Charity Aims To Improve Future Woodlands

A charity has been created which is dedicated to improvement of the quality of native broadleaved trees through tree breeding programmes.

Future Trees Trust was launched today by Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Michelle O’Neill and Shane McEntee, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The launch took place at the Agri Food Biosciences Institute (AFBI), in Loughgall.

The charity’s vision is to realise the economic, social and environmental benefits of broadleaved woodland by ensuring that, by 2050, anyone planting broadleaved trees in Britain or Ireland primarily to produce timber can do so using the highest standard of improved material.

Locally, Future Trees Trust will be undertaking research and a series of trials to develop and conserve the genetic material needed to achieve this vision and will be a source of advice to all stakeholders in broadleaved woodlands. Much of this research is being undertaken at AFBI sites with assistance of Forest Service.

At the launch Minister O’Neill said: “We are keen to encourage more planting so that we will have better access to woodlands for recreation and tourism, for health and the economy, and to offset the causes of climate change. In addition to this many woodland owners and farmers who invest in woods will eventually wish to produce economic benefits from their timber.

“This is why I welcome the work that the Future Trees Trust is doing with AFBI, the Forest Service and other partners to improve the timber quality of our native broadleaved trees, using conventional tree breeding techniques, so that they are straighter, more finely branched, and faster growing.”

(CD/GK)