The Global Plan of Action for the conservation, sustainable use and development of forest genetic resources provides a framework for countries, regional bodies and international organizations to highlight and respond to the serious challenges as well as the opportunities facing forest genetic resources. This plan is based on the first ever State of the World Forest Genetic Resources Report, which over 80 countries have contributed to. Learn more: http://www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/forest-tree-genetic-diversity/capacity-and-awareness/

1. Global Plan of Action for conservation, sustainable
use and development of forest genetic resources
Judy Loo, Senior Scientist
Forests Asia Summit, Jakarta, Indonesia, May 2014

2. Context
2014 – release of the first Report on the State of the World’s Forest
Genetic Resources. To understand its significance, we must start with the
forest:
•Forests cover 30% of land surface; down from 45%
(pre-industrial)
•Essential for ecosystem services; livelihoods, food,
fuel, shelter, energy, soil and water protection, habitat
for 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, carbon
•Of about 80,000 tree species, only about 500 well
studied in terms of genetic resources
•Loss = 13 million ha / year; 200km2 / day (net)
Income for rural people from wild forest species almost equals
income from agriculture (27% : 28%).
Genetic diversity – evolutionary potential of forest tree species;
subject to losses due to governance failures, among other causes.

3. What are forest genetic resources and why are
they important?
Genetic diversity of forest tree species of current or
potential value to humanity
Value of genetic diversity for adaptation to
environmental changes and for improvement of
traits important for people
2 generations
Prunus
africana

4. Global Plan of Action
for the Conservation,
Sustainable Use and
Development of Forest
Genetic Resources

5. • Based on key findings of the Report on the State of
the World’s Forest Genetic Resources
• National reports from more than 80 countries (about
90% of globe’s forested area)
• Strategic framework intended to guide and catalyze
action at multiple levels
Global Plan of Action for the Conservation,
Sustainable Use and Development of Forest Genetic
Resources
27 Strategic Priorities for action under 4 priority areas:
• Improving the availability of, and access to, information on
forest genetic resources
• In situ and ex situ conservation of forest genetic resources
• Sustainable use, development and management of forest
genetic resources
• Policies, institutions and capacity building.

6. • Organized by geographic
scale: national, regional,
global
• Primary responsibility at
national level
• Collaboration and
coordination among countries
within regions will be vital.
• Support at international level
essential
Global Plan of Action
• Aims to promote practical and
efficient approaches to support and
increase the effectiveness of
national, regional and global efforts
for the sustainable use,
development and conservation of
forest genetic resources, including
the mobilization of financial and
human resources, and
strengthening institutions.

7. Level
Priority Area 1: Improving
the availability of and
access to information on
FGR
Priority Area 2: In
situ and ex situ
conservation of FGR
Priority Area 3: Sustainable
use, development and
management of FGR
Priority Area 4: Policies,
institutions and capacity
building
National
SP1. Establish and
strengthen national FGR
assessment,
characterization and
monitoring systems
SP5. Develop national
strategies for in situ
and ex situ
conservation of FGR
and their sustainable
use
SP13. Develop and reinforce
national seed programmes to
ensure the availability of
genetically appropriate tree
seeds in the quantities and
of the (certified) quality
needed for national
plantation programmes
SP19. Update and
integrate FGR
conservation and
management needs into
wider national policies,
programmes and
frameworks of action at
national, regional and
global levels
SP2. Develop national and
subnational systems for the
assessment and
management of traditional
knowledge on FGR
SP6. Strengthen the
contribution of primary
forests and protected
areas to in situ
conservation of FGR
SP14. Promote restoration
and rehabilitation of
ecosystems using
genetically appropriate
material
SP20. Develop
collaboration and
promote coordination of
national institutions and
programmes related to
FGR
SP7. Promote the
establishment and
development of efficient
and sustainable ex situ
conservation systems,
including in vivo
collections and
genebanks
SP15. Support climate
change adaptation and
mitigation through proper
management and use of FGR
SP21. Establish and
strengthen educational
and research capacities
on FGR to ensure
adequate technical
support to related
development
programmes

8. Level
Priority Area 1: Improving
the availability of and
access to information on
FGR
Priority Area 2: In
situ and ex situ
conservation of FGR
Priority Area 3: Sustainable
use, development and
management of FGR
Priority Area 4: Policies,
institutions and capacity
building
National
SP8 Support
assessment,
management and
conservation of
marginal and/or range
limit forest species
populations
SP16. Promote appropriate
use of emerging technology to
support conservation
development and sustainable
use of FGR
SP22. Promote
participation of indigenous
and local communities in
FGR management in the
context of decentralization
SP9. Support and
develop sustainable
management and
conservation of FGR on
farmland
SP17. Develop and reinforce
research programmes on tree
breeding, domestication and
bioprospection in order to
unlock the full potential of FGR
SP10. Support and
strengthen the role of
forests managed by
indigenous and local
communities in
sustainable
management and
conservation of FGR
SP11. Identify priority
species for action

