The reclassification of this magnolia species, recently rediscovered after more than fifty years without being recorded, is supported by several decisive findings:
- Many more adult individuals were identified than previously known, raising the total population estimate to around 250-384 mature individuals, the majority concentrated in Jocotoco Foundation’s Canandé Reserve and neighboring areas.
- New discoveries revealed that the species occupies a larger territory than previously thought. Density studies in fifteen plots allowed, for the first time, a calculation of the global population.
- A large part of the species’ habitat is now protected thanks to the conservation of the Chocó forest led by the Jocotoco Foundation in the Canandé Reserve. Land that had previously been cleared is now regenerating naturally within the reserve. In addition, the species is also protected in the Cotacachi-Cayapas National Park and the Tesoro Escondido Reserve.
- Jocotoco has led a restoration effort using its own nursery. Since 2020, Jocotoco has replanted 1,300 saplings of Magnolia dixonii within the Canandé Reserve.
Martin Schaefer, Jocotoco’s CEO explains: “The downlisting of another critically endangered species shows that we can stop the global biodiversity collapse. Jocotoco’s model of protecting habitat provides refuges for thousands of unique species.”
About the species
Magnolia dixonii, locally known as cucharillo, is a towering tree endemic to Ecuador’s Chocó region, capable of exceeding 60 meters in height and living over a century. Its creamy-white flowers are pollinated by insects, while its bright red seeds are dispersed by birds, as well as small mammals. The species reaches reproductive maturity between 25 and 30 years.
First described in 1969, in Esmeraldas Province and long believed extinct, it was rediscovered in 2017. The latest IUCN assessment estimates 250384 mature individuals in the wild, highlighting the ongoing need for conservation amid continuous habitat loss and selective timber extraction. The global population assessment is based upon a survey of 15 one-hectare plots yielding 112 adult trees. The survey and assessment were done by Álvaro Peréz, Red List assessor Dave Waldien, students Kaitlyn Potts and Raquel Mandojana, Jocotoco’s research coordinator José León, and field staff Amado de la Cruz, Robinson Chaquinga, and Paul Aguilar.
Although its habitat outside protected reserves remains threatened by deforestation, the species no longer meets the most extreme risk criteria. The reassessment was conducted under criterion B1ab(i,ii,iii,v)+C2a(ii), and was approved by the IUCN.
Protecting Magnolia dixonii in Canandé Reserve
The lowland Chocó, in Ecuador’s Esmeraldas province, is home to an extraordinary diversity of plants. In just 2.47 acres (one hectare), more than 100 species can be found, and about 25% of them are endemic, existing nowhere else on Earth. Recognizing this unique richness, Jocotoco established the Canandé Reserve in 2000. Now covering approximately 56,000 acres (22,700 ha), the reserve has become a critical refuge for Magnolia dixonii and many other unique and highly threatened species of the Chocó rainforest.
Despite these efforts, less than 2 percent of the original Ecuadorian Chocó forest remains intact, and ongoing threats continue to endanger the magnolia’s habitat. To ensure a secure future for M. dixonii, conservation priorities include collecting and propagating seeds from a broader genetic base, maintaining and expanding the Canandé Reserve, and continuing population monitoring and restoration of degraded forests.
To further safeguard the whole region, Jocotoco proposed the creation of the “Ring of Defense.” This initiative aims to halt and reverse forest loss by buffering and expanding existing protected areas, and connecting them together through a continuous conservation network of more than 1.2 million acres (500,000 hectares), from 50 meters (200 feet) above sea level to Andean peaks nearly 4,900 meters (16,000 feet) high. In doing so, it will protect wildlife and preserve the ecosystem services that sustain human well-being. To achieve this, in 2024 Jocotoco helped establish the Chocó-Andes Network, a coalition of 11 Ecuadorian community and conservation organizations.
Together, these conservation efforts provide a broader context for the protection and recovery of Magnolia dixonii, helping ensure a secure future for the species within the Ecuadorian Chocó. Although this downlisting marks a significant step forward, Jocotoco remains committed to monitoring the species, enhancing its genetic diversity, and protecting the Chocó forest to secure a thriving future for the species.
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