21ST SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL POPLAR COMMISSION

The 21st Session of the International Poplar Commission (IPC) will be held in Portland, Oregon, USA, from 25 to 28 September 2000, followed by three study tours. It will be jointly hosted by the USA and Canada.

The theme of the session is:

Poplar and willow culture: meeting the needs of society and the environment.

The organizers are arranging a distinguished panel of speakers on this topic and on emerging issues in poplar and willow culture and utilization, such as:

• the use of genetically modified poplars in plantations;
• the conservation of natural poplar and willow systems;
• the use of poplars and willows in reconstituted wood and for renewable energy;
• the major role of poplars and willows in meeting the needs of rural people in developing economies.

The five working parties of the IPC (specializing in breeding and selection, insects, diseases, biomass production systems, and logging and utilization) will address specialized technical and policy aspects of the theme in joint and individual sessions. There will be simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Spanish of plenary and of some joint sessions.

Study tours will be organized, following the meeting, to:

1. Columbia River, to study intensive plantation culture of hybrid poplars.
2. Seattle area, continuing to Vancouver area, British Columbia, to study poplar biotechnology, plantation culture and conservation of genetic resources.
3. Central Alberta, to study the silviculture and utilization of aspen (3-4 days).

Further details can be obtained from the organizers: