Newsletter
- January 2001
Inside This Issue
John Doornbos
This is my fourth report to members of the Poplar Council of
Canada. This has again been another busy year. We are now well
settled into our new office at Canadian Forest Service in Edmonton.
A number of activities have kept our Executive Secretary, Sandra
Williams and Jim Richardson, our Technical Director very occupied.
Last year, Poplar Council worked with the Western Boreal Aspen
Co-op to host our Annual Meeting in Edmonton in the latter part
of August. The program included a series of excellent presentations
and two very good field tours that highlighted a number of aspen
and hybrid poplar breeding programs underway on the prairies.
This year, the Poplar Councils of Canada and the United States
are co-hosting IPC 2000, the 21st Session of the International
Poplar Commission, in Vancouver, Washington. This is the third
time it has been held in North America with Canada hosting it
twice previously. Jim is co-chair of the conference organizing
committee; his colleague in this time consuming task is Jud Isebrands
of the USFS. Jim is also involved in the associated book project
and the Canadian tour of IPC 2000. As Jim explains in his report,
our involvement in this prestigious event will help put North
American poplar science and development on the world map.
Revenues from membership do not fully cover the cost of operations
of the Poplar Council. Outside project work has always been required
to sustain our activities. This year, we worked on two major conferences;
Training to Work in the Forest as part of the First Nation Forestry
Program and the Carbon Budget Conference in conjunction with IBFRA
and CFS. Revenue from these projects has assisted us in balancing
our budget this year and left a surplus available for next year.
More details are provided in the Financial Report.
The outside project work has put us in a good financial position
but, along with IPC 2000, has taken considerable time over the
past year. With IPC 2000 and the outside projects behind us, we
can get back to some of our other priorities including the proceedings
of last year's Annual Meeting, the Council newsletter and the
poplar scientists directory.
The Canadian Council of Forest Ministers recently announced Forest
20/20, a program designed to increase the conservation value of
forests while ensuring the continued growth of the forest industry.
While details are lacking, one potential new initiative of interest
to the Council's members is a focus on high yield, fast growing
plantations. This kind of initiative would likely include aspen
and poplar hybrids and could also have an impact on our efforts
to establish a Canadian poplar biotechnology co-operative.
I would like to thank Jim and Sandra for their commitment and
hard work again this year. While it may not always be obvious
to members, I certainly see and appreciate the effort put by them.
I should also thank Canadian Forest Service for their ongoing
support of the Council and its activities, including office support
and their contribution to IPC 2000.
Top
Sandra J. Williams
Since our last Annual General Meeting at Edmonton, Alberta in
August, 1999, the inside face of the Poplar Council Secretariat
has changed considerably. While we are still located in the Canadian
Forest Service Building, Northern Forestry Centre in Edmonton,
we have also been granted the use of new office furniture and
a new, networked computer from CFS. This has much to do with my
part-time employment with CFS last winter. I split my work week
between CFS and the PCC, with considerable overlap at times.
This overlap was in the form of two conferences. From January
to April I managed the finances for the First Nation Forestry
Program's "Learning to Work in the Forest", a national conference
which took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the end of February,
2000. In May, 2000, I assisted with registration and managed the
finances for the international conference "The Role of the Boreal
Forest and Forestry in the Global Carbon Budget", which was held
in Edmonton in early May, 2000.
Our involvement in the conferences allowed the Poplar Council
to gain financial footage, as demonstrated in the 1999 and 2000
financial report. We are currently being audited by Revenue Canada
for a large GST claim that we filed for the period April to June,
2000. The claim was large because of payments made in relation
to the conferences. Revenue Canada has given us advice on how
to adjust our claims and we shall have the situation resolved
shortly.
Our membership numbers have remained about the same this year
as the previous two years, but the numbers are down from five
and ten years ago. I sent out membership dues notices in March
and July, 2000. We are experiencing the same pattern as last year
- members tend to pay on their own year. For example, if a member
paid on July 25, 1999, the member will send in their 2000 dues
near the end of July. Currently we have seventeen Corporate memberships
with 54 affiliates as well as fifty eight individual memberships,
of which four are new this year. Our individual members are opting
more often for the three-year plan. I have received five membership
renewals this year that had not been renewed since 1997. We have
one student member and one associate member.
I thank John Doornbos for imparting his financial management
and planning wisdom to me - this has been a great help in planning
for Tour C and for the work we did on the conferences and general
work throughout the year. I also thank Jim Richardson for all
of his hard work and dedication to IPC 2000 and Tour C, which
we have worked together on for the past several months.
