THE COUNTRY REPORT ON FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES POLAND Publication commissioned by the Directorate-General of the State Forests Warsaw 2013 © Be State Forests Information Centre ul. Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920 r. nr 3 02-362 Warszawa phone: (22) 822-49-31 fax: (22) 823-96-79 e-mail: [email protected] www.lasy.gov.pl Translated by: Katarzyna Machnacz-Mikułowska Edited by: Jasper Tilbury Terminological consultation: Prof. dr hab. Maciej Giertych Cover photo: Paweł Fabijański Design: www.anter.waw.pl ISBN 978-83-63895-03-7 Prepared for printing by: Anter-PoligraCa Andrzej Leśkiewicz Print and binding: ORWLP w Bedoniu Publication commissioned by the Directorate-General of the State Forests Warsaw 2013 © te State Forests Information Centre ul. Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920 r. nr 3 02-362 Warszawa phone: (22) 822-49-31 fax: (22) 823-96-79 e-mail: [email protected] www.lasy.gov.pl Translated by: Katarzyna Machnacz-Mikułowska Edited by: Jasper Tilbury Terminological consultation Prof. dr hab. Maciej Giertych Cover photo: Paweł Fabijański Design: www.anter.waw.pl ISBN 978-83-63895-03-7 Prepared for printing by: Anter-Poligraua Andrzej Leśkiewicz Print and binding: ORWLP w Bedoniu CONTENTS A list of symbols and abbreviations used in the report . 9 SECTIONI.SuMMARy .................................................. 13 SECTION II.INTRODuCTION TO ThE COuNTRy AND TO ThE FORESTRySECTOR .................................................... 19 1. Location and climatic conditions . 21 2. The forestry sector in Poland . 25 2.1. Changes in the forest area in Poland . 28 2.2. habitat structure . 30 2.3. The age structure of forests in Poland . 34 2.4. Plantations of fast-growing trees and monocultures . 35 2.5. Forest reproductive material . 37 2.6. Employment in the forestry sector . 37 2.7. The importance of forests, forest products and services on internal and external markets . 38 2.8. The organization of the forestry sector . 40 2.9. Private forests . 42 2.10. The role of forest genetic resources in meeting the current expectations towards forest products and services in Poland . 44 2.10.1. Forest functions . 44 2.11. Transformations in the forestry sector and the factors determining them . 48 2.12. The next decade in forest management . 50 2.13. Limitations on sustainable forest management, including forest productivity . 51 2.14. The role of forest genetic resources regarding forest goods and services in Poland in the next decade . 53 SECTION III: ThE MAIN PART OF ThE REPORT . 55 Chapter 1: ThE CuRRENT STATuS OF FOREST GENETIC RESOuRCES . 57 1. Diversity within and between forest tree species . 57 1.1. Genetic variation in the main forest tree species estimated by molecular analysis . 58 1.2. Genetic diversity in forest tree populations in Poland . 66 1.2.1. The population and progeny variation of breeding traits in the main forest tree species . 67 2. The importance of forest genetic resources . 87 2.1. Poland’s most economically important timber resources and forest tree species . 87 5 Contents 2.2. Type and importance of timber production . 90 2.3. Exotic species in forests . 92 2.4. Environmentally important protected and endangered tree species growing in plantations . 93 2.5. The economic, environmental and social significance of forest tree species and wood products . 96 2.6. Seed regionalization . 97 2.7. Priority actions for forest management . 99 2.7.1. Stand conversion . 99 2.7.2. Restitution of the silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) in the Sudetens . 100 2.7.3. The protection and restitution of the common yew (Taxus baccata L.) in Poland . 102 2.7.4. The restitution of the wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz) . 107 3. Factors affecting the state of forest genetic resources in Poland . 109 3.1. Abiotic threats . 109 3.2. Biotic threats . 113 3.2.1. Threats to forests posed by insect pests . 114 3.2.2. Threats to forests posed by infectious fungal diseases . 122 3.2.3. Game animals . 127 3.3. Anthropogenic threats . 128 3.3.1. Forest fires . 128 3.3.2. Air pollution . 130 3.4. Threats to forest sustainability . 138 3.5. The level of damage to forests . 141 4. The importance of main forest tree species in recent years . 147 5. Forest monitoring and the assessment of the level of genetic erosion of forest genetic resources . 147 6. Needs and priorities for the future . 149 6.1. Priorities for a better understanding of the importance of forest genetic resources 149 6.2. The level of public ecological awareness . 151 6.2.1. harm to forests . 151 6.2.2. Leaving litter in forests . 151 6.3. The need to legislate for the effective protection of forest genetic resources . 152 Chapter 2: ThE STATE OF ThE IN SITu CONSERvATION OF GENETIC RESOuRCES . 153 1. The role of forests in the conservation of genetic resources . 153 1.1. The Natura 2000 network . 155 1.2. The biological diversity of the Białowieża Primeval Forest . 157 1.3. The conservation of the genetic diversity of forests . 161 1.3.1. The in situ conservation of forest genetic resources . 161 1.3.2. The implementation of the forest genetic resources conservation programme . 163 2. Support measures, obstacles and priorities for the future . 166 2.1. Measures to improve the inventorisation and study of forest genetic resources . 166 2.2. Measures to promote the in situ conservation of forest genetic resources . 171 2.3. Obstacles and threats to the in-situ protection and conservation of genetic resources . 171 2.4. Priorities for the in situ conservation of genetic resources in the future . 171 6 Contents Chapter 3: ThE STATuS OF ThE EX SITU CONSERvATION OF FOREST GENETIC RESOuRCES ............................................................ 172 1. The status of the ex situ conservation of forest genetic resources . 172 1.1. The role of gene banks . 172 1.2. Infrastructure for the preservation of the genetic resources of forest trees in Poland . 174 1.3. The role and importance of botanical gardens and arboreta in Poland with particular reference to woody species . 177 2. The transfer of FRM and the associated documentation . 178 2.1. The principles for the transfer of forest reproductive material between region of origin . 178 2.2. The documentation used in trading FRM . 180 2.3. The documentation of genetic resources stored in the Kostrzyca FGB and in other seed stores in Poland . 180 3. Ex situ conservation . ..