Forest Genetic Resources
Having almost disappeared from Dutch forests, the wild apple and black poplar have been conserved in field collections of the genebank for indigenous trees and shrubs.
The Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands (CGN) advises Staatsbosbeheer, the Dutch government organisation for forestry and nature reserves, on the management of the national genebank for trees and shrubs (ex situ conservation).
This is one of the ways that CGN stimulates the conservation and sustainable use of the genetic diversity of indigenous tree and shrub species. This is important as trees and shrubs can only survive climate change or new diseases if they can draw on significant genetic diversity.
CGN has a very solid knowledge. The driven and committed people are indispensable for the maintenance of our Dutch indigenous trees and shrubs.
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Genebank for indigenous trees and shrubs
The genetic diversity of trees and shrubs forms the basis for sustainable forestry and nature management. It impacts wood production and plays an important role in resistance to pests and diseases, and the adaptation to climate change.
National List of Varieties and Provenances of Trees
The National List of Varieties and Provenances of Trees is a tool for the development of forests, landscaping and public green spaces.
Expertise and advice on forest genetic resources
The biodiversity of nature and landscapes has been on the decline for years, making it vital to conserve indigenous gene resources of those trees and shrubs which are still available. The conservation of genetic diversity is crucial for the resilience of forests, adaptation to climate change and variation in the landscape.
What we can do for you
Advice on genebank material
CGN advises the Dutch government and develops methods for the conservation of genetic diversity in forest trees and shrubs. We use this knowledge to support and stimulate the in situ (place of origin) and ex situ conservation of forest genetic resources and for sustainable forest management.
National List of Varieties and Provenances of Trees
We advise the Board for Plant Varieties on which basic material should be included in the National List of Varieties and Provenances of Trees based on inspections and value for cultivation and use research. This list is a tool for forest development and landscaping, and includes various seed sources from the genebank. It enables rare species such as the wild apple and black poplar to be returned to the Dutch landscape.
Provenance testing related to climate change
CGN also researches the value for cultivation and use of provenances. In so-called provenance tests, we test the level of adaptation of forest reproductive material to the Dutch climate conditions and their growth capacity, wood quality and health by comparing Dutch provenances to seed sources from other climate zones.