European Forest Genetic Resources Programme highlights the relevance of Project CAPTURE for conserving vulnerable tree species
A key step in conserving forests is to identify tree species that are most vulnerable to current and future threats. Project CAPTURE (Conservation Assessment and Prioritization of Forest Trees Under Risk of Extirpation) is a USDA Forest Service-funded tool for doing just this, and for prioritizing conservation approaches. Kevin Potter, a North Carolina State University researcher and EFETAC collaborating scientist, has coordinated the development of Project CAPTURE and its application in the US.
Now, a European organization has begun to explore the use of Project CAPTURE for prioritizing European tree species for conservation. The European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) is an organization of 27 countries that promotes the conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources as a part of sustainable forest management across Europe.
EUFORGEN recently published an article describing how Project CAPTURE has been used in the US, and how it could become a useful tool in Europe for conserving the continent's forest genetic resources. Read the article here. Potter and colleagues have also recently published an article detailing the science behind Project CAPTURE, available here.
