The Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) is an organization comprised of member laboratories which are staffed by certified seed analysts. Such seed testing facilities include official state, federal, and university seed laboratories across the United States and Canada.

Membership is also extended to allied laboratories (those of government agencies and institutions outside the United States and Canada), affiliate members (those individuals employed in member laboratories), associate members (individuals not assigned to a member laboratory but contribute in a supportive role), and honourary members (those who have distinguished themselves in contributions to the Association and /or industry).

For further information, visit the webpublication:
http://www.aosaseed.com/

A useful publication providing information on agroforestry

P.O. Box 428
Holualoa, Hawaii 96725 USA
Tel: 808324-4427
Fax: 808324-4129

For more information, visit the webpublication:
http://www.agroforester.com

The IPC, founded in 1947, is one of the statutory bodies of FAO. Notwithstanding its name, the mandate of the commission covers willows as well as poplars, both members of the family Salicaceae.

The functions of the IPC are to study the scientific, technical, social and economic aspects of poplar and willow cultivation; to promote the exchange of ideas and material among research workers, producers and users; to arrange joint research programmes; to stimulate the organization of congresses and study tours; to report and make recommendations to the Conference of FAO; and to make recommendations to national poplar commissions through appropriate channels.

For more information, visit the webpublication:
http://www.fao.org/forestry/foris/index.jsp?start_id=4288

In 1983, the International Development and Research Centre (IDRC) joined forces with Zimbabwe's Forest Research Centre to establish a Regional Seed Centre (RSC) in an effort to meet the tree seed needs of countries in the region. Before this project, the country's existing seed centre was distributing pine and eucalypt seed mainly to South Africa and countries in South America. Today, Zimbabwe's RSC is a leading international supplier of genetically improved and tested germplasm, with some 50% of its trade with countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Since 1989, the Centre has sent seeds for research purposes to 20 African countries and another 18 countries around the world. In 1992, it joined the CIDA-funded SADC Tree Seed Centre Network, and now serves as a model seed centre for the SADC region.

For further information, visit the webpublication:
http://www.fao.org/forestry/FOR/FORM/FOGENRES/genresbu/web27-en/sadc-e.stm

See Forest, Farming and Community Tree Network below

FACT Net was an international network of community groups, development workers, tree breeders, researchers, students, and farmers. These 2,000 partners in 100 countries shared an interest in the use of multipurpose trees to improve the soil, protect the environment, and enhance the well-being of farm families and other land users. Through extension, communications, and research, FACT Net provided the skills and resources needed to introduce, improve, and manage multipurpose trees successfully.

FACT Net was created in 1995 with the assimilation of the Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association (NFTA) into Winrock International’s Forestry and Natural Resource Management Program. For over 15 years, NFTA provided the skills and resources necessary to use nitrogen fixing trees for sustainable agriculture and environmental protection to thousands of people worldwide.

FACT Net closed in 1999 after operating for almost 20 years as a successful international network. Winrock International's Forestry and Natural Resource Management Program maintains this web publication as an on-line resource. FACT Net publications may be ordered from Winrock International

The Forest Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organization based in Oaxaca, Mexico, founded in 1993 to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests.

It is an association of Members consisting of a diverse group of representatives from environmental and social groups, the timber trade and the forestry profession, indigenous people's organizations, community forestry groups and forest product certification organizations from around the world. Membership is open to all who are involved in forestry or forest products and share its aims and objectives

The Forest Stewardship Council is introducing an international labeling scheme for forest products, which provides a credible guarantee that the product comes from a well-managed forest. All forest products carrying our logo have been independently certified as coming from forests that meet the internationally recognized FSC Principles and Criteria of Forest Stewardship. In this way FSC provides an incentive in the market place for good forest stewardship. The forest inspections are carried out by a number of FSC accredited certification bodies, which are evaluated and monitored to ensure their competence and credibility.

FSC also supports the development of national and local standards that implement the international Principles and Criteria of Forest Stewardship at the local level. These standards are developed by national and regional working groups, which work to achieve consensus amongst the wide range of people and organizations involved in forest management and conservation in each part of the world. FSC has developed Guidelines for developing regional certification standards to guide working groups in this process

For more information, visit the webpublication
http://www.fscoax.org/

INBAR is an international organization established by treaty in November 1997, dedicated to improving the social, economic, and environmental benefits of bamboo and rattan. INBAR connects a global network of partners from the government, private, and not-for-profit sectors in over 50 countries to define and implement a global agenda for sustainable development through bamboo and rattan

For further information, visit the webpublication:
http://www.inbar.int/index.asp

The INN was established in 1994. National institutions of 23 countries, in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, have taken part in the Network's activities, under the overall coordination of FAO's Forestry Department. The Network focuses its work on exploring and evaluating the genetic diversity of the neem tree.

For further information, visit the webpublication
http://www.fao.org/FORESTRY/FOR/FORM/FOGENRES/Inn/INNhome.stm