1. The 20th Session of the International Poplar Commission (IPC) was held in Budapest, Hungary at the kind invitation of the Government of Hungary under the Chairmanship of Professor Csaba Mátyás (Hungary).
2. The Session was attended by delegates, and advisers from 27 member countries of the Commission: Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Korea (Republic of), New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Turkey, UK and USA Observers attended from Brazil, Greece, Kenya, Poland, Slovak Republic and Uruguay. A total of 207 delegates, advisers and observers participated.
3. The Session was opened by the Chairman of the retiring Executive Committee, Mr V. Steenackers.
4. Mr Lajos Buzássy, Deputy State Secretary, Department of Agriculture, welcomed participants to Hungary. He reviewed the important role of the Hungarian forestry sector in wood production and in the provision of other goods and services, and emphasised the support of his Ministry to the sector. He stressed the need for international co-operation in forestry and mentioned Hungary's long experience in forest management. In declaring the Session open he thanked FAO for its support to the Hungarian agro-economy and its contribution to the co-ordination of international activities in forestry.
5. The Director of the Forestry Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Márton Dauner, reviewed current priorities for forestry in Hungary, which included output of forest products, nature and game protection and the provision of social benefits. Under the new economic and political order, ownership patterns of land and of forest industry were changing with the break up of co-operatives but there would be no reduction of forest area and forest laws would be strengthened. The Forestry Office had clear goals: to prepare regulations for implementing the new Forests Act, to reorganise the administration of the national forestry sector and of the state forests, to speed up the process of land and forest consolidation, and to promote afforestation.
6. The Chairman of the National Poplar Commission of Hungary, Dr Laszlo Erdosz, stated that Hungary has now 153 000 ha of poplar plantations, which were the basis of the composite board and the packaging and paper industries. Much of the output from poplar-based industry was exported. Research, especially into tree breeding and wood properties, had made an important contribution to this process. Important challenges lay ahead, including the consolidation of private forest holdings and adapting to the effects of further changes in the structure of the Hungarian agricultural sector.
7. Mr J.B. Ball, Secretary of the IPC, in welcoming participants on behalf of the Director-General of FAO, drew attention to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the IPC in 1997. He described the IPC, a Statutory Body of FAO, as providing: a neutral forum for the discussion of technical and policy issues related to poplars and willows; advice and technical support from a wide range of disciplines; and access to the network of 174 member countries of the Organization.
8. Professor Csaba Mátyás (Hungary) was elected Chairman and Messrs M. Villar and J. Isebrands and Ms R. Arreghini were elected Vice-chairmen.
9. The Provisional Agenda was adopted without amendment.
10. Delegates were advised that South Africa, as a member of FAO, had applied to join the IPC under Article II (1) of the Convention governing the IPC. South Africa had lodged its formal acceptance of the Convention with the Director-General of FAO and was accordingly now a member of the IPC.
11. Mr D. Terasson presented the synthesis of responses on the theme of the 20th Session, Environmental and Social Issues in Poplar and Willow Cultivation and Utilization. The synthesis was based on 17 responses to a questionnaire that had been circulated to all member countries.
12. Countries fell into three different categories regarding environmental and social issues related to the cultivation and use of the Salicaceae:
- countries where the cultivation of the Salicaceae was generally considered beneficial, for protective and or productive purposes. Examples were China and countries with low rainfall such as Morocco where cultivation of the Salicaceae could reduce soil erosion and create green corridors;
- countries where poplar (and to a lesser extent willow) plantations were criticised or opposed, largely because they threatened the integrity of natural systems in wetlands or valleys, mainly in Western Europe;
- countries neutral towards cultivation of the Salicaceae such as Sweden or Canada, where the Salicaceae occurred naturally rather than in plantations.
