Overview of the Trees4Future project given by Luc Paques at the kick-off meeting in Orleans, Jan 2012.

1. Trees4Future:
Designing Trees for the Future
Overview
Luc E. Pâques
INRA-Orléans
Trees4Future: Designing Trees for the Future: Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

2. All started sometimes in July 2010:
The call…
‘Research infrastructures for forestry research:
A project under this topic must provide and facilitate access to the
key research infrastructures in Europe for forestry research.
It should aim to integrate these facilities and resources with a long
term perspective.
The overall objective should be to improve services for researchers
working on sustained and multi-functional production of the forests goods
and services as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies,
and preservation of biodiversity in industrial forests’
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

3. General aims of
Research Infrastructures networks
‘To develop synergies and complementary capabilities’
‘To tackle new or unexpected developments in their field’
‘closer interaction between scientists’
‘To facilitate cross-disciplinary fertilisations’
‘wider sharing of knowledge and related technologies’
‘long-term integrating effect’
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

4. General aims of
Research Infrastructures networks
A place to
 Support research projects
 Innovate
 Structure and integrate
 Provide at European level a stabilised frame
for research
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

5. Expectations from an I3-project
(Integrated Initiatives for Infrastructures)
‘Integrate resources &
facilities’
Networking
I3 Access
Research
‘Provide and
‘Improve services’ facilitate access’
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

6. The call…
‘… Improve services for researchers working on
Sustained and multi-functional production of goods and services
as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies,
and preservation of biodiversity in industrial forests’
Faced to 2 major problems
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

7. Species
Does the Flap of a Butterfly's Wings in Brazil shift
set off a Tornado in Texas? (Lorenz 1972) Change of
species
New cohorts of
range
pests
Phenology
shifts
TREES
Climate Tree survival,
growth,
change reproduction
Wood
resource
Wood
properties
More
More extreme
constraining/
abiotic stress
beneficial pedo-
climatic factors Wood
Modified stand economics
management New socio-
economic needs

8. Biotic
agents Productio
Pedo-
n Impacts
climat
e
Genes Cells
Whole tree Wood tissues
Community Timber
Species range Wood resource
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

9. How to do?
Ecol Silvic
ogy ultur
Ecol Silvic e
Wood
ogy ultur scien
e ces
Wood Physi
Ecol scien
ces
Physi
ology
Silvic Gen
Pest/
ology Gen diseas
Pest/
Phy
etics e
Pest/
ogy Gen
etics
diseas
e
ultur disea
siolo etics
Ecol
ogy
Silvic
ultur e se
?
Ecol
ogy
Silvic
ultur
Woo Wood
scien
ces
e
Physi
gy
e Ecol
d
Wood Silvic ology
ogy
Woo
ultur
Ecol
scien Pest/
ces e Ecol Gen
Silvic
Silvic
Wood diseas
Physi ogy
scien etics
ultur e
ology
scien
ces e
Physi
Ecol Wood
d
Pest/ Silvic
Gen
etics
Econ diseas
e
Gen
ogyology
Pest/ Wood
diseas
ultur
e
scien
ces
Physi
ology
Phy ultur ogy
omic
etics e
scien
ces
Physi ces Gen
Pest/
diseas
siolo scien
e
ology Ecol Silvic
e
Ecol etics
Silvic ogy ultur
ogy Pest/ Ecol Silvic
ultur e
Gen diseas ogy
ces
e Wood ultur
s Wood
scien
etics e scien
ces
Physi gy Wood
scien
e
ces
Physi
ology
Pest/ Gen
ology
Pest/
diseas
Pest/ ces
Physi
ology
Econ
Gen diseas Ecol Silvic Pest/
Ecole
omic
etics
Gen disea
Ecol Silvic etics ogy Silvic Gen diseas
e ultur
ogy ultur ogy ultur etics e
e
e Wood e
Wood scien Wood
scien scien
ces
Physi
ology etics
ces
Physi
ology
Pest/
ces
se
Physi
ology s
Pest/ Gen diseas Pest/
Gen diseas etics e Gen diseas
etics e etics e
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

