Page1�ber1995
Western Forester
Forest Genetic Resource Management and ConseiVation:
A Regional Approach
By Nicholas Wheeler, W. Thomas Adams a n d Brad St. Clair
i
The Issue-Why Conserve
Genetic Resources?
Growing worldwide attention has
been given to biological diversity in
recent years. While much of this
concern has focused on highly sensitive and divet:se ecosystems such as
temperate wetlands and tropical
rainforests. there are compelling
reasons for evaluating and monitoring diversity of·our own regional forest ecosystems.
We all kmlw that our forests are
an important asset and significant
component of the regional and
national ecGDomy, providing pulp
for paper, building and construction
materials, sad pharmaceuticals and
firewood, DDt to mention jobs for
thousands. Equally valuable are the
noncolliJI1e'D:Iial uses of our forests;
they are IDe'hlY valued aesthetically
and provide countless opportunities
for recreation. Finally, as the dominsnt form of vegetation in our
regionali!CIJ!IYBtems, forest trees are
critical to ecosystem stability and
malntenam:e of the rich reservoirs
of biological diversity they contain.
The aili�Uy of our forests to
remain thmi;y, resist predation and
be adapted to the heterogeneous
environmeaill and uncertain elimate chsnees is in large part a function of the :genetic diversity contained. within and among populationa of iudividual tree species.
Fortunately, the Northwest is
blessed with many tree species that
are among the most genetically
diverse pbmts on earth. To ensure
the contimled health of our forest
trees, it is imperative that we properly mllllllp the abundant genetic
resources tlir��Y contain. Thus, there
are both economic and ecologic
arguments I'or conserving gene
resources.
What D-. Blodivendty Mean
Task Force Report on Biological
Diversity in the Forest Ecosystem,
Society of American Foresters,
1991). Typically, biological diversity
is distinguished at . three levels:
ecosystem or landscape diversity;
sp(!cies diversity; and genetic diver­
sity. Most professional foresters and
lay public are familiar with the first
two concepts and recognize the
appeal of species mixtures and land­
scape variability. Genetic diversity
is a more difficult concept to grasp.
It involves the amounts and pat­
terns of genetic variation that occur
among and within populations, and
ultimately, within individuals, as
expressed by alternative forms of
given genes.
Genetic variation within a
species can be estimated in many
ways. Whole plant approaches
include common garden studies,
such as provenance trials and
progeny tests, where plants from
diffe rent genetic sources are grown
in a UDiform environment and mea­
sured for morphological or physio­
logical traits. In recent years, methods have been developed to study
genetic variation by looking directly
at the. DNA base-pair sequences
(molecular marker methods). An
intermediate approach is to study
variation in protein structures.
Proteins are the direct products of
most geneiJ and are largely respon­
Bible for controlling metabolic activ­
ities in all living organisms.
Scientists currently use all of these
methods, but no single technology
can serve all needs.
and How Do We Measure It?
Biodiveni'ty refers to the variety
and abuadlmce of species, their
genetic camposition, and the communities. reeosystems and landscapes in w.iiich they occur (this is a
portion ofthe definition given by the
,
of target species, but also gene pools
of other species in the ecoaystem
(plant and animal alike) and conse­
quently is the preferred approach
for ecosystem conservation.
Ex situ conservation includes
seed and pollen storage and archive
plantings. Tree improvement popu­
lations such as clone banks, genetic
tests, provenance trials and seed
orchards generally fall in this cate­
gory. Ex situ methods may be used
to protect genetic resources under
immediate threat of extinction, or to
provide insurance against catas­
trophic loss such as fire, wind or
urbanization. Additionally, ex situ
populations such as those managed
in tree improvement programs offer
unique opportunities to practice
dynamic
conservation.
Such
approaches can actqally expand and
enhance useful variation in a
species. Generally, a mix of in situ
and ex situ approaches are desir­
able for comprehensive gene conser­
vation.