Top
Bill Schroeder and John Kort Investigations Section PFRA Shelterbelt
Centre, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Indian Head, Saskatchewan
Populus species and species hybrids have been widely used for
both shelterbelt and amenity purposes in the agricultural region
of Western Canada. Poplars have been extensively planted in farmstead
shelterbelts because their generally fast growth provides quick
wind protection for homes, barns and livestock. Since poplar was
first distributed by the Shelterbelt Centre in 1909, over 20 million
poplar have been planted by prairie farmers. Demand remains high
with approximately 300,000 poplars planted by farmers annually.
Interest in utilization of hybrid poplar for agroforestry, phytoremediation,
short rotation woody crop plantations and riparian restoration
has increased the emphasis placed of poplar research at the Shelterbelt
Centre.
The Investigations Section of the Shelterbelt Centre conducts
applied research in support of tree planting on the prairies.
Poplar research and development is a major activity of this Section.
The Section includes three Biologists and four technicians. Staff
are involved in poplar research related to breeding and selection,
pest management, weed control, nursery propagation, plantation
design and establishment, carbon sequestration and water relations.
Since plantation poplar has only recently gained attention on
the prairies, few plantations exist for research. A project was
initiated in 1997 with cooperation from private landowners and
wood-processing industries to establish 6 plantations of 6 ha
each. The last plantings were in 1999. Each plantation included
a clonal trial and a spacing trial. All plantations are in the
boreal transition and aspen parkland ecoregions near the existing
natural forests where they could be expected to thrive under rain-fed
conditions. Other small plantations were established in southwestern
Saskatchewan where supplemental moisture from groundwater or surface
water was available.
A project to determine the suitability of prairie landscapes
for hybrid poplar production is nearing completion. The objectives
are to identify and map landscape areas that are potentially suitable
for short rotation plantation culture of hybrid poplar. Preliminary
results show that much of the aspen parkland and boreal transition
regions of the prairies are suitable for poplar production on
a commercial scale. The major limiting factors are precipitation
and soil texture.
The poplar breeding program at the Shelterbelt Centre is designed
to develop clones that are drought and cold hardy, pest resistant
and fast growing with acceptable wood quality. To date the program
has released four clones that are adapted to the prairies. These
include two male, ('Assiniboine' and 'Manitou') and two female
clones ('Walker' and 'CanAm'). A new female clone, 'Hill' is a
putative hybrid of P. deltoides var. occidentalis
that will be released in the near future. Hybrid poplars developed
at the Shelterbelt Centre are consistently the top performing
clones in evaluations throughout the prairies. Poplar breeding
and selection continues to be a major activity at the Shelterbelt
Centre. Over 200 new clones are being evaluated in plantations
throughout Saskatchewan. A new breeding strategy that concentrates
on development of hardy, fast-growing poplars for short rotation
plantations, carbon sequestration, phytoremediation, riparian
restoration and agroforestry plantings is being initiated.
The environmental and potential economic value of hybrid poplar
on the Canadian prairies including their role as a carbon sink
have prompted the Shelterelt Centre to begin studying drought
adaptation of our best clones. Poplar growth is limited most by
water in the prairies. At a given level of limitation of water,
it is important to know how growth and biomass accumulation would
be affected. A PhD project, currently underway at the Shelterbelt
Centre is focusing on water limitation to the growth of the Populus
deltoides putative hybrid "Walker" in Saskatchewan. An important
aspect of this is the study of water use efficiency of mature
Walker poplar.
Poplar has been studied across Saskatchewan by the Shelterbelt
Centre for its role as a carbon sink. Poplar has great carbon-fixing
capacity because it grows much faster than any other species.
It is relatively easy to measure aboveground carbon in poplars,
compared to soil organic matter or roots. The wood is close to
50% carbon on a dry weight basis and clonal propagation means
that the biomass variability among trees is very small, compared
to other tree stands. The results of the Shelterbelt Centre's
studies and data from other sources on poplar growth have caused
the National Climate Change Secretariat's Issue Table on Carbon
Sinks to recommend a national goal of 50,000 ha of poplar plantation
over a five-year period, 2001-2005 (see website: http://www.nccp.ca/html/tables/pdf/options/Sinks_OR-Sep-23-1999_en.pdf
- page 9). Although not yet approved as government policy, it
appears likely that the value of poplar plantations will be increased
as their carbon-fixing value is recognized.
