European forest genetic resources: status of current knowledge and conservation priorities.

Abstract

Abstract The genetic characteristics of forest trees, genetic aspects of European Forestry and the European collaboration for conservation of forest genetic resources are discussed in this chapter. It is emphasized that the gene conservation of forest trees, not dissimilar from wild crop relatives as well, should be based on maintaining the evolutionary process in natural populations. This makes in situ conservation a preferable method, but both in situ and ex situ conservation approaches should be applied in such a manner that they complement each other, depending on the conservation needs and biological characteristics of a tree species.