FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES No. 30 FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2002 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the permission of the copyright owner. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction, should be addressed to the Director, Publications Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. ©FAO 2002 TABLE OF CONTENTS Note from the Editors.............................................................................................................................................................1 Obituary for Gene Namkoong (C. Palmberg-Lerche)...........................................................................................................2 Forest reproductive material (M. Robbins).............................................................................................................................4 The status of invasive alien forest trees species in southern Africa (B.I Nyoka)...........................................................11 Ex situ conservation of Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Ktze. In São Paulo State, Brazil (A.M.Sebbenn et al.).….....14 The role and implications of biotechnology in forestry (A.D. Yanchuk)………………………...............................18 The Mexican island populations of Pinus radiata (D.Don): An international expedition and ongoing collaboration for genetic conservation (D.L. Rogers et al.)…............................................................................................23 Tree seeds and the Millennium Seed Bank Project (H.W. Pritchard and S.H. Linington)...............................................27 Southeast Asian workshop on forest genetic resources (J. Koskela et al).........................................................................31 Updated ICRAF tree seed suppliers directory………………………………………………………………….35 Assessment of four Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) international provenance trials in Tanzania (P.Iversen et al.)………………………………………………………………………………………………….36 Forest genetic resources conservation in the Republic of Korea (S-W. Lee).................................................................40 Twelfth Session of the FAO Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources………....................................................44 The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture........................................................47 Forest genetic resources conservation in Sudan (E.I. Warrag et al.)..................................................................................48 On the doorstep to new legislation on forest reproductive material: policy framework and legislation on trade with forest reproductive material (L. Ackzell)……………...............................................................................................52 Computer programmes for evaluation and analysis of trials of genetic resources collections (IPGRI publication).53 Recent publications from Danida Forest Seed Centre......................................................................................................54 New publication on practical experiences with ex situ conservation of tropical pines ...............................................55 Report of meetings and conferences held……………………………………………………………………...56 Recent publications from FAO………………………………………………………………………….……..57 Other publications of interest ……………...………………………………………………………………….61 Cover photo: Acacia mangium, an important plantation species in the tropics. Phu To, Vietnam. (Photo: Peter Iversen, FAO) Forest Genetic Resources No. 30. FAO, Rome, Italy (2002) All contributions for the next issue should be sent by 15 July 2003 to: Forest Resources Development Service Forest Resources Division FAO of the UN Viale delle Terme di Caracalla I-00100 Rome, Italy Fax +39 06 570 55137 E-mail: [email protected] _______________________________ Editors of this issue in the Forest Resources Development Service were: Christel Palmberg-Lerche Peter Aarup Iversen Pierre Sigaud Forest Genetic Resources No. 30. FAO, Rome, Italy (2002) NOTE FROM THE EDITORS At its 12th Session, held in Rome in November 2001, the FAO Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources discussed the place and role of traditional breeding and new biotechnological tools in the wise management of forest genetic resources. In regard to biotechnologies, the Panel noted that such technologies had considerable potential provided that due attention and resources were allocated to conservation and conventional breeding programmes underpinning their application and safe use. The Panel noted with concern that the present public and scientific debate often misleadingly over-publicized the potential of transgenic technologies and single gene effects, with the underlying assumption that “genes for growth”, or “genes for adaptation to harsh environments”, might be found. It stressed that such assumptions under-estimated the complexity of genetic systems and underlying physiological processes and that they tended to divert attention away from more realistic approaches and goals. The Panel welcomed FAO’s increased inter-Departmental activities in biological diversity, biotechnology and bioprotection, and recognized the role of the Organization as “An Honest Broker” in these fields. The Panel took note of the on-going international dialogue, and warmly welcomed the recent approval by the 31st Session of the FAO Conference of the International Treaty on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (see an information item on the International Treaty in the present issue of Forest Genetic Resources, FGR). A brief note on the 12th Session of the Panel can be found in this issue of FGR. The present issue of FGR also includes information on the 6th meeting of the Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD/COP-6), which was held in The Hague, Netherlands, in April 2002. CBD/COP-6 discussed and agreed in principle upon an expanded work programme on forest biological diversity and, in regard to its implementation, called for collaboration and support from relevant international and national organizations. The need for close links with the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), was underlined. While identifying a number of specific activities related to regional and international cooperation, CBD/COP-6 stressed that signatory countries should set their own priorities when addressing those issues in the work programme which targeted action at the national level. The 52 Secretariat Notes, 48 Information Notes and 14 other documents which were used as a basis for discussions in CBD/COP-6, can be accessed at: http://www.biodiv.org/meetings/cop-06.asp Over the past months, the FAO Forestry Department Homepage has been substantially revised (http://www.fao.org/forestry/index.jsp). Also the forest genetic resources homepage has been given a new look. In addition to information on inter-departmental work, international activities and relevant forest genetic resources topics, direct links are provided to a large number of Forest Genetic Resources Working Papers, available both on-line and in printed version. Many of these documents contain recent, country based information on national, sub-regional and regional forest genetic resources programmes and priorities. For access, see http://www.fao.org/FORESTRY/FOR/FORM/FOGENRES/homepage/fogene-e.stm. Contributions in FGR No. 30, as customary, report on programmes and projects carried out by partner institutions in all regions of the world, and cover a range of activities from in situ and ex situ conservation, species and provenance testing, to breeding, biotechnologies and potentially invasive tree species. Proposed contributions for future issues, not exceeding 2000 words, are welcome. Please address correspondence to: Forest Resources Development Service Forest Resources Division FAO of the UN Viale delle Terme di Caracalla I-00100 Rome, Italy Fax: (39) 06 5705.5137 E-mail:[email protected] Forest Genetic Resources No. 30. FAO, Rome, Italy (2002) 2 OBITUARY GENE NAMKOONG (1934-2002) Professor Gene Namkoong, our mentor and friend, who died on 3 March 2002, will be remembered and missed by colleagues throughout the world. Gene will live on in our thoughts, his ideas will continue to guide our action, and his work will no doubt influence generations of forest geneticists to come. Gene Namkoong’s death ended four decades of work, which he relentlessly continued throughout his illness. Gene started his career as geneticist, then as Pioneer Research Scientist, with the U.S. Forest Service (1963-1992), during which time he was also professor of forest genetics at the North Carolina State University, USA (1972-1992). From 1992-1998, Gene acted as Professor and Head of the Forest Sciences Department, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, from where he retired in 2001. His sabbaticals included work