The Shelterbelt Centre looks forward to working with the Poplar
Council of Canada, industry and other government agencies to realize
the potential of hybrid poplar in the prairies. For further information
on these and other projects related to poplar development in the
prairies contact Bill Schroeder (schroederb@em.agr.ca)
at the PFRA Shelterbelt Centre, Indian Head, Saskatchewan.
Top
Sandra J. Williams for Dave Cheyne
Although the 1999 fiscal year resulted in a deficit of $6,501.04,
the financial situation of the Poplar Council is positive. The
1999 loss is slightly higher than in 1998 because of the costs
associated with moving the PCC Secretariat from Prince Albert
to Edmonton and the development of the web site. However, the
Council has maintained a healthy balance sheet of just over $90,000.00
for the 1999 year end.
The GIC reserves remain intact. When compared with membership
revenues in 1999, the interest earned from the GICs constitute
one third of our basic, typical yearly revenue. Revenue from memberships
were constant at approximately $10,000.00 annually, the majority
of which accrued from Corporate memberships.
From year to year, approximately forty per cent of our annual
operating disbursements are administrative. Administrative costs
include the services and travel of both the executive secretary
and the technical director as well as accounting services.
Our contract work on several conferences in 2000 will offset
the 1999 deficit and secure the PCC's financial situation for
the next few years. The Council will continue to pursue contract
work.
The PCC financial statement was prepared by Harris S. May in
July, 1999. Mr. May judged the accounts to be in order. Information
regarding the accounting statement is available to members by
contacting the Secretariat.
Top
Jim Richardson
This is the fourth annual report to the Poplar Council membership
from the Technical Director, a position that was created by the
Executive Committee in April1997. The general objectives of the
technical director are to supply technical services and advice
to the Council, to promote awareness and support for the Council
and to increase membership. The technical director:
a. takes the lead role on behalf of PCC in the development and
co-ordination of the proposed Canadian Poplar Biotechnology and
Genetics Association linking industry needs to research capabilities
and pursuing research funding;
b. develops contract/partnership opportunities to raise the profile
of PCC and promote the objectives of the PCC and, through fee-for-service
work or contract administration fees, generate revenues for PCC;
c. responds to technical enquiries using E-mail, phone, fax and
mail; contributes to the PCC Newsletter and participates in the
PCC Annual meeting; and
d. provides services to members of a technical rather than purely
administrative nature.
Recognizing the limited budget of the Council, these services
are provided for a minimal level of compensation. As technical
director, I work out of my home office, whose co-ordinates are
given at the end of this report. I devote on average two days
a week to Poplar Council business, but the actual time commitment
varies greatly depending on the tasks at hand.
As suggested in my last report to the Council, the primary focus
in the past year has been on the organization of the 21st Session
of the International Poplar Commission (IPC) which is being jointly
hosted by the US and Canada near Portland, Oregon September 24-30,
2000. Along with Jud Isebrands of the US Forest Service and the
Poplar Council of the US, I have co-chaired the organizing committee
for this major international event, referred to as IPC 2000. The
IPC, which is a subsidiary body of the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the UN, meets only once every 4 years. Two IPC Sessions have
been held in Canada, the last in 1984 in Ottawa. This the first
time an IPC Session has been held in the USA.
The Poplar Councils of the US and Canada are co-hosts for IPC
2000. About 300 people are attending the Session, from most of
the 36 member countries of the Commission. Financial support has
been provided for participants from developing countries such
as India, China and Argentina. The traditional focus of the IPC,
throughout its 52-year history, has been on the breeding and culture
of hybrid poplars, an activity that has been dominated by European
scientists from Italy, France, Belgium and other countries, although
the US and Canada have also been active in this work. However,
we expect that IPC 2000 will open the eyes of the rest of the
IPC world to the very significant role of the aspen resource of
North America, its management and utilization. We can also be
justifiably proud of our North American contributions to poplar
biotechnology and genetic engineering, which are not widely known
elsewhere.
IPC 2000 is an excellent opportunity to showcase our resources
and progress in all aspects of poplars and willows. The program
includes three days of technical sessions for the presentation
of papers and posters related to the theme of "Poplar and willow
culture: meeting the needs of society and the environment". Individual
sessions focus on integration of new tools into long-term breeding
strategies, phytoremediation and environmental policy, conservation
of genetic and environmental resources, willow improvement and
production, breeding for resistance, and world breeding and production
perspectives. The five Working Parties of IPC are also holding
their own sessions.