13. In general there was little information on the status of natural stands of poplars and willows but it was known that riparian formations, in which the Salicacea were often prominent components, were being reduced for various reasons such as river training works, conversion to agricultural land or to artificial poplar plantations. For this reason several countries had started gene conservation programmes, e.g. Salix humboldtiana in Argentina, Populus nigra in Europe through the EUFORGEN programme. Riparian stands helped to stabilise river banks, and several countries drew attention to the importance of such stands for the capture of soil nitrates. A more favourable environment for fish might be produced through their shading effect in reducing water temperatures, but the decomposition of poplar leaves could reduce water quality. Riparian stands could provide important corridors for animal migrations while they contributed visual and amenity benefits to the landscape. They might make an important contribution to providing fuel, building materials and other products for rural communities, but this role was diminishing.
14. Although areas of plantations of the Salicaceae had increased in recent years the genus remained of relatively low importance in plantation programmes, except in China. Information on the environmental and social effects of such plantations was therefore lacking and came from relatively few countries. Such effects might be positive or negative depending on the objectives of the plantations e.g. the effect on the water table was positive where the plantations were established for drainage purposes, but negative if the conservation of wetlands was a priority. The beneficial effects on water quality in capturing nitrates and other pollutants were noted, as with natural riparian stands, but the use of chemicals in the establishment of plantations might have a negative effect on water quality. Plantations were being established in several countries e.g. China, Egypt, Morocco for erosion and desert control and in New Zealand for catchment area protection. On the whole plantations of the Salicaceae were reported as having a negative effect on natural ecosystems and on animal life and in causing gene pollution of natural stands. Both positive and negative assessments of the contribution of plantations to the appearance of traditional landscapes were reported, but on the whole only positive contributions to the well-being of peoples, whether in the provision of goods or services such as leisure activities. Products research was continuing in several countries into the use of the Salicaceae for biomass, and into the environmental impact of wood packing and pallets.
15. The major environmental and social concerns related to the cultivation of poplars and willows were:
- recognition of widespread threats to natural riparian forest, and the need for the evaluation of the effects of the types of land use which replace them;
- the need for conservation of natural occurrences of riparian forest, including the conservation of the genetic resources of several poplar species including P. nigra;
- the potential of plantations of the Salicaceae to capture agricultural and industrial soil pollutants;
- the need to examine the functioning of artificial ecosystems such as poplar and willow plantations, which were scattered in rural areas, related to the general problem of the functioning of fragmented ecosystems;
- the impact of cultural techniques on biological diversity, especially the use of chemicals;
- the use of biomass derived from the Salicaceae for energy production, and the implications for the maintenance of soil fertility
- the environmental costs associated with the manufacture and use of various raw materials in packaging and associated recycling processes;
- the visual impact of the cultivation of the Salicaceae on the landscape and methods for the evaluation of non-market uses.
16. National Reports were received from the Poplar Commissions of 27 member countries, including South Africa (see annex IV).
17. Data concerning the areas of poplars were available for most countries. China reported an area of natural and planted poplars of 1.34 mn ha, of which 360 000 ha were established in the period 1991-95. Canada had large areas of natural stands of poplars in mixed hardwood and hardwood/conifer stands. Significant increases of poplar plantations were reported from China, Turkey and Belgium, while decreases were reported from France and Italy The reported areas of poplar plantations were: France 245 000 ha; Romania 163 000 ha of which 80 000 ha were native stands; Hungary 162 000 ha; Turkey 157 000 ha of which 7 000 ha were native stands; Iran 150 000 ha of which c. 40 000 ha were native stands; Germany 103 000 ha; Spain 98 000 ha ; Italy 71 000 ha, Argentina 55 000 ha, Belgium 45 000 ha, Egypt 40 000 ha, the Netherlands 31 000 ha, India 26 400 ha. Less information was available on standing volume; Canada continued to dominate the reported stocks, with 2.9 mn m3, mainly of P. tremuloides, while France reported 27 mn m3 and Italy 4 mn m3.
