INITIATIVE WILL CREATE NATIONAL FOREST BIOTECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE, STRENGTHEN RESEARCH
November 2, 1999 | from a press release
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - Every year, each American uses enough paper and wood products to equal a 100-foot tall tree, 16 inches in diameter.
That demand is projected to rise, while pressures to preserve trees and reduce logging on public lands increase. Forestry leaders in North Carolina and throughout the country are encouraging forestry companies to use biotechnology to grow more wood on less land and to produce hardier trees with better traits.
"This year, 1999, is the time to merge trees and biotechnology in ways we haven't done before," said Robert B. Jordan III, president of Jordan Lumber and former North Carolina lieutenant governor. "We've been able to accomplish wonderful things with soybeans and corn, but the question is how do we deal with trees? How do we do it for industry, public and economic gain? And most importantly, how do we get North Carolina out in front?"
To answer those questions, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center this year created the Advisory Committee on Forest Biotechnology, chaired by Jordan and consisting of 28 forestry industry representatives, government officials and university researchers. After five monthly meetings at the Center, the committee issued four recommendations.
One recommendation is to strengthen the national forest biotechnology endeavor through a new organization: the American Institute for Forest Biotechnology. To be located in North Carolina, the non-profit corporation will fund research, address societal issues and assist industry in adopting the new technology.
A second recommendation is to strengthen the extensive forest biotechnology program at North Carolina State University. The program recently received a $4.4 million National Science Foundation grant. NCSU forestry professor Ronald Sederoff, also a committee member, will use the grant to coordinate the sequencing of the loblolly pine tree's genetic material. "North Carolina is an especially suitable place for forest biotechnology," Sederoff said. "It is strong in forestry research and strong in biotechnology. We think we can use the strengths to strengthen and protect our forest resources and to produce economic gain." The committee's recommendations have received support from Gov. James B. Hunt Jr., who endorsed them Oct. 28 at a Center briefing for him and NCSU Chancellor Marye Anne Fox.
"This is the right thing to do, this is the smart thing to do, and I want to see us do it," Hunt said.
Hunt was especially interested in the possibilities of the new technology for helping the flood-ravaged economy in eastern North Carolina, where about half of the state's trees for commercial use are grown. Biotechnology is also helping protect land used to grow Christmas trees - primarily Fraser firs - in western North Carolina.
"This could be a major part of economic resurgence in jobs and growth for our whole state," Hunt said. The forestry industry employs 140,000 people in North Carolina and produces about 6.3 percent of the state's manufacturing revenue. Robert Kellison, committee vice chairman and director of forest technology and forest products for Champion International Corp., said the state's tree growers are facing increasing competition from other countries. Warmer climates and better soils in South America and Indonesia mean pine trees can grow three times as fast as they can in North Carolina. But other varieties of wood, including eucalyptus, can produce five to 10 times as much wood as the state's forests, making foreign wood much cheaper. "Our research has shown us that we can approach that level with biotechnology, but not quite reach it," Kellison said. "The industry is just absolutely convinced we're going to have to have biotechnology to be competitive." The committee discussed those and other industry trends, scientific progress, environmental issues and societal pressures. Intellectual property matters, transferring technology from universities to industry and university- industry research cooperatives were also discussed. The committee agreed a non-profit institute could help address these and other issues. Once the institute is incorporated, it will operate separately from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. The institute will not perform laboratory research, but could address intellectual property issues, including whether companies should exclusively hold access to some research tools. It could also organize a public bank of tree germplasm accessible to industry and academic research communities, and conduct public service campaigns to inform people about the advantages of forest biotechnology. This week, a task force of forestry leaders from throughout the country will begin planning the institute as well as an international meeting of forestry industry executives and scientists to be held in North Carolina in the near future.
SOURCE North Carolina Biotechnology Center