Field tours are an important part of any IPC Session. During
the conference, all participants have the opportunity of a half-day
visit to the industrial hybrid poplar plantations of the Fort
James company. Following the Session, there are three separate
field tours to: (A) the Columbia River area; (B) north from Portland
to Seattle,; and (C) southern British Columbia and Alberta. Council
members are active in hosting all portions of Tour C which exposes
more than 40 international poplar experts to our successes and
concerns with poplar and aspen in western Canada.
Another means being used to increase awareness of poplars on
this continent is a book which is to be published in conjunction
with IPC 2000. Entitled "Poplar Culture in North America", it
contains two distinct parts. The first is a comprehensive guide
to poplar growing and management in North America. This is essentially
a complete revision and updating of a book produced by Don Dickmann
of Michigan State University in 1983. The second part features
succinct descriptions and illustrations of 50 or 60 of the most
useful poplar clones and cultivars in North America. The book
will be published by the National Research Council of Canada by
the end of 2000 and a copy of the book will be sent to each participant
in IPC 2000. Copies will also be available for general sale, as
a joint project of the Poplar Councils of Canada and the US.
Another, specifically Poplar Council, publication has already
been produced in relation to IPC 2000. Each time IPC meets, each
member country is asked to prepare a comprehensive national report
on activities related to poplar and willow during the period since
the preceding Session. I was successful in securing funds from
the Canadian Forest Service to enable the Council to contract
with Cees van Oosten, one of our members, to prepare the Canadian
national report for IPC 2000. In his work, Cees collected a great
deal of valuable information from across the country. The resulting
report will be a valuable source of data and information for all
our members.
Work on the preparations for IPC 2000 has occupied a great deal
of my time in 1999-00. I have been in almost daily contact with
my US co-chair, as well as with the chair of the Scientific Committee
for the Session (in Italy) and with the IPC Secretariat at FAO
headquarters in Rome, as plans for the session developed. I am
leading the Canadian tour, and am also responsible for coordinating
the production of the book on "Poplar Culture in North America".
I have continued to develop and improve the Poplar Council website.
The proceedings of the 1998 annual meeting held in Quebec have
been made available through the website. A draft summary proceedings
of the 1999 annual meeting held in Edmonton has been prepared,
but not finalized. Membership information within the members-only
section of the website has been revised and updated. News items
and links to other interesting sites, including the IPC 2000 site,
have been added. Reciprocal links have been made to our site from
some of these other sites. Our website is well visited, with 3-4000
visits a month on average. We were perhaps lucky in having been
able to secure a simple and easy to remember URL for our site
(www.poplar.ca).
The website is undoubtedly the source of an ever-increasing number
of technical enquiries we receive, most of which arrive and are
dealt with by E-mail. When I am unable to provide the information
the enquirers request myself, I involve other Council members
who are experts in different fields. Whenever possible, advantage
is taken of the opportunity to promote Council membership in responding
to enquiries from non-members.
As a follow-up to the survey undertaken by the Council two years
ago on interest in a possible Canadian poplar biotechnology co-operative,
efforts have been made to establish a directory of Canadian poplar
scientists. Progress with this has been slow, but it is likely
that the directory will be set up as a subset of an effort of
the Canadian Forest Service in Victoria to establish a directory
of Canadian forest researchers. Discussions have also been held
with the Canadian Forest Service Tree Biotechnology and Advanced
Genetics Network to incorporate factual information about biotechnology
and poplars in the Council's website.
For the first part of the coming year, winding up the affairs
of IPC 2000 will be a primary focus for the technical director.
This will include coordinating the final stages of preparation,
publication and distribution of the book on "Poplar Culture in
North America". Thereafter, I will have more time to devote to
the direct business of the Council. This is likely to include
the further development of the directory of Canadian poplar scientists
and other aspects of work towards the promotion and co-ordination
of a possible Canadian poplar biotechnology co-operative or partnership.
I will also write material for the newsletter, maintain and add
to the website and deal with technical enquiries.
Although my efforts this year have been focussed at the international
level rather than within Canada, I hope that the Poplar Council
of Canada, as one of the two co-hosts of IPC 2000, will be seen
to have benefited from the experience. We have much to show to
the wider poplar world and much to learn from people who work
with poplars and willows in other countries. As co-chair of the
Organizing Committee for IPC 2000, I am deeply grateful to the
many members of the Poplar Council of Canada who have contributed
in one way or another to the success of the event. In particular,
I thank John Doornbos and the Council's Executive for allowing
me to devote my time to IPC 2000. I also express sincere appreciation
to the Council's Executive Secretary, Sandra Williams, who has
also spent much of her time in the past year on IPC 2000, especially
the detailed organization and planning for the Canadian tour.
It is a great pleasure to work with Sandra.
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