Eurasian aspen (Populus tremula)

Technical guidelines are targeted to practical forest managers and provide summarized information on the biology and ecology of tree species, distribution ranges, importance and use, genetic knowledge, threats to genetic diversity and recommendations for long-term genetic conservation. For the full list of Technical guidelines produced, please visit http://www.euforgen.org/publications/technical_guidelines.htm

European beech (Fagus sylvatica)

These technical guidelines are intended to assist those who cherish the valuable European beech genepool and its inheritance, through conserving valuable seed sources or use in practical forestry. The focus is on conserving the genetic diversity of the species at the European scale

Evolution-based approach needed for the conservation and silviculture of peripheral forest tree populations

The fate of peripheral forest tree populations is of particular interest in the context of climate change. These populations may concurrently be those where the most significant evolutionary changes will occur; those most facing increasing extinction risk; the source of migrants for the colonization of new areas at leading edges; or the source of genetic novelty for reinforcing standing genetic variation in various parts of the range. Deciding which strategy to implement for conserving and sustainably using the genetic resources of peripheral forest tree populations is a challenge. Here, we review the genetic and ecological processes acting on different types of peripheral populations and indicate why these processes may be of general interest for adapting forests and forest management to climate change. We particularly focus on peripheral populations at the rear edge of species distributions where environmental challenges are or will become most acute. We argue that peripheral forest tree populations are “natural laboratories” for resolving priority research questions such as how the complex interaction between demographic processes and natural selection shape local adaptation; and whether genetic adaptation will be sufficient to allow the long-term persistence of species within their current distribution. Peripheral populations are key assets for adaptive forestry which need specific measures for their preservation. The traditionally opposing views which may exist between conservation planning and sustainable forestry need to be reconciled and harmonized for managing peripheral populations. Based on existing knowledge, we suggest approaches and principles which may be used for the management and conservation of these distinctive and valuable populations, to maintain active genetic and ecological processes that have sustained them over time

Workshop COST E52 “Evaluation of beech genetic resources for sustainable forestry”

The main objective of the COST Action E52 “Evaluation of Beech Genetic Resources for Sustainable Forestry” is to make predictions of the future distribution range of beech forest ecosystems under the assumption of certain scenarios of climate change, based on the analysis of the reaction pattern of European beech populations of defined origin (progenies of natural beech stands) under changed climate situations in sets of pan European field trials. The results obtained will facilitate the joint evaluation of the genetic resources of beech for better economic utilization under observation of the requirements for a sustainable forest management. The MC5 and WGs meeting of the COST Action E52 has been held from the 17th to the 19th of April, 2008, in Florence (Italy). During this workshop oral presentations on beech have been given, and a selection of them is reported in the current issue of this journal