A Northwest Forest Genetic
Resource Conservation
Initiative
Currently, no national or region­
al programs in the U.S. focus specif­
ically on conservation of forest
genetic resources. Certsinly, forest
reserves managed by the Depart­
ments of Agriculture and Interior
(e.g., national parks, wilderness
areas, research natural areas) con·
tribute greatly to in situ gene con­
servation, but these lands are fre..
quently biased samplings of the geo­
graphic distributions of most tree
Approaches to the Conservation species. Ex situ reserves exist for
the more common species, such as
of Genetic Resources
Conservation of genetic resources Douglas-fir, but the extent of these
can be achieved either at the origi­ collections is not wall documented.
nal s ource of the resources (in situ Information is needed on both the
conservation), or at some other loca­ distribution of genetic variation
within tree species and the extent to
tion (ell: situ conservation).
which current reserves capture this
In situ conservation typically
implies set-asides or reserves, such variation.
In 1994, an ad hoc group af forest
as parks or GRMAs (Gene Resource
Management Areas), but it does not geneticists representing govern­
necessarily exclude forest manage­ ment, university and private inter­
ment. In situ conservation not only ests began deliberating on how best
protects and perpetuates gene pools
to go about developing a regional
October 1995-Page
Western Forester
program for forest genetic resource
conservation. The group, known as
Gene
Forest
Regional
the
Conservation Committee (RFGCC),
or Gene Team, developed the follow­
ing goal and objectives:
Goal: To ensure that adaptations
and evolutionary potential of our
forest tree species are maintained.
Objectives:
• To determine the amount and
pattern of genetic diversity required
to meet the goal f or target species.
• To assess and monitor current
and future genetic resources for tar­
get species.
develop methodologies for
• To
maintaining and enhancing the
ability of target species to meet the
above goal.
In 1995, the RFGCC identified a
set of operating aaaumptions and
criteria to aid the creation of a
framework document that will then
be used as a template for developing
individual (or possibly groups of)
species gene conservation plans.
Through generous donations by par­
ticipating RFGCC members, a
group of internationally recognized
consultants was hired to assist in
the creation of the framework docu­
ment, which should be completed
before year's 9lld. The first gene
conservation plan should begin
immediately thereafter. It should be
emphasized that a maijor theme of
this eftbrt ia to fully document and
use existing in situ � ex situ
.
.
reserves, thereby JDJDJm•zmg the
need for additional conservation
populations. Through an effort such
as this w e as a region can demon­
strate responsible stewardship of
our resources.
While many of the details of
administration and application
ramain to be resolved, the effort of
the RFGCC represents an aggres­
sive and unique attempt to meet the
real and perceived needs of regional
forest genetic resource conserva­
tion.
N'ICholas Wheele r is a scientist,
George R. Stoebler Forest Resources
Research Center, 7Tee Improvement
Department, Centralia, Wash.; Brad
St. Clair is a.� geneticist.
Pacific Northwest Research Station,
USDA Forest Service, CorvaUis,
Ore; and Tom Adams is a professor
of Forest SCience, Oregon State
University, Corvallis.
NWTIC Program
(Cont'd from page 9)
adaptational significance (see seed
catalog concept). It's then a relativeMutii-TI'IIttlnclex S.c.ctlan ElwnP'­
NorthwiMTI'MirnPfOtllloMntCc p ath•
'·
f
z
0
_; .....
•
•
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1
ly common/straightforward proceE
to create breeding plans and/or see
orchards which will produce oper'
tional plantations which are actua
ly more diverse than are those pr<
duced via natural regeneration.
Daniel W. Cress is a forest genet
cist, Regenetics Consulting, Seattl
Wash., and has a consulting agre·
ment with the Northwest Trc
Improvement Cooperative.
!
--
Resource
Stewardship
. Intensive forest management is the key to a
healthy and productive forest. At Willamette
Industries, our responsibility to the forest goes
beyond producing timber for products. We
also protect water quality, wildlife habitat and
jobs for the future. Being a good steward of
natural resources is a moral obligation, a cost
of doing business and a requisite to future
business opportunities.
� Willarnette Industries Inc.