Forest genetic resources

The diversity present in the thousands of useful tree species constitutes an inter-generational resource of vast social, economic and environmental importance. Many forest tree species are characterised by inherently high levels of variation and extensive natural ranges. The correspondingly high level of genetic variation ensures present-day and future adaptability to change and their continued evolution.

However, the integrity of forest genetic resources is threatened by a number of human activities. These include deforestation and changes in land use, inappropriate forest harvesting techniques, pollution and climate change and the often uncontrolled and undocumented movement of forest germplasm for plantation establishment leading to the loss of locally adapted populations.

To make better use of existing potentials and to minimise negative impacts of genetic loss, there is a need to raise awareness of the need for sound management of forest genetic resources. As the natural distribution of many forest species crosses political borders, this highlights the need for not only national but also international collaboration.

FAO and forest genetic diversity

In the field of forest genetic resources, major emphasis is placed on sharing and transfer of information, know-how and technologies, through a wide range of tools and mechanisms, in close collaboration with national and international partners. This has created an extensive information system which includes national and regional reports on the status of forest genetic resources. It contributes to global knowledge and assessment of forest tree biological diversity at species and within-species levels, and provides basic data needed for the implementation of the work programme on forests of FAO, its member countries, and mechanisms such as the Convention on Biological Diversity.

FAO Global Information System on Forest Genetic Resources (REFORGEN). This contains information on activities related to the conservation, enhancement and utilisation of forest genetic resources, by species in each country. It forms a readily available source of up-to-date information for use in planning and decision making at the national, regional and international levels. The system has been developed though close collaboration of FAO, governments and national institutes, and included by early 2000 information from 146 countries on more than 16000 tree species. The system includes information on institutions dealing with conservation and utilisation of forest genetic resources; main native and introduced tree species and their major uses; threats to species and populations; tree species managed for in situ and ex situ conservation activities; tree improvement programmes and the availability of forest reproductive materials for conservation and research purposes. All this information is aggregated at the species and country levels.

Information in REFORGEN is complemented by a growing number of national reports on forest genetic resources. These reports, written by teams of national experts, review the field of forest genetic diversity systematically. They provide quantitative and qualitative data on the policy and institutional environment, the state of the resource, the most important forest tree species, their current use and genetic management, and recommendations for a better management of the resource. Information is being gathered in the process of the preparation of regional and eco-regional workshops on forest and tree genetic resources, facilitated by FAO and international and national partners. To date, regional workshops have been held in Temperate North America, Sahelian Africa, the Pacific Islands, Eastern and Southern Africa, and are being prepared in Central Africa and Central America.

For more information about FAO's activities on forest genetic resources, click here.