The State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources

Forests and trees enhance and protect landscapes, ecosystems and production systems. They provide goods and services which are essential to the survival and well-being of all humanity. Forest genetic resources – the heritable materials maintained within and among tree and other woody plant species that are of actual or potential economic, environmental, scientific or societal value – are essential for the continued productivity, services, adaptation and evolutionary processes of forests and trees.This first volume of The State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources constitutes a major step in building the information and knowledge base required for action towards better conservation and sustainable management of forest genetic resources at the national, regional and international levels.