International Poplar Commission
The International Poplar Commission (IPC), one of FAO technical statutory bodies on forestry, aims to promote the cultivation, conservation and utilization of members of the family Salicaceae, which includes poplars and willows.
Native to the temperate and subtropical zones, trees and shrubs of Salicaceae are fast-growing, easy to propagate vegetatively, and highly adaptable to a wide range of climatic and soil conditions. These characteristics, combined with the wide range of wood, fibre, fuelwood and other forest products and services they provide, have led to the widespread use of poplars and willows around the world. Traditionally used in forestry and integrated with agricultural systems, they are more recently being used as renewable energy sources and for soil remediation in contaminated sites.
Established in 1947 by nine countries, the IPC now comprises 37 member countries including developing and developed countries and countries with economies in transition. The IPC has had an important role in the development of national forest sectors, largely through the preparation of technical tools and the exchange of ideas and breeding material. It is the only forum that brings together managers, users and researchers of poplars and willows to discuss topics of common interest in a cross-disciplinary way.
The IPC carries out its mandate by supporting research and management activities through six working parties - harvesting and utilization; diseases; insect pests; genetics, conservation and improvement; production systems and environmental applications - that explore issues of concern to member countries.