Forestry Commission Consultation Paper on the New EC Directive on the Marketing of Forest Reproductive Material

Consultation Exercise Ends May 2001!

The Forestry Commission have recently released a Consultation Paper as part of the consultation exercise in regard to the New EC Directive on the Marketing of Forest Reproductive Material. The final form of the directive will come into force in 2003 and will affect almost everybody involved in forest planting. Nursery growers in particular should take the opportunity to make their views known on the proposals.

The current EC regulations dealing with the marketing of forest reproductive material will extend the existing system as laid out in the 1977 Regulations. The species controlled are proposed to be extended to 46 with further species coming under possible national control. A full list of the proposed species can be found in Appendix 3 of the Paper. There is also a proposal to give national governments the power to prohibit the marketing of 'unsuitable' material where an adverse effect on "forestry, environment, genetic resources or biodiversity" can be shown. Also seed testing is proposed to be standardised accross the EC which it is though will dramatically increase the testing fees currently charged by the FC Research Agency run Official Seed Testing Station.

The consultation paper can be downaloaded from: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/cs/repro.html or can be ordered from:

Country Services, Forestry Commission, 231, Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, EH12 7AT. Tel. 0131 314 6372

Or by email from: penny.clark@forestry.gsi.gov.uk