Dear Colleagues, I find that many interesting discussions raised on these mails have already got a solution in my synthesis book "Génétique et Amélioration des arbres forestiers". Please see hereunder a presentation. This synthesis book has already obtained a fair success among French speaking researchers and foresters. Why not among English speaking ones since these two languages are rather similar at the reading stage? Furthermore, thanks to a simple style and *bilingual entries of a large glossary* relating to relevant chapters and *preventing long readings*, the English readers should *understand* the essence of this book *with little knowledge of French.* So are some reasons why I hope that you will acquire, Dear Colleague, this *handbook* for* your desk, *for* your library *and also for* your collaborators.** * With my best Forest Geneticist's seasons greetings! -- Alphonse NANSON Prof hon. Forest Geneticist Rue Chapelle-Dieu 29A B-5030 Gembloux (Belgium) nanson.a(a)skynet.be <mailto:nanson.a@skynet.be> ----------------------------------------------- NANSON, A. (2004) *Génétique et amélioration des arbres forestiers*. Les presses agronomiques de Gembloux. 712 p., 103 ill., 25 tabl. ISBN 2-87016-070-4. Price: Belgium: 60 € + mail (7,50 €); abroad: 68 €[1] <#_ftn1> + mail (± 10 €) -see *Site* for exact values- */Purchase Address/*: Presses Agronomiques, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux: tel/fax 00 32/81/62 22 42, Email: pressesagro(a)fsagx.ac.be <mailto:pressesagro@fsagx.ac.be>; For direct purchase, see */Site/*: http://www.bib.fsagx.ac.be/presses/. <http://www.bib.fsagx.ac.be/presses/> (idem for the cover picture) /Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding/ have progressed considerably and researchers have diversified into many divergent fields. This synthesis and comprehensive book aims to: (1) present a state of the art at the dawn of this new century, (2) introduce many important innovations and new concepts, (3) provide practical guidelines to foresters for afforestations and regenerations, (4) restore links among more and more divergent specialists. Based on 40 years of experience, it focuses on practice of forest tree breeding and of forest genetic resources management. The principles and methods developed in this book can be applied to any forest species in the world. Forest Tree Breeding can *increase*, in a significant and *sustainable* way, with minimal investment per unit of area: the *productivity*, quality, adaptation and resistance of forest plantations, without inputs such as pesticides or fertilizers. Indirectly, it contributes to atmospheric *CO_2 sequestration*, a new growing concern of this age. Forest Tree Breeding is therefore one of the most ecologic and economic ways of applying the Laws of Nature. Oil is becoming rare and more expensive, world population and need in renewable wood products are increasing continuously. On the contrary, the *area of productive forests is decreasing*, either by use for agriculture or even by destruction in the tropics, or by their use for nature conservancy in temperate countries. The *increase of production per unit of area* becomes therefore a *necessity*. That is precisely one of the major purposes of Forest Tree Breeding. With the *concept of broaden heritability*, this book presents also a new vision of genetic and environment relationships. It proposes also quite new concepts as for example: "*the forest variety*" and its main consequences, *a unified theory* and wording in *quantitative genetics*, early testing and nursery selection, genetic resources management, compacts and *simple programmes for developing countries*, ... For the field forester, the detailed list of *recommendable provenances et varieties*, given species by species, for planting in Belgium and countries of Western Europe is a simple tool to *increase readily forest production*. This consultation and reference manual is aimed principally at professionals, students and skilled amateurs in forestry and genetics, but also in agroforestry, dendrology, agronomy, horticulture, ecology, biology, botany and possibly in zoology and medicine since genetics represents an integrating factor of the whole biology (microbes, plants, animals, men). Its *comprehensive* referenced *glossary* with bilingual entries permits a *rapid consultation* of relevant chapters *without long readings*. It is the only one to be written for half a century in Europe. /Though written in French, this book uses a rather direct and simple style in order to be accessible to English readers. The technical language being very similar with the same Latin roots and keywords being translated in the glossary, the English readers should understand the essence of this book with little knowledge of French. Moreover, were not the founders of IUFRO in 1892 in Berlin considering that any forest researcher should be able to read German, French and English, without being necessarily able to speak them?/ /Alphonse NANSON/, Engineer of Waters and Forests, Doctor in agronomy, Honorary Professor of the Faculty of Gembloux, has been researcher at the Forest Experiment Station of Groenendaal (Brussels) and after at the Station of Gembloux (Wallonia). Besides his basic work on foundations of Forest Genetics, he has among other things, determined the best recommendable provenances for Belgium and Western Europe and has developed highly producing varieties that are already increasing sustainable productivity and quality of Walloon and Belgian forests. His scientific publications have been honoured by various academic awards, including the IUFRO Scientific Award attributed to him in Oslo in 1976. He has made many missions in Europe, in the United States and in Developing Countries where he has successfully developed various long term Tree Breeding Programmes. * Contents* *Préface de J. KLEINSCHMIT* *Chapitre 1 : Introduction* 1.1. Bref historique 1.2. Objectifs de l'amélioration 1.3. Gains et rentabilité *Chapitre 20 : Notions de base* 2.1. Aspects biologiques des espèces forestières 2.2. Écologie génétique 2.3. Génétique des populations 2.4. Généalogie, parenté, consanguinité, /outbreeding/ 2.5. Génétique quantitative 2.6. Dispositifs d'expérimentation en forêt *Chapitre 3 : Sélection des populations* 3.1. Espèces 3.2. Provenances 3.3. Région de provenance et peuplements à graines *Chapitre 4 : Sélection individuelle* 4.1. Méthode classique 4.2. Sélection d'arbres plus 4.3. Multiplication végétative 4.4. Parcs à Clones 4.5. Vergers à graines 4.6. Schémas de croisements et tests de descendances 4.7. Variétés clonales *Chapitre 5 : Stratégies et programmes d'amélioration* 5.1. Définitions 5.2. Stratégies 5.3. Programmes d'amélioration 5.4. Discussion *Chapitre 6 : Questions spéciales* 6.1. Amélioration par polyploïdie, mutations, génie génétique et autres biotechnologies, OGM (*/GMO/*) 6.2. Marqueurs génétiques 6.3. Amélioration du peuplier (6.3.3. Foresterie à courte révolution et séquestration du carbone) 6.4. Sélection massale en pépinière 6.5. Régénération naturelle 6.6. Gestion des ressources génétiques forestières 6.7. Amélioration dans les pays en développement 6.8. Contrôle et certification des matériels forestiers de reproduction *Chapitre 7 : Conclusions et perspectives* Bibliographie Annexes Glossaire ______________________ nanson.a(a)skynet.be <mailto:anson.a@skynet.be> NoticE.doc, 21/11/2008. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1] <#_ftnref1> Including a part of the mail costs as well.