9. Level Priority Area 1: Improving the
availability of and access to
information on FGR
Priority Area 2: In
situ and ex situ
conservation of FGR
Priority Area 3: Sustainable
use, development and
management of FGR
Priority Area 4: Policies,
institutions and capacity building
Regional
SP12. Develop and
implement regional in
situ conservation
strategies and promote
eco-regional networking
and collaboration
SP23. Promote and apply
mechanisms for germplasm
exchange at regional level to
support research and development
activities, in agreement with
international conventions
SP24. Reinforce regional and
international cooperation to
support education, knowledge
dissemination, research,
conservation and sustainable
management of FGR
International
SP3. Develop international
technical standards and
protocols for FGR inventories
, characterization and
monitoring of trends and risks
SP18. Develop and promote
networking and collaboration
among concerned countries to
combat invasive species
(animals, plants and
microorganisms) affecting FGR
SP25. Encourage the establishment if
network activities and support
development and reinforcement of
international networking and
information sharing on FGR research,
management and conservation
SP4. Promote the establishment
and reinforcement of FGR
information systems (databases)
to cover available scientific and
traditional knowledge on uses,
distribution, habitats, biology and
genetic variation of species and
species populations
SP26. Promote public, and
international awareness of the roles
and values of FGR
SP27. Strengthen efforts to
mobilize the necessary resources,
including financing

10. • Recognition of the importance of the strategic priorities and status of
genetic resources for the country in question at multiple levels
• Political will at various levels within the countries
• Governance systems within the countries
• Commitment and resources at international level
The potential for achieving the strategic priorities
depends on several key factors

11. • The implementation of the Global Plan of Action must be
integrated with other strategies and programs at national,
regional and global levels, as FGR cannot be effectively
conserved and managed in isolation.
• A comprehensive funding strategy must be developed and
supported
• Strong collaboration among countries and regions;
collaboration with international bodies, conventions, and
processes
• Awareness and capacity development.
Implementation of Global Plan of Action – what’s
needed?

12. Useful models: Where
priorities have already
been identified and are
being addressed

13. Sustainable forest management policies and
regulations (SP3)
• Europe, the USA and Australia have enacted legislation to ensure
that imported timber is from legal sources.
• Incentives are being negotiated with timber source countries and
enforcement tools are being developed.
• DNA markers as forensic verification tool.
•Global database and international standards for sampling, testing.
www.globaltimbertrackingnetwork.org

14. EUFORGEN: Europe’s Forest Genetic Resources
Conservation Programme – Model for APFORGEN (SP12)
•Establishment of conservation units at national level, meeting regional
standards for conserving and monitoring forest genetic resources.
•In situ conservation units to maintain evolutionary potential under
natural conditions with agreed minimum standards.
•Common monitoring and reporting system with a common database
useful for research and management decisions.

15. Seed movement among Nordic countries (SP23)
• With climate change, the sustainable
management of forests and trees requires
science-based movement of seed.
• Simple, unencumbered exchange of seed
across borders is valuable
• The problem – the ownership of forest
genetic resources has not been defined legally;
countries wanted to know if they could expect
problems.
• Conducted a study to determine whether
problems could be identified or predicted and
to identify legal steps to address any issues,
considering that the Nordic countries wish to
maintain the non-bureaucratic system for
access and rights to forest genetic resources.
•Concluded that currently there are no
impediments to unencumbered movement of
forest genetic resources among Nordic
countries.

16. Seed management to respond to climate change (SP13)
Seed transfer rules, regulate the distance to move planting material.
Planted forests and plantation forestry have benefited greatly from the
selection of proper seed sources.
Western Canada was first to modify seed transfer policies for climate
change.

17. • The new Global Plan of Action for the Conservation, Sustainable
Use and Development of Forest Genetic Resources provides a
framework for countries, regional bodies and international
organizations to highlight and respond to the serious challenges as
well as the opportunities facing forest genetic resources.
• The degree to which the response will be successful depends on level
of commitment, good governance and adequate human and financial
resources.
• In many cases, actions and strategies to conserve and sustainably
use forest genetic resources requires coordination across national
borders.
• Useful models exist for implementing and enforcing practical
approaches for managing and conserving forest genetic resources, if
political will along with sufficient human and monetary resources are
engaged.
Conclusion:

18. www.bioversityinternational.org
Thank you!