18. The import and export of poplar wood continued to be of importance in Europe. The main poplar importing countries were Italy, c. 500 000 tonnes, Belgium 313 000 tonnes, France 107 000 tonnes, the Netherlands 62 000 tonnes and Croatia 24 000 tonnes. The main poplar exporting countries were Hungary, c. 500 000 tonnes, Belgium 159 000 m3, France 327 000 tonnes, Romania 40 000 tonnes and Croatia 21 000 tonnes. Several countries reported importing and re-exporting poplar wood, either in the round or in semi-processed form
19. Some countries reported changes that in forest or land use policies that would encourage the planting of poplars and willows. Other countries reported public feeling, sometimes translated into legislation, against poplar plantations on wetlands and riverbeds due to a perceived reduction in biological diversity and their unnatural appearance. The process of privatisation of plantations of wood-using industries continued in some (but not all) of the member countries with economies in transition. Some countries reported new policies regarding "set-aside" agricultural land and the availability of financial incentives that might promote the planting of poplars.
20. There was continuing interest in a few countries such as Sweden and Germany in the growing of poplars and willows for biomass energy.
21. Little information was given in country statements on the cultivation and use of willows. New Zealand reported areas of 53 000 ha in 1962, since when there has been much new planting. Romania reported an area of 50 000 ha, of which 9 400 ha were native stands, Egypt 40 000 ha, Argentina 35 000 ha, Hungary 23 100 ha, Sweden 16 000 ha (for biomass energy), India 15 000 ha of which c. 8 000 ha were native stands, and Croatia 7 400 ha of which 3 000 ha were native stands.
22. Willow production was used in rural areas for domestic and agricultural purposes and thus was not always recorded. Recorded annual production from Romania was 250 000 m3, Argentina 245 000 m3, Hungary 46 800 m3 and Croatia 28 000 m3.
23. National Poplar Commissions were generally reported as being active, and as having helped to promote important exchanges of poplar germplasm between member countries of the IPC.
24. The Chairman of the sub-committee presented a report on developments since the last Session, drawing attention to some weaknesses in the functioning of the present system:
- no country requested preliminary authorisation from the system for the designation of cultivars;
- the existence of the International Catalogue of Poplar Cultivars was known neither to breeders nor to the relevant national authorities for the control of forest reproductive material;
- most National Poplar Commissions did not ensure that the relevant information on new cultivars was transmitted to the relevant national authorities or to the IPC sub-committee;
- there was no connection between the International Catalogue of Poplar Cultivars and other official international registers (e.g. EU, OECD etc.);
- no system for the registration of poplar cultivars existed for non-member countries of the IPC.
25. A joint meeting was held of all the Working Parties. The following papers were presented:
- Poplar as a model tree - keynote address (R. Stettler);
- Willows in the Republic of Argentina (R. Arreghini and T. Cerillo);
- Towards global management of poplar genetic resources (V. Steenackers);
- Technical guidelines for the safe movement of poplar germplasm (J. Ball)
- Value-added utilization of poplar in Hungary (Zs. Kovacs and Gy Szabadhegyi).
a) Report of the Working Party on Poplar Diseases
26. The theme of the Working Party meeting was Diversity among pathogens of poplars and willows and the evolution of their populations. Professor. Martin Hubbes described different methods of molecular biology to determine diversity among pathogens to representatives of 8 countries who took part in the discussions.
27. Other items raised and reviewed in the meeting of the Working Party were:
- a review of published literature on poplar pathology for the past 35 years has been made for Central Europe by Dr Bohar . This work could now be used as the basis of a study of the distribution of diseases of poplar in Central Europe;
- within the European Union collaboration has already started on the evaluation of the reaction of poplar clones to the main diseases;
- members of the Working Group identified two important diseases for European populiculture, namely Marssonina brunnea (as shown by the presence of an aggressive strain attacking stems and branches in Bulgaria and France) and Discoporium populeum which has severely attacked clones selected as resistant.
