The Research Institute for Forest Ecology and Forestry Rhineland-Palatinate hosted the first meeting of the EUFORGEN Forest Management Network in Lambrecht (Pfalz), Germany on 3-5 November 2005. The EUFORGEN Steering Committee established this new thematic Network to promote practical implementation of gene conservation and appropriate use of forest reproductive material during Phase III (2005-2009). Representatives from 22 countries discussed the role of gene conservation as part of sustainable forest management and how genetic issues are taken into account in management practices at national level. The meeting also discussed the objectives of Phase III and developed a workplan for the Forest Management Network.

Following the discussions, the meeting decided that the Network should carry out a survey in early 2006 on relevant policies and practices that influence how appropriate use of genetic resources are incorporated into forest management practices in different countries. As part of the survey, it was also agreed to identify the most relevant silvicultural practices in Europe and collect information on associated problems from the genetic point of view.

Several comments during the meeting pointed out that the value of gene conservation and genetic diversity for European forestry and society should be better acknowledged. The estimation of this value was recognized as a complex subject owing to the various approaches that need to be considered (e.g. economic or environmental issues). Subsequently, as a first step, the meeting decided to establish a discussion group to continue developing ideas on how to address economic aspects of forest genetic resources as part of the Network activities.

The need to increase awareness on the appropriate use of forest reproductive material was another frequently highlighted issue during the meeting. Most European countries have incorporated the Council Directive on the marketing of forest reproductive material (1999/105/EC) into their legislation but this only ensures that the origin of the material used for forestry purposes is documented following certain categories; it is still up to the user of the material to decide where and how it will be used. Optimally, the material used should be of high quality and the location where it will be used should match with the climatic conditions and site requirements at its origin. Unfortunately, too often the cheapest available material, which is also in most cases of lowest quality, is used to produce the next generation of trees to cut financial costs and obtain short-term savings.

The results of a study carried out in Denmark on policy tools to promote the use of high quality forest reproductive material in ten northern European countries were also reported during the meeting. The study revealed that most of these countries just rely on providing information on the appropriate use of the material while only a few countries have taken more active measures through legislation or as part a grant schemes to promote the use of high quality forest reproductive material. The meeting decided to collect more information on these policy tools and it agreed that the same survey will be extended to other EUFORGEN member countries during 2006 as one of the Network’s activities.

The meeting also included a field trip to the Forest District of Johanniskreuz near Lambrecht (Pfalz)to demonstrate forest management practices carried out in the Palatinate Forest, the largest forest area in Germany (about 180,000 ha). Of the many tree species in this Forest, sessile oak (Quercus petraea), is not only the most economically valuable tree, but it is also the most demanding from the silvicultural point of view. At early age, oaks are grown in high density stands which are then thinned down systematically to a few hundred high quality trees at the end of the rotation period (250-300 years in the area visited). The demand for oak wood for furniture has decreased during the past years and the price of oak has also fallen, but still high quality oak logs for veneer production cost about € 1,000 per m2 and oak timber for producing wine barrels cost € 200-400 per m2. This highlights the economic importance of using well-adapted and high quality forest reproductive material. The use of the cheapest available material provides short-term savings but also considerably increases the risk of harvesting low quality wood at the end of the rotation period.

click here for the full report of the meeting

Oak log in Germany. Photo: J. Koskela, IPGRI