Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoi supported Russian scientists’ proposal of to establish a special forest tree  genome database. This will make it possible to start accumulating a federal fund of seeds of valuable forest species, to considerably improve the quality of forest restoration projects and to boost forest productivity.

The most promising, genetically valuable and pest-resistant database genes will be selected using a unique DNA marking method and stored over long time periods. In the future, selected samples will be used to quickly obtain large amounts of high-quality saplings.

Minister Donskoi noted that experts in European Russia already have the required experience, and that a Far Eastern genome database could be established soon. “The issue of setting up gene storage centers is highly relevant for this federal district because the forest restoration process is closely linked with our international obligations regarding the preservation of the Amur tiger and leopard populations,” Donskoi said. He said the area of Far Eastern cedar and deciduous forests has decreased four-fold in the past 100 years, and that this threatens the tiger population and other rare animals with extinction. “At the same time, we can already store and grow the required number of trees that we need on a commercial scale,” he noted. “With regard to the Far East, this primarily concerns such forest  species as the Korean cedar, as well as valuable larch and silver fir varieties,” Donskoi noted, adding that he will soon discuss prospects for establishing a forest seed center and forest tree gene storage facility with the governors of Far Eastern regions.