Murphy Westwood
PhD, Plant Developmental Biology,
University of Cambridge, UK
MS, Advanced Methods in Taxonomy and Biodiversity,
Imperial College London, UK
BS, Environmental Policy and Behavior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Research Interests
Murphy Westwood runs the Global Tree Conservation Program at The Morton Arboretum. The mission of the program is to save trees from extinction through global collaborations. Murphy works closely with colleagues from botanical gardens, universities, and other sectors in strategic locations like China, Europe, and Mexico, as well as throughout the United States, to develop conservation projects targeting key threatened tree species, especially oaks (genus Quercus). She also creates tools, guidelines, publications and other resources to build capacity and catalyze action for tree conservation. Additionally, Murphy is a Global Tree Conservation Officer for Botanic Gardens Conservation International and works to build support for the Global Trees Campaign, the only global conservation program dedicated to saving all of the world's threatened tree species. Murphy also manages ArbNet, the interactive, global community of arboreta and tree-focused professionals. She facilitates the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and develops resources and content for the ArbNet website.
Projects
- Global Oak Conservation Partnership
- Oaks of the Americas Conservation Network
- ArbNet: The global interactive community of arboreta
- The IUCN Red List threat assessments for priority tree species
- Gap analyses of ex situ collections and in situ conservation needs for North American oak species
- Tree conservation in Latin America
- Tree conservation initiatives and collaborations in Asia
- Paperbark maple genetic diversity
- Quantifying the conservation value of living collections
- Safeguarding Plant Collections by comparing ex situ and wild populations
- Preservation of seed in living collections of Quercus havardii, a Western sand dune oak
Accomplishments
Murphy has an extensive background in plant biology, evolution, and conservation, having worked in botanical gardens and universities in Europe and America for over fifteen years. She has published numerous articles on plant systematics, evolution, morphological development, and conservation. She has presented her research and program initiatives to a diverse range of audiences at dozens of conferences, symposia, workshops, and seminars in nine countries. She has taught over 400 hours of undergraduate plant science, ecology, and evolution courses and mentored many students as they pursued science-related degrees. Murphy is a member of the IUCN Global Tree Specialist Group and a certified IUCN Red List global assessor. She is the Chair of the Plant Conservation Professional Section of the American Public Gardens Association.
Media
- Daily Herald: Morton Arboretum’s conservation specialist working to save our endangered trees
Learn about Murphy Westwood’s work at The Morton Arboretum to prevent tree extinctions around the world. READ THE INTERVIEW - The Global Tree Conservation Program at The Morton Arboretum
Murphy Westwood's talk about the Global Tree Conservation Program at The Morton Arboretum. She Introduces the concept of threatened species and explains how the Arboretum determines the threat level of a species. She used a world tour of threatened tree species to illustrate some of the Arboretum's key conservation initiatives under the Global Tree Conservation Program. WATCH THE TALK - The Three Rarest Trees
The Morton Arboretum's Tree Conservation Specialist Murphy Westwood, PhD, discusses three threatened trees in The Arboretum's collection. WATCH THE VIDEO - WBEZ Worldview: Preserving Biodiversity with Seed Banks
Learn about how seed banks preserve plant diversity, and why this important conservation tool doesn’t always work for some plant species. HEAR THE INTERVIEW - EcoMyths: Seeds Never Expire
Learn the truth about the common myth that seeds can last forever under the right conditions. READ THE ARTICLE - WBEZ Worldview
- Why you should care that tree species are going extinct. HEAR THE INTERVIEW