Crain’s Chicago Business Names The Morton Arboretum’s Director, Silvia Alvarez-Clare, as a 2024 Notable Latino Leader
Crain’s Chicago Business recently announced The Morton Arboretum’s Director of the Global Tree Conservation Program, Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Ph.D., as one of Chicago’s 2024 Notable Latino Leaders.
Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Latino Leaders recognizes top Latino leaders in the Chicago area who demonstrate significant accomplishments within their industry. Alvarez-Clare and her team of five at the Arboretum work to safeguard threatened tree species through science-based conservation efforts conducted with stakeholders around the world.
“Silvia is a tree conservation leader in an era when saving biodiversity is more urgent than ever,” said Arboretum President and CEO Jill Koski. “Silvia has significantly increased the impact and geographical reach of the Arboretum’s Global Tree Conservation Program to multiple countries in Latin America and South East Asia, and has helped raise public awareness of the importance of protecting trees locally, nationally and globally. She is also passionate about supporting the next generation of conservationists by mentoring students and interns in the U.S. and abroad.”
Alvarez-Clare spearheaded the creation of the world’s first and only Center for Species Survival: Trees, which was established at the Arboretum in 2023 through a strategic partnership with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Species Survival Commission. The center serves as a catalyst for tree conservation and accelerates the actions needed to reverse species loss. IUCN projects are currently in Alvarez-Clare’s native Costa Rica and five other biodiversity hotspots.
Alvarez-Clare also leads the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak, a network established by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) to ensure that no species of oak goes extinct. She serves as a conservation officer for BGCI, and is a member of the advisory board for the Global Trees Specialist Group, a voluntary network of more than 300 experts, which operates as part of the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
The Morton Arboretum is a globally recognized leader in tree research and education. Its 1,700 acre site cares for 106,714 specimens representing 4,067 different kinds of plants. The Arboretum’s Center for Tree Science, Global Tree Conservation Program, Chicago Region Trees Initiative, and Center for Species Survival: Trees are contributing scientific knowledge and technical experience to secure the future of trees locally, nationally, and worldwide.
Information about the Arboretum’s scientific work and how it contributes to a greener, healthier world can be found at mortonarb.org.
