New Zealand Journal of Forestry (2015) 60(1): 26–30
©New Zealand Institute of Forestry

Feature article
Tree genetic resources for forest biosecurity - a gap in statutory provisions and its ramifications

Rowland D. Burdon ¹ and Heidi S. Dungey <sup>2

1</sup> Emeritus Scientist, Forest Genetics team, Scion, Rotorua
² Science Leader, Forest Genetics team, Scion, Rotorua

New Zealand’s Biosecurity Act 1993 has extensive provisions for coping with uncontained incursions of injurious organisms, or ‘pests’. The Act defines a framework of policy that is of vital importance to the New Zealand forestry industry. The planted forest estate, being predominantly radiata pine (ca. 90%), is especially vulnerable to uncontained forest pest incursions. The Act specifies protocols for quarantine and containment of pests, but there is a notable gap in respect of conserving, managing and preparing backup forest genetic material that could be used to combat a possible biotic crisis. The importance of being able to generate and deploy pest-resistant or pest-tolerant genetic material is effectively not recognised. The use of such material can be considered a ‘rear’ line of defence, but it requires much forward preparation. The potential seriousness of this gap, and how it stands to be exacerbated by commercial, institutional, biological and other policy factors, is reviewed.
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