Article first posted on LIFEGENMON page
The event titled: “LIFEGENMON Workshop on Conservation of Forest Genetic Resources: Legislation and Practice” was held on October 10th in the big lecture room of the Slovenian Forestry Institute (SFI). It was the fourth in a series of joint SFI and Slovenia Forest Service (SFS) workshops on the importance, development, monitoring and conservation measures for biological and genetic diversity in Slovenian forests. The workshop aimed at integrating measures for the conservation of forest genetic resources and guidelines for forest genetic monitoring into Slovenian forestry plans and regulations.
Forest genetic resources will play a key role in the adaptation of forests to climate change. Protection measures should be based on considering the impact of forest genetic resources in the processes of forest management planning and forest restoration. Appropriate and genetically diverse forest reproductive material of as many tree and shrub species as possible is necessary for future forests.
Project coordinator Prof. Dr. Hojka Kraigher held an introductory speech about the LIFEGENMON and complementary national CRP V4-1616 projects. She important changes in the “Semenarski praktikum” (Forest reproductive material management guidelines). Dr. Marjana Westergren talked about preserving the genetic diversity of trees in different forest stands, and presented guidelines for genetic monitoring of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Dr. Peter Železnik held a presentation on different types of forest tree seedlings and their survival chances. Dr. Gregor Božič presented a review of the Slovenian register of forest seed objects. Janez Sojč finished the morning presentation block with a proposal for a forest restoration evaluation system.
In the afternoon, Mag. Andrej Breznikar, Dr. Aleš Poljanec, and Marija Kolšek talked about the possibilities of incorporating new knowledge and practices into legislation and forest service operations, especially in restoration and forest protection strategies within Regional forest management plans 2021 – 2030. There is also a possibility of incorporating new knowledge and practices into Forest protection and Forest reproductive material regulations.
The workshop was attended by representatives from the Slovenian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food and the Ministry of Environment, SFS forest management planners, forest silviculturists, forest protection staff and field foresters, SFI researchers, researchers from the Forestry and Sustainable Forest Resources Dept. of the University of Ljubljana and others. More than 40 experts attended the workshop, the conclusions of which will be available to be taken into consideration when writing proposals for amendments to the regulations.