10. European forests
Total forest: 156.5 106 ha
(33% total area)
5% undisturbed by man
FACTS 64% semi-natural 25% protected
24% modified natural 75% ‘cultivated’
7% plantations 50% artificially
Source: MCPFE 2007 regenerated
PERSPECTIVES
Assisted migration
of species
Badeau et al.2004
Focus on cultivated forests …
and on artificially regenerated forests… seed & plants
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

11. Forest genetics & tree breeding…
guiding line of this project
• Seed transfer recommendation
 Assisted migration of species Production
Adaptation/
• Continuous creation of FRM: Mitigation
 Renewal of existing stands for
increase of biomass/ CO2 storage Biodiversity
• 2006-2011: RI-coordination action to foster
cooperation among forest geneticists and
breeders
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

12. Production/
Climate new products
change
Ecology (Eco-)
Physiology Wood quality
Wood formation
Pathology
(entomology) Socio-
economics Projection,
Impact &
Somatic Tree breeding
Dialogue
Embryos and genetics communication
Cryo-bank
Collections
Preservation of Pollen/ Law (ABS)
biodiversity Seed bank DHS
GIS IT
Regulation
Tools Edimburgh 2010
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

13. Vision
• Integrate this multi-disciplinary and multi-scale
context of forestry science
• Use genetics & breeding as a guiding line but through
generic enough activities
No targetted species, except it is cultivated
Focus on
Adaptive traits
Wood production traits
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

14. Trees4Future: what about?
Manage
Obtain data-sets data-sets
Experimentation
Data sets Explore data-
sets
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

15. Trees4Future: what about?
Access to research infrastructures
Experts
Clearing-
groups
house
High-throughput
phenotyping Resource
modeling tools
Data-bases
Spatial
Experimentation Standards modeling
Data sets
Fingerprinting/
traceability platform Statistical & genetic
computation platform
Dissemination- Training
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

16. Trees4Future: what about?
Evaluation Deployment Prediction
(Creation)
Experimentation
Traceability Impacts
Data sets
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

17. Access Networking
(F.Miglietta) I3
Access
Research
Objective: provide & manage access (services)
to a broad range of key-research infrastructures
DB/ documentation
Collections
24 research infrastructures Molecular genetics
Ecophysiology
(WP13 to WP36; WP5) Vegetative propagation
Wood science
Forest modeling/ GIS
Data bases / documentation 3
Collections (insects/fungi/ DNA) 2
Molecular genetics/ genomics 4
Ecophysiology 3
Vegetative propagation 3
Wood sciences /technology 7
Forest modeling/ GIS 2
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

18. Networking
Networking
(G.J.Nabuurs) I3
Access
Research
Objectives:
 to catalyse the mutual coordination and the pooling of resources
 to spread good practice, promoting common protocols and
interoperability, encouraging complementarity
WP5. Access to research
infrastructures
WP3. WP9.
Thematic Clearing-
house
networks
WP11.High-throughput
phenotyping
WP1. Data-bases
WP2.
WP8.Spatial
Experimentation Standardisation modeling
Data sets
WP7.Fingerprinting/
traceability platform WP6.Statistical & genetic
computation platform
WP4. Dissemination-
Training
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

19. Networking
WP5. (F.Miglietta-FEM) I3
Access
Managing access to RI Research
WP1. A unique portal WP2. Common WP3. Key-thematic
for (genetic) standards for tree research networks
databases assessment and
laboratory protocols
(S.Fluch-AIT) (B.de Cuyper-VLAGEW) (J.Climent-INIA)
Experts’ groups on
ture
ec
CO
ST
S
rtie
s
m
arc
hit Phenotypic plasticity
Ste
&E
pe
U-
co
ro
lla
bo
Phenology
dp
rat
ive Pe
pr o
oo
jec st
ts &
W
dis
its ea
Adaptive tra se
Grow
Forest social/societal
th & B
iomas
s acceptability
WP4. Dissemination, outreach, training Research community
Professional community
Forest-sector industry
(L.Roihuvuo-EFI) Public
Policy-makers

