Forest Reproductive Material and Forest Tree Breeding

Suitable origin and good quality of forest reproductive material are essential in forest regeneration. Forest tree seedlings and seeds sold must be healthy and meet the quality criteria set for them.

The trade of forest reproductive material is regulated through the Act on Trade in Forest Reproductive Material implementing Council Directive 1999/105/EC on the marketing of forest reproductive material. The responsible supervising authority is the Finnish Food Authority.

The Natural Resources Institute Finland is responsible for forest tree breeding in Finland as its statutory duty. One of the foremost goal of the genetic improvement is the adaptation to climate change of future reforestation materials. In the southern part of the country the main commercial goal is improved volume growth of high quality timber whereas in northern Finland, the trait of highest importance is climatic hardiness, which in these circumstances also guarantees both good timber production and its high quality.

By using bred seed, a forest owner can achieve a 15–20 per cent growth increase in comparison with seed collected from a forest stand. Bred seed is produced in seed orchards. The foundation is based on the national seed orchard programme (2011) and it is financed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The new seed orchard establishment program was completed in August 2023.

The foremost aim of the national forest tree breeding and the national seed orchard programs is to ensure the availability of genetically improved and well adapted material for forest regeneration.

New EU Regulation Adopted

On 19 May 2026, the European Parliament formally adopted a new Regulation on the production and marketing of forest reproductive material. The Council had already approved the Regulation in April. It will start to apply after a five-year transitional period. The new Regulation replaces the Directive on the marketing of forest reproductive material that has been in force for over 20 years.

The Regulation aims to ensure the high quality of forest reproductive material (seeds and seedlings). It retains the key principles and terminology of the current Directive. Professional operators dealing with forest reproductive material will continue to be required to register in the register maintained by the Finnish Food Authority. All basic material used for the production of forest reproductive material, such as seed orchards, must also be registered.

The Finnish Food Authority issues a master certificate for each seed lot of forest reproductive material, certifying its origin and genetic background. The origin information follows the lot throughout the entire production chain. The information must be provided up to the final user, who can use it when selecting suitable material for forest regeneration.

The Regulation also aims to strengthen Member States’ preparedness for disturbances. EU Member States are encouraged to develop contingency plans to ensure the availability of forest reproductive material, for example in the event of large-scale forest fires or pest outbreaks. In addition, control will be streamlined by harmonising practices between Member States.

The new Regulation will apply as such in all Member States and will harmonise practices across the EU. During the transitional period, the necessary amendments to national legislation will be prepared. This work will begin in the next government term. In Finland, the Finnish Food Authority will remain the competent authority, responsible for the implementation of the Regulation as well as for guiding and supervising professional operators in the sector.

Further information

Sanna Paanukoski, Ministerial Adviser
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Natural Resources Department, Unit for Forestbioeconomy Telephone:0295162449 Email Address: firstname.lastname@gov.fi

Forest Reproductive Material and Forest Tree Breeding

New EU Regulation Adopted

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