- once again the members of the group identified the problems arising from the transfer of diseases from one continent to another, as has happened in the case of M. larici-populini and M. medusae in South Africa;
- members of the Group proposed the general theme of Diversity among pathogens of the poplars and willows for the meeting in the year 2000. In view of the complexity of this proposed theme the Group elected three Vice-chairmen, namely Professor Hubbes (Canada), the former secretary of the Group, Dr Jean Pinon, (France) and Mme M. Steenackers (Belgium), and confirmed Professor Cellerino (Italy) as Chairman.
b) Report of the Working Party on Poplar Insect Pests
28. Members of the Working Party met and reviewed the threats of methods of pest control to humans and natural ecosystems, the prevention of accidental introduction of poplar pests through the exchange of germplasm between countries, the harmonisation of methodologies for testing genetic resistance to poplar pests and the promotion of exchanges among young scientists through fellowships.
29. Forty participants from 16 countries attended the sessions of the Working Party. A general paper on the economic modelling of poplar production and utilization was presented, followed by 11 scientific papers on topics ranging from wood quality of poplars and willows, the production of structural panels, value-added products and harvesting techniques.
30. It was agreed that the evolving field of certification of forest management practices and products would be reported at the next meeting of the Working Party, and that the topic of logging and harvesting should be placed on the agenda of the same meeting.
31. Over 50 scientists from 20 countries attended the meetings of the Working Party. Thirty seven technical papers and 12 posters were submitted for discussion and the activities for the following four years were reviewed; co-ordination of activities and the exchange of information between members of the Working Party and with members of the relevant IUFRO Working Party were seen as the most realistic goals. The need for the allocation of more time for future Working Party meetings was discussed as well as improved co-ordination between and within the Working Party.
32. Dr Stefano Bisoffi (Italy) was elected Chairman of the Working Party for the forthcoming period, with Dr Wout Boerjan (Belgium), Dr Khalid Siddiqui (Pakistan) and Dr Teresa Cerrillo (Argentina) as Vice-chairmen.
33. Thirty five scientists from 17 countries participated in the sessions of the Working Party. Sixteen papers were presented.
34. The Working Party discussed the title and scope of the group, the need for the integration of all IPC Working Party activities, the importance of intensively managed plantations for the production of industrial wood and biomass, and research and the plantation programmes in Hungary.
35. Delegates reviewed the recommendations formulated by the subsidiary bodies and, after discussion, adopted the following recommendations:
Nomenclature and Registration
36. The Secretariat of the IPC was requested to circulate a letter to each of the member countries of the IPC concerning the International Catalogue of Poplar Cultivars, with an example of the registration form, recalling the responsibilities of the IPC for the registration of poplar cultivars, and the procedures.
37. Each member country of the IPC should, further, be requested to designate a correspondent with responsibility for providing information necessary for registering new cultivars and for co-ordinating with national authorities responsible for the control of forest reproductive material.
38. The Secretariat should examine, in collaboration with the sub-committee, means of involving non-member countries of the IPC in the registration of new cultivars.
39. The coherence of the Catalogue with catalogues published by other organisations should be checked.
Poplar and Willow Protection
a) Diseases
40. The Working Party on Diseases made the following recommendations for their future activities:
- the preparation of a world map of the principal diseases of poplars (and of their clones and races);
- to extend the existing collaboration with the European Union in the evaluation of the reaction of existing clones of poplars to the main diseases to other countries and continents, harmonising the results to make them comparable;
- to make a detailed study of the diversity of the two pathogens Marssonina brunnea and discoporium populeum.
41. The Working Party proposed to meet only every four years, except in a case of emergency, such as the appearance of a new disease.
b) Insect Pests
42. The Working Party on Poplar Insect Pests made the following recommendations on guidelines for its future activities:
- the improvement of methods of pest control in order to reduce threats to humans and to natural ecosystems;
- increased emphasis on methods for the prevention of the accidental introduction of new pests through germplasm exchange, or the introduction of susceptible material that would permit the transformation of presently harmless indigenous phytopathogens into major pests;
- the harmonisation of methodologies for research into genetic resistance to poplar pests, in order to make results comparable between countries;
- the encouragement of young scientists through a system of fellowships.
