<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-3de2c26c-7fff-897c-d05b-a508f3d4b123"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We are pleased to announce the release of the </span><a href="https://www.mortonarb.org/files/conservation-gap-analysis-of-native-US-oaks.pdf" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Conservation Gap Analysis of Native U.S. Oaks</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. Thank you so much to everyone who participated in this endeavor, which we hope will drive future partnerships, collaborations, and, ultimately, the successful preservation of our diverse native U.S. oaks, both </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">in situ </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">and </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ex situ</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">With funding from the USDA Forest Service, The Morton Arboretum and Botanic Gardens Conservation International U.S. have assessed the conservation status and needs of native U.S. oaks, to inform a broad audience of stakeholders. Of the 91 native U.S. oak species, our study identified 28 as species of conservation concern, based on factors such as habitat destruction, susceptibility to climate change, and lack of representation in </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ex situ</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> collections. Each of these at-risk species is analyzed in a detailed species profile, providing specific recommendations for </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">in situ</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> and </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ex situ </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">conservation actions. By providing actionable recommendations and a list of stakeholders currently engaged in conservation efforts for the 28 U.S. oak species of conservation concern, this report aims to catalyze efforts to preserve our native oaks for generations to come.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Please email Amy Byrne, </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Global Tree Conservation Assistant</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> (</span><a href="mailto:abyrne@mortonarb.org" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">abyrne@mortonarb.org</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">), or Murphy Westwood, Director of Global Tree Conservation (</span><a href="mailto:mwestwood@mortonarb.org" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">mwestwood@mortonarb.org</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">), with questions. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Many thanks again to all who made this report possible; it was certainly a team effort.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Best,</span></p><p style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Amy Byrne</span></p></span><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit">Amy Byrne</font></font></font></font></div><div><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit">Global Tree Conservation Assistant</font></font></font></font></div><div><a href="mailto:abyrne@mortonarb.org" target="_blank"><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit">abyrne@mortonarb.org</font></font></font></font></a> </div><div dir="ltr"><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit">(630-725-2158)</font></font></font></font><br></div><div><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit">Skype username: amybyrne1496</font></font></div><div><font style="vertical-align:inherit"><font style="vertical-align:inherit">Zoom Personal Meeting ID: 250-452-7590</font></font></div><div dir="ltr"><img src="http://arbnet.org/sites/arbnet/files/arbnet-logo.gif" alt="arbnet-logo.gif" width="96" height="42"><br><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>