The Forest Reproductive Material Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002

Regulation 4(1)(b)

SCHEDULE 3 MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE APPROVAL OF BASIC MATERIAL INTENDED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF REPRODUCTIVE MATERIAL TO BE CERTIFIED AS “SELECTED”

General

The Department will assess a stand with respect to the purpose specified in the application made under regulation 7(7) to which the reproductive material produced from it is intended to be put (“the specified purpose”). It shall give due weight to such of the criteria for selection set out in paragraphs 1 to 10 below as are appropriate to the specified purpose.

Origin

1.  The Department shall determine either by historical evidence or other appropriate means whether the stand is autochthonous, indigenous or neither (in which case the origin must be established if known), or that the origin is not known.

Isolation

2.  The Department shall be satisfied that stands are situated at a reasonable distance from poor stands of the same species, or from stands of a related species or variety which can form hybrids with the species in respect of which application is made, so as to reduce the chances of the stand’s quality and characteristics being detrimentally affected by such poor stands. The Department shall pay particular attention to this requirement when the stands surrounding autochthonous or indigenous stands are not autochthonous or indigenous or if they are of unknown origin.

Effective Size of the Population

3.  The Department shall be satisfied that stands consist of one or more groups of trees well distributed and sufficiently numerous to ensure adequate inter-pollination. Selected stands shall consist of a sufficient number and density of individuals on a given area so as to avoid the unfavourable effects of inbreeding.

Age and Development

4.  Stands must consist of trees of such an age or stage of development that the Department may clearly assess them against the criteria given for the selection.

Uniformity

5.  The Department shall be satisfied that stands show a normal degree of individual variation in morphological characters and, when in the Department’s judgment it is necessary, inferior trees shall be removed.

Adaptation

6.  Adaptation to the ecological conditions prevailing in the Region of Provenance must be evident to the Department.

Health and Resistance

7.  Trees in stands must in general be free from attacks by damaging organisms and show resistance to any adverse climatic and site conditions in the place where they are growing, except that resistance to damage by pollution need not be demonstrated.

Volume production

8.  For the approval of stands, the Department shall be satisfied that volume production of wood is superior to the accepted mean under similar ecological and management conditions.

Wood Quality

9.  The Department shall take into account the quality of the wood and, if it thinks fit in any particular case, may regard this as an essential criterion.

Form or Growth Habit

10.  The Department shall be satisfied that trees in stands show particularly good morphological features, especially straightness and circularity of stem, favourable branching habit, small size of branches and good natural pruning. In addition, it shall be satisfied that the proportion of forked trees and those showing spiral grain is low.