The FAO Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources was established in 1968 at the request of the Fourteenth Session of the FAO Conference (1967). The 15 members of the Panel, appointed by the Director-General of FAO, in their own capacity, represent various regions of the world in a balanced manner, and cover a broad range of technical and scientific areas in the field of forest genetic resources. The work of the Panel is supported by a network of national institutions which provide the Panel with information on activities and priorities on a continuing basis. The last meeting of the Panel took place in Rome in November 2001 (12th Session).
The present Regional Updates provide updates and news on developments which have occurred in each region of the world since the 11th Gene Panel meeting (September 1999). They are based on the experts (Panel member's) opinion and her/his contacts within the region covered. In order to collect up-to-date information on forest genetic diversity, Panel members have been in contact with other colleagues working in the field of forest genetic resources both in their own countries and in those countries covered by them.
To facilitate comparison between regions, information in the Regional Updates is presented according to a common outline (see Appendix 1). Each document including annexes has been kept voluntarily short. For more information, readers are invited to contact the individual authors (see Table 1 below).
The recommendations of the Panel and the updated lists of priority tree species by region or eco-region are published in a separate Report in English, French and Spanish and are also available at the FAO website on Forest Genetic Resources:
http://www.fao.org/forestry/FOR/FORM/FOGENRES/GENEPANE/general/FGRframe-e.stm
Table 1: SUB/ECO-Regions covered and author
SUB/ECO-REGION(S) |
PANEL MEMBER |
Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands |
Mr. S.J. Midgley |
The Amazon Cooperation TreatyCountries |
Mr. P.Y. Kageyama |
"Southern Cone" countries (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay) + Paraguay |
Sr. J.A. Prado |
Northeast Asia |
Mr. W. Huoran |
Central America |
Sr. F. Mesén |
South-East Asia |
Mr. D. Baskaran K. |
Western/Northern/Eastern Europe(incl. Russia) |
Mr. P.H. Ståhl |
Sahelian and North SudanianSub-Saharan Africa |
M. A. Nikiema |
Eastern/Southern Africa - incl. LakesRegion |
Mr. B. Kigomo |
South Asia - incl. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Nepal & Sri Lanka |
Mr. M.K. Sharma |
The Mediterranean (incl North Africa/Near East) |
M. M. Bariteau |
Mexico |
Sr. F. Patiño V. |
North America (excl. Mexico) |
Mr. Y. El-Kassaby |