2008 Biotechnology Summit and Varietal Field Tour

ArborGen LLC, Dougherty & Dougherty Forestry Services, and the Forest Landowners Association invite you to the 2008 Biotechnology Summit and Varietal Field Tour in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. With new market opportunities in bioenergy and carbon credits, private forest landowners and the managers of their forests need the best information available to ensure they are reaching the maximum potential out of their trees. Recent improvements in biotechnology have increased the potential productivity and value production in both pine and hardwood plantation management. This summit is your opportunity to learn how these new advances can be applied to your forests, and inform you of the increased potential and silvicultural applications needed to reach this potential. The forests of tomorrow will have to compete in a global economy, so now is the time to plant the forests of tomorrow with the best information available today. Attendees can expect to gain a better understanding of: · Possible gains from specific pine and hardwood varieties · Efforts being made to improve our estimates of future yield and value from these advanced plantations. · How site preparation and the use of site resources affect diameter variability and potential harvest value · New tip-moth and grass control measures for intensive plantations · Potential changes in management regimes made possible by "narrow-crown" varieties · Silvicultural activities necessary to maximize productivity from advanced plantations Research community professionals will get a detailed update on new research being completed, including: · The growth and yield challenges for modeling varietals and information on the processes and programming underway to meet these needs · Results and tour of the ArborGen Testing Services Site at Bolton, North Carolina, demonstrating first-hand differences in productivity, variability, and crown architecture · Results of the USFS's Cross Carbon Study showing keys to isolating culture treatment variability · Opportunities to better and more efficiently control tip-moth in their tests · Findings and suggestions for new models of research funding and focusing Varietal Field Tour The tour will consist of three locations. The first location is an ArborGen Testing Service field trial of three-year-old loblolly pine varieties. Emphasis will be on varietal testing and selection, as well as silvicultural considerations to maximize the value of varietal seedlings. The second location is a six-year-old varietal stand of cottonwood. The opportunity for hardwood plantations and the silviculture to support rapid growth and high returns will be covered. The third location is a six-year-old stand of mass control pollinated (MCP) loblolly pine and several families of open pollinated loblolly pine. Rotation age projections of the much higher value of MCP stands will be presented. Registration Pre-registration is required, and is $135 per person. The registration deadline is February 20. Registration is available online at www.forestlandowners.com/events or by calling the Forest Landowners Association at (800) 325-2954. Hotel Reservations Forest Landowners Association has secured a meeting rate of $99 for a standard room at the Holiday Day Inn SunSpree Resort, 1706 N. Lumina Ave., Wrightsville Beach, NC. You may make reservations at the SunSpree Resort by calling (877) 330-5050. You must mention Forest Landowners Association to get the special hotel rate. The deadline for this discounted room rate is January 28.

For more information, visit
http://www.forestlandowners.com/events