27. Mr Ball informed the committee that he had received a total of 20 proposals for the theme of the 20th Session, and that some further proposals had been received during the course of the meeting. The titles of the proposals and the sponsors were circulated. After discussion the following was selected as the theme for the 20th Session of the IPC in 1996:
Environmental and social issues in poplar and willow cultivation and utilization.
28. Mr Ball informed the Committee that three countries had offered to host the Twentieth Session of the IPC. One country had subsequently withdrawn, and it was not clear if one of the others was an official offer from the government. Whatever clarification of the latter was ultimately received, it was agreed to recommend to FAO acceptance of the offer of Hungary.
29. The 1994 Directory of Poplar and Willow Scientists had previously been distributed to member countries of the IPC. Grateful thanks were recorded to the Istituto di Sperimentazione per la Pioppicoltura (Casale Monferrato, Italy). It was suggested that future editions might be printed in a bold type face, and that it might be produced on diskette.
30. It was recalled that the last edition of "Poplars and Willows in Wood Production and Land Use" had been published under the auspices of the IPC as FAO Forestry Series no. 10 in 1979. It was believed that there was still a need for a general book on poplars and willows but it was recognized that such a book would need to be a complete revision of the 1979 publication, not just a partial rewriting.
31. A proposal was made to establish an international periodic scientific review of poplars and willows, possibly supplemented by national reviews published by national poplar commissions. An alternative proposal was made to publish a series of leaflets on various topics associated with the growing and utilization of the Salicaceae, which could be collected together in a standard binder.
32. It was agreed to set up a small group to look into the options for a new edition of "Poplars and Willows" or the alternatives.
33. The Chairman of the Sub-committee on Nomenclature, Mr Terrasson, reported that he had collected the records from the previous Chairman and that he would circulate a questionnaire to update the register.
34. The agenda was completed at 1700 hours and the Chairman, Mr Steenackers, declared closed the Thirty-seventh Session of the Executive Committee of the International Poplar Commission.
