The original objective of the national afforestation programme was to create a resource that would yield a sustainable supply of timber to satisfy the countrys needs and reduce dependence on imports. Initially this led to the establishment of plantations of several fast growing exotic conifers from many parts of the world, especially from western North America. However, recent years have seen a rapid rise in the use of native species, particularly broadleaved species, in both commercial afforestation and in the Native Woodland
Scheme. Whichever species is used it is important that planting stock should be well adapted and genetically suited to the site on which it is planted. Attempts to rectify the planting of unsuitable or poorly adapted forest reproductive material is expensive and the returns on such crops will be far below expectations. Forest owners and managers recognize that the costs associated with utilizing the most appropriate and proven forest reproductivematerial are small compared to the costs of forest establishment and management. Securing forest reproductive material that is well adapted to Irish climatic and edaphic conditions is fundamental tomaintaining the sustainability of the forest resource. COFORD is playing a key role inmonitoring, testing and evaluating Irish forest reproductivematerial through a number of important national and international projects as listed below.
National forest reproductive material (FRM) projects:
ASHGEN Identifying the scale of suspected introduced hybrid ash (F. excelsior x F. angustifolia) in Ireland and its potential for genetic pollution of indigenous ash germplasm
ASHQUAL Comparison of untested Irish ash seed sources fromacross the country and with European controls
BEECHQUAL Testing of stands of Irish beech with European controls
BIRCH/ALDER Selection and improvement of Irish birch (in association with an alder improvement project)
OAKPROV Establishment of Irish oak seed stands and progeny trials with European controls
QUALIBROAD Improving the uniformity and quality of broadleaf planting stock
SEEDSTANDS Reviewing and managing the national catalogue of seed stands
International FRM projects:
BIHIP - Co-ordination and participation in the British and Irish Hardwoods Improvement Programme
EUFORGEN National co-ordination in co-operation with the Forest Service, of the European Forest Genetic Resources Programme