FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES No.28

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN EUFORGEN

The second phase of EUFORGEN started on 1 January 2000 for a period of five years. As of October 2000, twenty-five countries had renewed their commitment through Letters of Agreement with the Programme. Five networks are operating during this second phase, some of them with a wider thematic and geographical scope than during the first phase. These networks deal respectively with Populus nigra; Conifers; Social Broadleaves; Mediterranean Oaks and Noble Hardwoods, and some of their main activities are summarised below.

A technical bulletin on in situ conservation strategies for black poplar (Populus nigra), including a simple decision guide, was developed by Network members. Descriptors for inventories of P. nigra stands were endorsed and printed in the Report of the meeting.

The main objective of the first EUFORGEN Conifers Network meeting was to discuss priorities and future activities of the newly established Network. The outputs of the previous Picea abies (Norway spruce) Network were reviewed. The Network started to expand the existing P. abies bibliography (available on-line) to include other conifer species. An information platform with links to the further information resources at country level was developed following the recommendation of the meeting.

Twenty-four countries attended the third meeting of the Social Broadleaves Network. An overview of legislation related to genetic resources of Social Broadleaves was distributed and published on the Web site. The results of a questionnaire on the current status of Social Broadleaves were presented and discussed. As a follow-up, discussion focussed on the technical guidelines for the conservation of genetic resources of European white oaks.

The Mediterranean Oaks Network members met for the first time in Turkey in October 2000. The outputs of the previous Quercus suber (cork oak) Network were reviewed (provenance experiment, bibliography, information sharing) or finalized (technical guidelines) and the new workplan endorsed.

The Noble Hardwoods Network is currently finalising conservation strategies for a number of species. The next meeting of this Network will take place in May 2001.

The main items on the agenda of the recent informal meeting of Chairs of all EUFORGEN Networks, FAO and IPGRI were the harmonization of network activities and a preliminary discussion on the development of a system of in situ gene conservation areas for several target forest tree species throughout their distribution areas.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1999
Populus nigra Network. Report of the fifth meeting, 5-8 May 1999, Kyiv, Ukraine. Compiled by J. Turok, F. Lefèvre, S. de Vries, B. Heinze, R. Volosyanchuk and E. Lipman. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Italy (E).

Social Broadleaves Network. Report of the second meeting, 3-6 June 1999, Birmendsorf, Switzerland. Compiled by J. Turok, A. Kremer, L. Paule, P. Bonfils and E. Lipman. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Italy (E).

2000 Populus nigra Network. 2000. Report of the sixth meeting, 6-8 February 2000, Isle sur La Sorgue, France. Compiled by S. Borelli, S. de Vries, F. Lefèvre and J.Turok. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Italy (E).

Copies of the above publications can be obtained from IPGRI, Via delle Sette Chiese 142, 00145, Rome, Italy, Fax (39) 06 575 0309, Email: [email protected].

More information on EUFORGEN can be found at: http://www.ipgri.cgiar.org/networks/euforgen/euf_home.htm