On the Territory of Wallis and Futuna, the only organisation that is involved in the field of forest and tree genetic resources is the Territorial Service for Rural Economy and Fisheries. Its resources, both human and material, are very limited. The forest is closely linked to agriculture. On Wallis the agricultural service is headed by an agronomy engineer, assisted on the forestry side by a nurseryman holding a CAP certificate (forestry option). On Futuna, the chief of the agricultural service is a forestry engineer, and the person in charge of reforestation holds a BEPA certificate (agricultural option).
On several occasions, the Rural Economy and Fisheries Service has called upon the help of CIRAD-Forêt in New Caledonia. These were missions of short duration. A partnership agreement is now being negotiated between CIRAD and the Territory of Wallis and Futuna. This agreement will allow the Rural Economy and Fisheries Service to benefit from permanent technical assistance in CIRAD's fields of work, notably that of forests.
The only published information which is available to the Service is that referred to in the bibliographic references. It has never been possible to undertake an inventory (except for the Pinus caribaea stands on Wallis) neither do we have available databases on the forest resources.
Efforts to support the preservation of forest genetic resources could be undertaken if a minimum amount of training could be given to staff of the Rural Economy and Fisheries Service who are in charge of forests. The participation of the person in charge of reforestation at the Apia workshop on Futuna was a first step.
