The use and exchange of forest genetic resources for food and Agriculture: preliminary version

This report focuses on forest genetic resources, i. e. the genetic variation between and within tree species, and more specifically, on the use and move ment of forest reproductive material – or germplasm (that is, seeds, cuttings or other propag ating parts of a tree) – needed for regenerating natural forests and establishing plantations and ag roforests. Planted forest area has steadily increas ed during the past decades and this trend that is like ly to continue. FAO estimates that the total area of planted forest has increased from 209 million ha in 1990 to 271 million ha in 2005, equivalent to approximately seven percent of the total global for est area. Furthermore, “trees outside forests” (e.g . open woodlands and agroforestry systems) also provi de tree products and services that support the livelihoods of more than one billion smallholders. Seeds of tree species, the most common type of fore st reproductive material, are obtained from a variety of sources, including wild stands, selected seed stands, seed orchards, research trials, plantations and even individual trees on farms, dep ending on tree species and countries. Selected, improved or tested material is available for relati vely few tree species. Only a small number (less th an 140) of the world’s 50,000 or so tree species are being used in commercial forestry and current tree breeding efforts focus on still fewer taxa. The gen e pools of many tree species, even in breeding programmes, are still semi-wild, while only a few t ree species have been domesticated at a level similar to agricultural crops. Movement of tree germplasm has a long history, but comprehensive data on either past or current introductions are not available. Furthermore, a glo bal assessment of forest genetic resources has not yet been conducted; however, a process has been ini tiated by FAO to prepare the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources report by 2013. The presen t report summarizes available information on the movement of tree germplasm, focusing on selected gr oups of tree species important for human well- being and which provide both wood and non-wood prod ucts. These broad groups include 1) fast- growing plantation tree species, 2) tropical hardwo ods, 3) agroforestry tree species, and 4) temperate and boreal tree species

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