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, poplars and willows are fast-growing, easy to propagate vegetatively, and highly adaptable to different climatic and soil conditions. These characteristics, combined with the wide range of wood products, fibre, fuelwood and other products and services they provide, have led to the widespread use of poplars and willows around the world. Traditionally used in forestry or integrated with agricultural systems, they are more recently being used as source of renewable energy and for soil remediation in contaminated sites.

Established in 1947, the IPC comprises 37 member countries. It has had an important role in the development of national forest sectors, largely through the transfer of knowledge and breeding material. The IPC 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: (1) harvesting and utilization; (2) diseases; (3) insect pests; (4) genetics, conservation and improvement; (5) production systems and (6) environmental applications. 

24th Session of the International Poplar Commission, Dehradun 2012