Defending endangered trees against climate change and hungry goats

"Socotra, the Yemeni island that I'm from, has the world's last dragon's blood tree ( Dracaena cinnabari) forest. We have other threatened plants too, including cucumber trees ( Dendrosicyos socotranus) and Boswellia spp., also known as frankincense trees. I've been working with scientists from Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic, and other European universities for 25 years. I act as the connection between the scientists, Indigenous communities and local authorities."

"I also scout out areas for habitat restoration and work with remote communities to find ways to repair the natural world that work for both conservation and people's needs. When the plants are doing well, I feel happy. Socotra's geological isolation means that a number of plant and animal species here are not found anywhere else. But we are feeling the effects of climate change, especially drought, which is a real challenge for the plants."

Socotra hosts the world's last dragon's blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari) forest and other threatened species including Dendrosicyos socotranus and Boswellia spp. A local conservationist collaborates with Mendel University and other European researchers, serving as a liaison between scientists, Indigenous communities, and local authorities. The conservationist scouts habitat restoration sites and works with remote communities to repair ecosystems in ways that align conservation goals with local needs. Major threats include climate-change-driven drought and free-ranging goats that consume seedlings. Goat grazing supports many livelihoods, complicating livestock control and necessitating solutions that reconcile plant recovery with community dependence.

Read at Nature