INTERNATIONAL POPLAR COMMISSION 23rd Session Beijing, China, 27 – 30 October 2008 POPLARS, WILLOWS AND PEOPLE’S WELLBEING Synthesis of Country Progress Reports Activities Related to Poplar and Willow Cultivation and Utilization, 2004 through 2007 October 2008 Forest Resources Development Service Working Paper IPC/6E Forest Management Division FAO, Rome, Italy Forestry Department Disclaimer Nineteen member countries of the IPC have provided national progress reports to the 23rd Session of the International Poplar Commission. A Synthesis has been made by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and summarizes issues, highlights status and identifies trends affecting cultivation, management and utilization of Poplars and Willows in temperate and boreal regions of the world. Comments and feedback are welcome. For further information, please contact: Mr. Jim Carle Secretary International Poplar Commission Forestry Department Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Viale delle Terme di Caracalla I-00153 Rome ITALY E-mail: [email protected] For quotation: FAO, October 2008. Synthesis of Country Progress Reports received, prepared for the 23rd Session of the International Poplar Commission, jointly hosted by FAO and by the Beijing Forestry University, the State Forest Administration of China and the Chinese Academy of Forestry; Beijing, China, 27-30 October 2008. International Poplar Commission, Working, Paper IPC/6. Forest Management Division, FAO, Rome (unpublished). Web references: For details relating to the International Poplar Commission as a Technical Statutory Body of FAO, including National Poplar Commissions, working parties and initiatives, can be viewed on www.fao.org/forestry/ipc, and highlights of the 23rd Session of the International Poplar Commission 2008 can be viewed on www.fao.org/forestry/ipc2008. INTERNATIONAL POPLAR COMMISSION 23rd Session Beijing, China, 27 – 30 October 2008 POPLARS, WILLOWS AND PEOPLE’S WELLBEING Synthesis of Country Progress Reports Activities Related to Poplar and Willow Cultivation and Utilization, 2004 through 2007 Forest Resources Development Service Working Paper IPC/6E Forest Management Division FAO, Rome, Italy Forestry Department ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Synthesis of Country Progress Reports is the product of close collaboration between National Poplar Commissions’ personnel and FAO consultants and staff. The major scope and diversity of information available on natural and planted forests and trees of poplars and willows is reflected by the range of authors from a diverse range of International Poplar Commission Member Countries. It is with appreciation that the efforts of the National Poplar Commissions’ personnel are recognized for having submitted Country Progress Reports and Statistics in compliance with the general textual and statistical guidelines, which facilitated preparation of the global synthesis. Ms Paule Têtu, Mr Alberto Del Lungo, Ms Lei Chen and Ms Michèle Millanès, FAO Consultants, provided professional services in authorship, statistical compilation and editing services respectively. The communications with the National Poplar Commissions were efficiently coordinated by the IPC Administrative Assistant, Ms Graciela Andrade (FAO). To all who contributed to this publication, we express our grateful thanks. ii FOREWORD The area of poplar and willow resources reported includes about 80 million hectares of indigenous forest associations and about 8 million hectares of planted forests and trees outside forests. Poplars and willows are managed as indigenous and planted forests, agroforestry and tree resources for both productive and protective purposes across temperate and boreal landscapes. They can provide valuable investments for Government, private sector, corporate and smallholder owners that provide goods and services that benefit the well-being of communities in their environments. Poplars and willows provide a wide range of goods (wood and non-wood) and services (social and environmental) that impact sustainable land-uses and peoples’ livelihoods. They provide raw material supplies for industrial processing for pulp, paper, engineered wood products, plywood, veneer and other boards, sawn timber, packing crates, pallets, furniture and increasingly bioenergy. They can also provide valuable non-wood products such as livestock fodder, medicinal extracts and associated food products. However, poplars and willows are increasingly valued for their provision of social and environmental services including shelter, shade and protection of soil, water, crops, livestock and dwellings. They are more and more used in phytoremediation of severely degraded sites, rehabilitation of fragile ecosystems, combating desertification and in forest landscape restoration (often integrated with agriculture, horticulture, viticulture and apiculture). As fast growing species, they are effective at sequestering carbon and as carbon sinks thus can be effective in both adaptation and mitigation of the effects of climate change. Poplars and willows have become a significant resource that supports employment and contributes to socioeconomic development and sustainable livelihoods in many parts of the world, particularly in rural areas. Country Progress Reports for the period 2004 through 2007 were submitted by Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Egypt, Finland, Germany, India, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States of America. Most reports provided detailed information on topical issues, statistics, innovations and trends in poplar and willow culture and use. Canada and the Russian Federation provided only statistical tables. This Synthesis highlights status, innovations, issues and trends in regards to cultivation, management and utilization of poplars and willows in temperate and boreal regions of the world. A secondary purpose is to draw the attention of IPC members, policy makers, scientists, producers and other individuals to the rich diversity of expertise, knowledge and leadership documented in the various Country Progress Reports. This Synthesis of Country Progress Reports: Activities Related to Poplar and Willow Cultivation and Utilization, 2004 through 2007 (Working Paper IPC/6) should be read in association with Publications Listed in Country Progress Reports (Working Paper IPC/7), a comprehensive listing of reference documents released during 2004-2007. These documents are to foster and facilitate transfer of new knowledge and technology around the world. They also aim at strengthening capacity and capability for lesser developed countries to define new roles and take actions to make greater contributions of poplars and willows towards sustainable forestry and socioeconomic development. Working Papers IPC/6 and IPC/7 are available on the FAO website: www.fao.org/forestry/ipc. Jim Carle Secretary International Poplar Commission iii TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD.......................................................................................................................................................III HIGHLIGHTS AND ISSUES .......................................................................................................................... VII I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1 II. POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK.............................................................................................. 1 III. SUMMARY STATISTICS..................................................................................................................... 3 1. AREAS ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 2. USES.......................................................................................................................................................... 4 3. TRENDS IN POPLAR AND WILLOW ............................................................................................................. 4 4. OWNERSHIP ............................................................................................................................................... 4 5. FOREST PRODUCTS .................................................................................................................................... 5 6. IMPORTS AND EXPORTS ............................................................................................................................. 5 IV. TECHNICAL INFORMATION............................................................................................................ 5 1. IDENTIFICATION, REGISTRATION AND VARIETAL CONTROL ....................................................................... 5 2. PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND CULTIVATION ............................................................................................... 7 2.1 Nursery Practices and Propagation Techniques............................................................................. 7 2.2 Planted Forests ............................................................................................................................... 9 2.3 Indigenous Forests ........................................................................................................................ 12 2.4 Agroforestry and Trees Outside Forests ......................................................................................