This report consists of a summary account of the development and conservation of the forest genetic resources of the North America region, since the 11th Session of the FAO Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources in October 1999.
1- Policy and Institutional Issues:
- The development of Material Transfer Agreements for the transfer of germplasm across countries has not been developed in light of the free trade agreements. This issue should take high priority.
- New Liberal government has been elected in British Columbia with the mandate of reducing the government size and with a momentum towards privatisation. BC gene conservation and ecological reserves program could be affected. It is very early to determine the impact of this initiative, however, it is expected that a result-oriented management style is proposed.
2-Technical and Biological Issues:
- A Genomics Technology Platform for Canadian Forestry:
The project is funded by Genome Canada for $10.84 million (Canadian) over 3-1/2 years (half of the amount comes from the provincial government, the other half from the federal government). This project intends to use genomic tools to increase the scientific community’s understanding about trees’ built-in defense mechanisms against pests and environmental stress, and about the mechanisms underlying wood formation. Their program will take a vertically integrated approach that transfers information among taxa, focusing upon spruce, poplar (aspen and cottonwood) and Arabidopsis.
Specifically, researchers will sequence cDNA (expressed DNA) from spruce and poplar, obtaining a databank of 100,000 sequences from each tree species. They will also build upon the recently published whole- genome sequence of Arabidopsis (a model organism), and on the ability of this plant to form wood-like tissue. These sequences will then be used to study gene expression underlying important traits tree defense and in wood development, identifying similarities and differences across the vertical comparison of species. Gene function will also be studied by knockout of key genes in Arabidopsis. Bioinformatic comparisons will be made of sequence changes across this comparison, and correlated with trait evolution. The project will also identify genetic markers to help in seed orchard and breeding programs, and to locate and identity major genes underlying traits. Finally, as a first step for obtaining a whole-genome sequence of poplar, a physical map of this tree will be generated and many of these sequences placed upon the map.
This work will accelerate tree-breeding programs by enabling the identification of adult traits in seedling populations. Biological pest control methods can be improved by knowledge of natural defense systems. Wood quality can be better predicted for pulping purposes, and better manipulated for breeding purposes. Wild and marginal forests will also benefit from reduced harvesting pressure via improved economics of intensively managed plantations.
- The US Department of Energy has started sequence the popular genome project. NSF funds this project.
3- Operational and Organizational Issues:
- A new Gene Conservation Centre has been established at the Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia (UBC) with funds from the Forest Industry/Provincial Government/UBC. The main function is to develop strategies for gene conservation with the following main objectives:
- Inventory and catalogue forest tree gene resources.
- Sport information and policy requirements related to forest gene conservation.
- Provide gene conservation expertise to related areas like biodiversity and forest ecosystem conservation effort.
- Develop and advance gene conservation theory through research and collaboration with other agencies world-wide.
- Support Provincial tree breeding programs.
- Carry out communication and extension on gene conservation to forest community and the public.
- Assess risk related to biological, Policy and administrative factors.
- Eco-terrorists/Eco-warriors: the past two years are characterized by substantial increased attack on research facilities and trials.
- The US has imposed a unilateral duty on Canadian softwood lumber.
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[1] Original language:
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