FAO LIBRARY AN: 294409 REPORT OF THE 18th SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL POPLAR COMMISSION AND THE 34th SESSION Beijing, China 54 September 1988 OF ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS FO:CIP/88/Rep. INTERNATIONAL POPLAR CQMIISSION Report of the 18th Session of the Commission and of the 34th Session of its Executive Committee Beijing, China, 5 - 8 September 1988 FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF TEE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 1988 -1-- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PART I. REPORT OF THE 34TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL POPLAR COMMISSION I. Organization 1 II, The Session 1 III. Post Session Informal Meeting of the Executive Committee 1 PART II. REPORT OF THE 18TH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL POPLAR COMMISSION Organization 2 Opening of the Session 2 - The Session's Admission of New Member Nations 2 Poplar Cultivation: Towards 2000 2 Major Developments in the Fields of Poplar and Willow Policy and Legislation 3 Recent Trends in Poplar and Willow Statistics and Economics 4 VII Poplar and Willow Identification and Varietal Control 4 VIII. Poplar Cultivation and Silviculture 5 IX. Poplar and Willow Protection - 5 Report of the Working Party on Poplar Diseases 5 Report of the Working Party on Poplar Insect Pests 6 X. Logging and Utilization 6 XI. Breeding and Selection of Poplar and Willows 7 XII. Biomass Production Systems for the Salicaceae 7 Administration and Operation of NationalPoplar Commissions 7 -Recommendations of the Commission 9 Other Matters ii Election of the Executive Committee 1989-1992 Date and Place of the next Session of the Executive Committee 11 Closing of the Session 11 ANNEXES Page I. Agenda Agenda of the 34th Session of the xecutiveCommittee 12 Agenda of the 18th Session of the IPC 13 II. List of Participants 14 III. List of Working Papers presented at meetings of Subsidiary Bodies 22 IV. Other papers and answers to questionnaires presented to the Secretariat 29 PART I. REPORT OF THE 34TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL POPLAR COMMISSION ORGANIZATION 1. The 34th Session of the Executive Committee of the International Poplar Commission was held in Beijing, People's Republic of China, on 5 September 1988, at the kind invita- tion of the Government of China. Mr. M. Viart, Chairman of the Executive Committee (and Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Nomenclature and Registration) chaired the meeting. It consisted of a closed session of 8 members and 5 heads of Working Parties and Ad Hoc Committees as well as the Secretary of the Commission, THE SESSION 2, The Session was opened by the Chairman of the Committee and the Provisional Agenda and Timetable for the 18th Session of the Commission were discussed. The Agenda and Timetable sent to participants with the invitation to the session were amended to include the adoption of recommendations (point 14). Furthermore, it was decided to hold the Joint Meeting of the Subsidiary Bodies in the afternoon of 6 September instead of the 7th as originally planned. The Committee agreed that the election of the members of the Executive Committee for the period 1989-1992 should be held in a closed session with one delegate per member country, on 8 September. The Chairman lamented that the Vice-Chairman of the IPC, Mr. C. Vallée, and Mr. B. Tans, Chairman of the Working Party on Diseases, had been prevented for reasons of health to participate in the Session, and that Mr. J.P. Lanly, Director of the Forest Resources Division of FAO and Miss C. Palmberg, Branch Chief in the same Division, had been unable to participate in spite of their expressed wishes to do so.The Committee was informed that Mr. C.P, Cellerino would be the new Chairman of the Working Party on Diseases, The procedures for election of the members of the Executive Committee of the IPC for the period 1989-1992 were discussed, Mr. M. Viart. informed the Coiimittee that he would retire as Chairman of the IPC. On behalf of the Committee, Mr. B, Giordano thanked Mr. Viart for his dedication to the work of the Commission and guidance during the many years of Chairmanship. The Secretariat informed the Committee of the candidates proposed by member countries for membership of the Executive Committee. The need for an appropriate geo- graphic distribution of members for the dissemination of recent developments in poplar and willow technology was stressed. The Secretariat also informed the Committee of the offers received from member countries to host the 35th Session of the Executive Committee (Argentina, Canada) and the 19th Session of the International Poplar Commission (Spain). 