Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources
Panel of Experts on Forest Gene ResourcesLast sessionLast session was held from 9 to 11 December 2008. Documentation on earlier sessions could be found under the "Sessions" header in the menu (left side). | See also |
What it is, what it does?
The Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources was established in 1968 at the request of the fourteenth session of the FAO Conference (1967), with a mandate to "help plan and coordinate FAO's efforts to explore, utilize and conserve the gene resources of forest trees and, in particular, help prepare detailed short- and long-term programmes of action, and to provide information to Member Governments". The panel carries out this mandate by:
- systematically reviewing work in the field of forest genetic resources worldwide;
- discussing priorities for action at the national, regional, eco-regional and global levels based on up-to-date information received from member countries;
- making recommendations on the main focus and operational priorities of FAO, with due concern to collaboration, complementarity and coordination of programmes and activities with other international organizations in the field.
The members of the panel, appointed by the FAO Director-General, represent various regions of the world and cover a broad range of technical and scientific areas in the field of forest genetic resources. The work of the panel is supported by a network of national institutions which continually provides the panel and its secretariat with information on activities and priorities. The deliberations of the panel are closely followed by a range of national and international institutions and donor agencies which use its recommendations to guide action in this field. Based on information made available to it by countries and international organizations, the panel regularly compiles and updates regional lists of priority tree species, specifying their main uses and priorities for action in exploration, collection, conservation and wise use of their genetic resources (including improvement and breeding). While the priority lists are based on country-derived information, special attention is paid to those species that are of actual or potential importance to more than one country and for which action thus has an international dimension.
At the XIV Session of the Panel, held 31 January - 2 February 2007 in Rome, the Panel recommended that FAO take stronger action to support the management of forest genetic resources to achieve sustainable forest development, to cope with the challenge of mitigating and adapting to global change, and to address world wide deforestation and potential great losses of local diversity from invasive pests. It further noted that without an adequate knowledge and reserve of well-adapted tree species and populations, countries are in danger of not being able to meet:
- their internal demand for wood, energy, food, fodder, environmental and ecosystem services, which underpins overall sustainable development;
- the achievement of MDG1, to reduce extreme poverty and hunger;
- the achievement of MDG7 to ensure environmental sustainability.
Access to a broad base of genetic material gives communities the opportunity to utilize well adapted material and to overcome the climatic fluctuations. Choice of the right species and seed source combined with proper silviculture can improve productivity by well over 20%. Better understanding of a tree species’ genetic structure and conservation status helps prioritize efforts for its long-term management and promotes sustainability. The Panel therefore recommended FAO to increase its knowledge base on the current status of forest genetic resources. Priority should be given to the preparation a State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources, linking these activities with the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), and on the strengthening FAO’s information systems such as REFORGEN, as a basis for priority setting in the medium term.
The Panel noted that FAO was in a unique leadership position to assist countries in managing forest genetic resources, in collaboration with other institutions. It has decades of experience in this field, it has developed a powerful data base to recommend proper seed sources for reforestation and tree planting, and has strong support from member countries. However, at the very time when tree genetic resources are under great pressure, and national programmes and local communities need technical advice and support, the FAO forest genetic resources program lacks sufficient resources to react effectively and in a timely manner to requests for international assistance. The Panel therefore strongly recommended that additional resources be sought to the programme from all identifiable sources.
The Panel of Experts recognized that the integration of forest genetic resources activities of the Forestry Programme with the Multi-Year Programme of Work of the CGRFA would draw attention to the importance of the sector, and help focus the Forestry Department’s contribution to FAO’s cross-sectoral work on biodiversity and genetic resources, and would support cooperation with other relevant international institutions and partners. In this context, the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources should further clarify the contribution of forest genetic resources to the achievement of MDGs 1 and 7.
Contact person
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Oudara Souvannavong
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