43. The Working Party recommended to the Secretariat of the IPC that an additional day should be allowed for future Sessions.
Logging and Utilization
44. The Working Party identified the following research priorities for the group:
- wetwood (causes, problems in processing and prevention);
- tensionwood (formation and utilization);
- biodeterioration of poplar wood, and its prevention.
45. The Working Party identified the subject matter for three Technical Leaflets, to be prepared by members and passed to the Secretariat:
- economics and the modelling of poplar production;
- production, technical characteristics and the utilization of willows;
- production, technical characteristics and the utilization of poplars.
Breeding and Selection
46. In view of the nature of breeding programmes for improved wood production and other benefits, the Working Party drew the attention of member countries of the IPC to the need for the long-term commitment of adequate funding.
47. The Working Party acknowledged with great satisfaction the actions taken by FAO in following up previous recommendations on the monitoring the status of P. euphratica and P. ilicifolia. It recommended that active conservation programmes be undertaken on these two species and that a similar effort be extended to other low-latitude species adapted to the warm and dry climates of many sub-tropical countries, especially P. yunnanensis and P. ciliata in Asia and species of the Aigeiros, Abaso and Tacamahaca sections of poplars in Mexico.
48. While it was recognized that in situ conservation was the best strategy for the maintenance of a wide genetic diversity there were nevertheless important and diverse ex situ collections of poplar germplasm in many national institutions. Some of this germplasm might no longer be used in one country but might be useful in another, and the Working Party therefore recommended that member countries maintained such collections.
49. The Working Party recommended that special attention was devoted by member countries with long experience in poplar and willow growing to the transfer of knowledge to countries where such culture was relatively new.
50. The Working Party drew the attention of member countries to existing international agreements and to the ongoing debate on breeders' and farmers' rights.
Biomass Production Systems
51. Members recommended a change in the name of the Working Party, which was subsequently reviewed and agreed in the informal meeting of the new Executive Committee as Production Systems for Poplars and Willows (see para. 13). Furthermore, members recommended that a plan for the integration of all Working Party activities is prepared and presented at the satellite meeting of the IPC planned at the World Forestry Congress in 1997.
52. The Working Party recommended that member countries support programmes for intensively managed and bioenergy plantations of poplars and willows, in the first case to reduce pressure on natural forests and in the second to providing a carbon-neutral source of energy.
53. The Working Party recommended that member countries support Hungary and neighbouring countries in the establishment of poplar and willow plantations on land taken out of agricultural production, with the aid of subsidies if required. Members also recommended that member countries offer support to poplar research programmes in these countries.
54. Twenty candidates were proposed by fifteen member countries for election to the Executive Committee for the period 1997-2000. An election was held by secret ballot involving 26 member country delegates authorised to represent their respective governments (Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Korea (Republic of), New Zealand, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Turkey, UK and USA)
55. The following were elected to the Executive committee for the period 1997-2000: R. Arreghini (Argentina), I. Bach (Hungary), J. Isebrands (USA), E. Noh (Korea, Rep.), A. Padro (Spain), J. Richardson (Canada), W. Shiji (China), V. Steenackers (Belgium), D. Terrasson (France), T. Verwijst (Sweden), H. Weisgerber (Germany), A. Wilkinson (New Zealand). The collection and counting of the votes was scrutinised by F. Gaillard (Switzerland), F. Páscoa (Portugal) and Z. Somogyi (Hungary).
56. Delegates were advised that invitations had been received from Chile, the Islamic Republic of Iran and a combined invitation from the USA and Canada to host the 21st Session of the IPC. FAO was requested to approach these countries, and on the basis of their responses, to decide the venue of the next Session.
57. Mr Victor Steenackers thanked the hosts for their organization of a most successful meeting and study tour.
Dr Erno Fuhrer, Director-General of the Hungarian Forest Research Institute, referred to the determination of the national forestry sector to continue activities in poplar and willow cultivation and development, in spite of economic difficulties. In closing he thanked FAO and all colleagues and participants for their part in making the meeting a success.
