Area
The total area of hybrid poplar stands amounts to 109 300 ha and the area of native poplar stands is estimated as 47 400 ha (1999). The annual new planting area (afforestation) has increased in the period: for native poplars in 1999 it was 210 ha/yr. (1994, 109 ha/yr.) while for hybrid poplars and willows in 1999 it was 1 500 ha/yr. (1994, 986 ha/yr.)
Policy and legislation
Political and economic systems have changed and the forestry sector is also adapting to the market economy. Cooperative forests have been given back to their former private owners, and part of the state forest has been privatized together with some technical services and wood processing plants. A new Forest Act, which was passed by Parliament on June 1996, has as basic concept: the protection of the quality of the environment and the forests. The Act on the State Registration of Plant Varieties was introduced in 1996, as well as provision for the certification, production and use of propagation materials in compliance with EU´s requirements. A decree on certification, production, distribution and use of propagating materials of forest plants was adopted in 1997.
Technical data
There are 18 poplar varieties with state approval and 9 other candidate varieties. Several evaluation trials are being carried out for new clones. A black poplar preservation program was initiated in 1997. DNA-markers have been used to estimate the genetic diversity in Populus nigra and to study hybrid poplars and genetically pure black poplar.
General information
The Hungarian National Poplar Commission is now responsible to the National Institute for Agricultural Quality Control, with a new contact person (March 2000).
