los Árboles.”

Due to highly selective habitat requirements, isolated and decreasing populations, and multiple threats, many ecologically and culturally important trees in the montane cloud forest ecosystem share overlapping challenges for their conservation.

The Arboretum’s Global Tree Conservation Program has expanded its work to focus on other important oak species in Mexico, such as Quercus hirtifolia in Puebla and Hidalgo, and Q. delgadoana and Q. meavei in the cloud forests of Veracruz. Arboretum researchers are also working with partners across Central America to conserve and protect over 60 other tree species.

For more information and content related to montane cloud forests and the efforts to conserve their native tree species, explore The Morton Arboretum’s Global Tree Conservation Program Resources page.

Staff

Collaborators

Heiner Acevedo (Asociación Pronatura Agathos Costa Rica)

Fabio Arias (Parque Nacional Juan Castro Blanco)

Lily Briggs (Asociación Ambiental Finca Cántaros)

Dr. Estrella Chévez (Instituto de Ecología, A.C.)

Rodrigo De Sousa (Conservación Osa)

Luis Pérez (Parque Nacional Juan Castro Blanco)

Dr. Maricela Rodríguez Acosta (Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla Botanic Garden; GCCO Mexico & Central America)

Dr. Hernando Rodriguez-Correa (UNAM, Morelia, Mexico)

Dr. Maura Quesada (Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala)

Dr. Tarin Toledo Aceves (Instituto de Ecología, A.C.)

Nelson Zamora (Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica)

Publications

Conservation Gap Analysis of Native Mesoamerican Oaks

The Conservation Gap Analysis of Native Mesoamerican Oaks is available in both English and Spanish.

Conservation Action Plans

Oaks of the Californias

Oaks of the Upper Antigua Watershed in Veracruz, Mexico

Species ID Guides, Fichas Botánicas Para La Identificación de Árboles

These fichas botánicas, or species ID guides, are mainly visual, describing species from specific regions meant to be used in the field to help with in situ identification of rare and endangered species.

El Bosque de los Niños, Costa Rica

Cantón de Coto Brus, Costa Rica

Instituto Monteverde, Costa Rica

Xalapa, Veracruz, México

Zacapoaxtla, Puebla, México

Propagation Protocol

The Arboretum’s Center for Species Survival: Trees developed a propagation protocol for Quercus insignis for partners throughout Costa Rica to learn how to collect, propagate, and successfully grow this critically endangered oak species, increasing its representation in living collections and its native population.

Papers

Álvarez-Clare, S., Byrne, A., Coffey, E., Griffith, M.P., Handley, V., Linsky, J., Meyer, A., & Westwood, M. (2024). Building Networks and Sharing Resources to Save Tree Species. Roots. 21(1), 31-34. https://www.bgci.org/ resources/bgci-tools-and-resources/roots/.

Bonilla-Moheno, M., Moreto-Montiel, S., Toledo-Aceves, T. (2025). Análisis espacial multicriterio para identificar las áreas prioritarias para la restauración de ecosistemas de montaña. Boletín de la Sociedad Científica Mexicana de Ecología. In press.

Castañon Malpica, A. (2024). Evaluación de la germinación de Quercus meavei Valencia-A., Sabás & Soto y Quercus delgadoana S. Valencia, Nixon & L.M. Kelly., especies amenazadas del bosque mesófilo de montaña. BSc thesis. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Puebla.

Chévez-Martín del Campo, E. & Toledo-Aceves, T. Plan de acción para los encinos: un camino colaborativo para la conservación de especies emblemáticas del bosque de niebla. Eco-lógico. [In prep].

Gallardo-Hernández, C., Rodriguez-Zambrano, E.U. & Toledo-Aceves, T. (2023). An acorn sanctuary: an important refuge for the conservation of oaks in the cloud forest. La Crónica. 18:47. https://www.cronica.com. mx/academia/santuario-bellotero-refugio-importante-conservacion-encinos-bosque-niebla.html.

Good, K., Coombes, A. J., Valencia-A., S., Rodríguez-Acosta, M., Beckman Bruns, E., & Alvarez-Clare, S. (2024). Conservation Gap Analysis of Native Mesoamerican Oaks. Lisle, IL: The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/app/uploads/2024/09/Mesoamerican-Oaks-Gap- Analysis_ Main-Report-Only_English.pdf.

Linsky, J., Byrne, A., Handley, V., Coffey, E.D., Álvarez-Clare, S., Crowley, D., & Meyer, A. (2024). Integrated Plant Conservation through Global Conservation Consortia. Applications in Plant Sciences.e11586 https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/aps3.11586.

Malpica, A. C., Hernández, C. G., & Aceves, T. T. (2024). Germinación y emergencia de Quercus meavei y Quercus delgadoana, especies amenazadas del bosque de niebla: efecto del acondicionamiento natural. Acta Botánica Mexicana, (131), 46. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/ articulo?codigo=9890821.

Morteo-Montiel, S., Bonilla-Moheno, M., & Toledo-Aceves, T. (2024). Identificación de áreas prioritarias para la restauración de bosques de montaña en la zona alta de la cuenca del río La Antigua, Veracruz. Revista mexicana de biodiversidad, 95. https://doi.org/10.22201/ib.20078706e. 2024.95.5342.

Orozco, K., Alvarez-Clare, S., Rodríguez-Acosta, M., Toledo-Aceves, T., García-Hernández, M.Á., Carpio, J., y De Sousa, R. (2023). Protocolo de Propagación para el roble amenazado Quercus insignis. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, IL. https://www.internationaloaksociety.org/content/propagation-protocol-quercus-insignis.

Pujade-Villar, J., Perez-Torres, B.C., Coombes, A., Aragon-Garcia, A., Rodriguez-Acosta, M., Lopez-Olguin, J.F. & Melikas, G. (2024). Description of the first species of gall wasp (Hym., Cynipidae: Cynipini) on Quercusgrahamii (Fagaceae). Zootaxa 5403 (3): 369–376 https://www.mapress.com/zt/.

Rodríguez-Acosta, M., Flores-Huitzil, C., Coombes, A. & Acevedo-Rodriguez, I. (2024). Guía de plantas de interés en la zona norte de Puebla. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DlYlDGyRUbadDSt6k_ 2Efe1XJu5Jl27N/view.

Toledo-Aceves, T., Sáenz-Romero, C., Cruzado-Vargas, A. L., & Vásquez-Reyes, V. (2023). Quercus insignis seedling response to climatic transfer distance in the face of climate change. Forest Ecology and Management, 533, 120855. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2023.120855.

Toledo-Aceves, T., & Soza, V. (2025). ¿Podemos ayudar a la migración de los árboles del bosque de niebla? Boletín de la Sociedad Científica Mexicana de Ecología. In press.

Villaseñor-Sánchez, E., Chévez-Martín del Campo, & Toledo-Aceves, T. Smallholders’ participation in tropical cloud forest restoration: identifying the influence of socioeconomic factors, the values of planting trees, and perceived barriers. [In prep].

Villaseñor-Sánchez, E., Chévez-Martín del Campo, E., Gallardo-Hernández, C., Vásquez-Corzas, F., & Toledo-Aceves, T. (2025). Experiencias y perspectivas multi-actorales de la restauración del bosque de niebla en Veracruz. Boletín de la Sociedad Científica Mexicana de Ecología. In press.

Ambientico journal special issue with eight articles: https://www.ambientico.una.ac.cr/numeros-completos/arboles-amenazados-en-costa-rica-hallazgos-y-estrategias-para-su-conservacion/

Press Coverage of the Conservation Gap Analysis of Native Mesoamerican Oaks

The 21st Show. (2024, October 1). Conservation of oak trees in Mesoamerica: Why is it necessary? [Video]. Illinois Public Media. https://will.illinois.edu/21stshow/story/ conservation-of-oak-trees-in-mesoamerica-why-is-it-necessary.

American Public Gardens Association. (2024, September 24). The morton arboretum reports mesoamerican oak tree species in urgent need of conservation. https://members. publicgardens.org/the-morton-arboretum-finds-mesoamerican-oak-tree-species-in-urgent-need-of-conservation/

International Oak Society. (2024, October 29). Conservation gap analysis of native Mesoamerican oaks. https://www.internationaloaksociety.org/content/conservation- gap-analysis-native-mesoamerican-oaks.

Botanic Gardens Conservation International. (2024, October 1). Mesoamerican oak tree species in urgent need of conservation, according to milestone report. https://www.bgci. org/news-events/mesoamerican-oak-tree-species-in-urgent-need-of-conservation-according-to-milestone-report/.

Jessica McCarthy. (2024, September 25). Mesoamerican oak tree species in urgent need of conservation, says report. Sky News. https://skynews.icu/science/709057-mesoamerican- oak-tree-species-in-urgent-need-of-conservation-says-report/.

DiCYT. (2024, September 26). Las especies de robles mesoamericanos están en peligro. https://dicyt.com/noticias/las-especies-de-robles-mesoamericanos-estan-en-peligro.

Mirage News Australia. (2024, September 25). Morton Arboretum report: Urgent call to save oak species. https://www.miragenews.com/morton-arboretum-report-urgent-call- to-save-oak-1323315/#google_vignette.

Visión 360: Una ayuda al planeta. (2024, October 25). La comunidad científica en EEUU hace un llamado para conservar los árboles encinos, también conocidos como robles, cuya existencia está amenazada. [Video]. Voz de América. https://www.vozdeamerica.com/a/ 7838767.html.

Spanish-language radio station interview with El Zol 107.9 based in Washington, DC. The segment aired Dec. 15 and 22.