Plant & Seed Supply Policy

 

The quality and productivity of forests are dependent upon the
genetic quality of the seed we use when raising plants for forest
use.  We must therefore select seed sources with care and
manage them to maxamise their yield of high quality seed. The
Forestry Commission has a duty to encourage the use of seed
under the best genetic quality to improve forest productivity.
Additionally, under the Forest Reproductive Material Regulations
2002 seed cuttings and plants of certain species may not
normally be marketed in this country unless they are derived
from approved and registered sources either in this country or
another Member State of the European Union (EU). Responsibility for implementing the regulations in Great Britain is vested in the Forestry Commissioners. To assist in carrying out these responsibilities and to encourage the use of good quality seed of all tree species grown for timber production in the UK, the "National Register of Basic Material for the Production of Forest Reproductive Material" has been compiled. Country Services Guide No.1 'Forest Reproductive Material'  outlines the regulations and sets the procedures for the registration of seed sources in private woodlands.

Our policy is, wherever practicable, to raise plants for our use from seed of the best genetic quality we can obtain from home sources and to make that seed available to the private sector through our seed trading enterprise. It is also our policy, where the necessary investment is cost-effective, to improve the genetic quality of the seed available by selection and breeding programmes and the subsequent establishment of seed orchards. Suitable material for seed orchard establishment will be made available to the private sector when they ask, although the supply of such material will incur a charge to recover the total associated production cost. For further information please use the links on the left.