Poplar body meet in Dehradun on Oct 29

The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education would host the International Poplar Commissions 24th session its first in India at Forest Research Institute,Dehradun,from October 29

The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education would host the International Poplar Commissions 24th session its first in India at Forest Research Institute,Dehradun,from October 29.

The IPC,founded in 1947,works under the UNs Food & Agriculture Organization and comprises 37 nations,including the US,China,Japan,Germany and Pakistan. Poplar is one of the most important trees for commercial agro-forestry in north India. Its wood is mainly used to make plywood,matchstick and paper.

ICFRE Director General Dr V K Bahuguna said more than 100 delegates from 25 countries would attend the six-day session.

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The session will discuss the contribution of poplars and willows to rural livelihoods and sustainable development,status of and recent advances in poplar and willow aforestation and reforestation for industrial applications,advances in application of poplars and willow for ecological restoration and climate change mitigation,and advances in poplar breeding,biotechnology,forest health.

The session is significant considering the growing interest of various states in poplar-based agro-forestry. At present,according to the FRI,more than 3 lakh hectare are under poplar plantation in western UP,Punjab,Haryana,Uttarakhand,J&K and Himachal Pradesh. ICFRE has also recently introduced poplar on a large scale in Vaishali district,Bihar.