111. POST SESSION INFORMAL MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 6, The newly elected members of the Executive Committee for 1989-1992 met to elect the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee and discuss general business,By unanimity, Mr. Steenackers (Belgium) was elected as the Chairman and Mr. Wang Shiji (People's Rep. of China) as the Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee, 7. Several proposals were made for additional members in order to ensure the coopera- tion of the necessary specialists, as provided for in the convention of the IPC.The following persons were coopted, subject to the approval of their governments: Mr. D.S. DeBell (USA) Mr. I. GUmUsdere (Turkey) Mr. 0. Terrasson (Prance) Mr. B. Tans (France) Mr. C, Vallée (Canada) 2 PART II. REPORT OF THE 18TH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL POPLAR COMMISSION I, ORGANIZATION 1. The 18th Session of the International Poplar Commission was held at Beijing at the kind invitation of the Government of the People's Republic of China under theChairman- ship of Mr. Wang Shiji (China), with the assistance of two Vice-Chairmen, Mr0 3, Spaas (Belgium) and Mr. D. Cadahia (Spain) and two Rapporteurs, Mr. C. van Kraayenoord (New Zealand) and Mr. D. Terrasson (France). 2,, The Session was attended by 82 delegates, alternates and advisors from 19 member countries of the Commission: Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria (People's Republic of), Canada, China (People's Republic of), France, Germany (Federal Republic of), India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Italy, Korea (Republic of), Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Tunis, Turkey, USA and Yugoslavia, Participants and observers totalled 133 from 27 countries, including Chile, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania (United Republic of) and Zambia (Republic of). II. OPENING OF THE SESSION 3. The Session was opened by the Chairman of the retiring Executive Committee, Mr., H. Viart, who called on Mr. Xu Youfang, Vice-Minister of Forestry, to address the session, Mr. Xu welcomed the participants on behalf of the Ministry of Forestry. He emphasized the important role of forests and trees in counteracting the degradation of the environment caused by deforestation and other human activities. Drawing attention to the magnitude of the problem in China, Mr. Xu highlighted past achievements in tree planting and the active part played by 200 million Chinese citizens in attaining these achievements. In particular, attention was drawn to poplars as one of the most important - 'tree species for planting of shelterbelts to restore the equilibrium of the ecosystems and for establishing fast-growing plantations to satisfy various human demands, He pointed out that the meeting of Chinese and foreign poplar specialists was warmly wlcomed as a natural part of China's policy of opening up to the outside world and he offered best wishes for fruitful results of the deliberations, Mr. L.I.J. Silva, FAO Representative in the People's Republic of China, thanked the Chinese Government and the organizers of the Session and welcomed the participants on behalf of the Director-General of FAO, Mr. H. Saouma. He also brought greetings from the Assistant Director-General, Mr. M.A. Flores Rodas, and the Director of the Forest Resources Division of FAD, Mr. J.P. Lanly. With reference to the Theme of the Session, "Poplar Cultivation: Towards 2000", he pointed to the role of forestry in meeting the threats of dwindling resources and a degraded environment. Tie urged foreign participants to take advantage of their stay in China to savour her culture and interchange views with national colleagues. He wished the participants every success in their work. 6. Mr. Wang Shiji was nominated Chairman of the 18th Session and Mr. D. Cadahia (Spain) and Mr. 3, Spaas (Belgium) Vice-Chairmen, II. THE SESSION'S ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBER NATIONS 7 There was no submission of any new country to become a member of the Commission. However, the delegate from Mexico expressed his interest in being briefed on the conditions for membership and the delegate from Sweden expressed a similar interest. Both delegates were provided with the Convention of the International Poplar Commission, IV, POPLAR CULTIVATION: TOWARDS 2000 8., The Chairman of the Commission, Mr. H. Viart, presented the paper on the theme of the 18th Session, 'Poplar Cultivation: Towards 2000". Its preparation had been based on replies to questionnaires sent to member countries and from reports received from the National Poplar Commissions, 3 It was lamented that only 10 countries had answered the questionnaire and urged the National Poplar Commissions in the future to send in their replies in due time in order that the paper on the theme could be as broadly based as possible and reflect the - situation in all the member countries. The trends in consumption of and demand for poplar wood in the industrialized countries is influenced by changes in industrial processes and imports resulting in poplar wood being used more in higher priced products thanbefore. While the demand for poplar wood for pulp, chipboard and packeting has been falling, it has been increasing for plywood furniture and quality particle boards such as waferboards.