EXCHANGING AND CONSERVING TREE BREEDING MATERIALS 287 



just been compiled by Dr. Hans Nienstaedt at Rhinelander, Wisconsin. 

 This will be an extremely valuable directory for those who desire to 

 exchange seed on a personal basis with scientists in other countries. 



CONSERVING FOREST TREE GERM PLASM 



Greater attention has been given here to the problems of exchanging 

 germ plasm than to the topic of conserving forest tree germ plasm. This 

 reflects the fact that conservation of germ plasm for forest trees is of 

 less concern than it is for crop plants. Forest trees have a compara- 

 tively long life span and a long reproductive period. Relatively few 

 tree species are in danger of extinction or of genetic change. In fact, 

 the FAO Panel of Experts lists only the following as endangered: 



Abies nebrodensis (Loj acono-Pojero) Mattei 

 Arauoaria angusti folia (Bertoloni) 0. Kuntze 

 Aucoumea klaineana Pierre (coastal provenances) 

 Cupressus depreziana Camus 

 Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis Barrett & Golfari 



(Great Abaco, Andros , Grand Bahama) 

 P. eldarica Medw. (a variant of P. brutia Ten.) 

 P. maximartinezii Rzedowski 



P. mevkusii Jungh. and de Vriese (Sumatran provenances) 

 P. occidentalis Sw. (Dominican Republic and eastern Cuba) 



Of greater concern may be the problem of genetic change due to man's 

 disgenic practices. Where conservation of the germ plasm of a species or 

 provenance is important, we face several problems. Very often the countries 

 having threatened populations are unconcerned. Even if the problem is 

 recognized, solutions often are difficult. Conservation nearly always 

 requires additional funding. Legal sanctions usually are required to 

 prevent continued exploitation or desecration. Ethnic traditions, such 

 as shifting agriculture in the tropics, usually cannot be changed. The 

 only hope to improve such situations is to identify the endangered species 

 and provenances, to explain the consequences of its loss to responsible 

 authorities, and to exert economic and political pressures to change the 

 factors leading to extinction. Finally, if all preservation efforts fail, 

 then collections must be made to perpetuate the species. 



Very often people overlook the very large preservation programs for 

 forest tree material that already exist. National Parks, wilderness and 

 natural areas, and other dedicated forests, where man's influence is 

 excluded, all are effective preserves. Furthermore, normal procedures 

 of harvesting and regenerating forests tend to perpetuate much of the 

 gene pool for forest tree species. Tree breeders and other researchers 

 are planting large areas in species and provenance trials, in arboreta, 

 and for other purposes. All of these serve to conserve the gene pool of 

 our forest tree species so long as conscious selection is not made for or 

 against any particular characteristic. 