20. Research Networking
(L.E.Pâques) I3
Access
Objectives: Research
 to improve, in quality or quantity, the services provided by the
infrastructures
 to explore new technology/ technique
Access to research infrastructures
WP9.
Experts
groups
Clearing-
WP11.High- house
throughput
phenotyping WP10.Resource
Data-bases modeling tools
Experimentation Standards
WP8.Spatial
modeling
Data sets
WP7.Fingerprinting/
traceability platform WP6.Statistical &
genetic computation
platform
Dissemination- Training
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

21. WP6. Integrated statistical platform Networking
for analysing forest genetic resources
I3
Access
Research
(Leader: L.Sanchez-INRA)
Facts: increased complexity of sources of information (number and nature of
traits, trials, large pedigrees,…)
No unified system for data analysis: open source, easy data-flow, friendly-user,
cheap…
Objectives:
- to make available a comprehensive statistical suite of tools
- designed by and for forest tree scientists and breeders, and aimed to
genetic experiments
- to make it open to continuous improvements within/ beyond T4F
 Ready-to-use statistical platform & training
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

22. WP7. Development of a platform for Networking
fingerprinting and traceability
I3
Access
Research
(Leader: B.Heinze-BFW)
Facts: many scattered molecular labs, specialised in various research fields,
species and markers
Objectives: To assemble a core group of laboratories for progressing
towards a unified system of identification, fingerprinting and
traceability
o collect available methods & standardise protocols
o develop new protocols & evaluate next generation DNA sequencing and genotyping
o review and discuss new traceability systems
 Service facilities for identification/fingerprinting
 Roadmap for a unified traceability system of FRM and timber
across Europe
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

23. WP8. Spatial modeling of breeding regions Networking
and future site suitability matching
I3
Access
Research
(Leader: R.Duncan-FR)
Facts: too little information on the autoecology of species and questions about
which material to be used in which site with prospects of climate change,
Need expressed by breeders for pan-European breeding zones delineation
Objectives: Pedo -Climate Climate
databases simulations
Provenance
variability Climate matching tools
(knowledge-based, empirical,
process-based models)
 Web-deployment of site-climate matching tools for tree breeding zones,
 Guidance tools for proper choice of suitable origins/species to increase the
adaptive capacity of forests to climate change in Europe
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

24. WP9. Clearinghouse with GIS Networking
functionality for forestry research data
I3
Access
Research
(Leader: S.Janssen-Alterra)
Facts: Multiple sources of information
Need to facilitate access and use of forestry research data
Objective: Improve the availability Shared ontology specifying conceptual
schema inc. spatial relationships
and use of (spatial) research data
respecting IPR of the data-owners Data set
1
 Common reference framework (i.e. ontology) Spatially enabled
Researchers
Data set
 Institutional framework 2 Clearinghouse
 GIS capabilities of data sources
Data set Models and
n other analysis
methods
 Develop a Clearing house as a common reference point to access
the data sources made available through geo-enabled web services
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

25. WP10. Developing modes of
Networking
I3
compatibility of modeling tools Research
Access
(Leader: G.J.Nabuurs-EFI)
Facts: several large scale tools are available to assess goods and services and
sustainability, but need to input genetic variability and wood quality
parameters
Objectives
TOSIA: sustainability assessment
TOSIA; sustainabiliy assessment
T4F genetic data model
Wp 1 / wp 4 EFISCEN: empirical european
European
forest resource model JRC EFDAC:
Other data European
european
-FORGER forest data
-EVOLTREE ORCHIDEE:
ORCHIDEE, dynamic vegetation centre
-Wp 8 model for atmosphere – biosphere
-Wood quality system
requirements
 More open and accessible model and data system, on climate change impacts
as influenced by genetic diversity, and on resulting impacts on future wood
assortments
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

26. WP11. Improvement of medium/ high Networking
throughput phenotyping of traits
I3
Access
Research
(Leader: L.E.Pâques-INRA)
Facts: Many forestry research activities are impeded by the cost/ time/
complexity/ destruction of trees/ and/or the uncertain reliability of assessment
methods
Objectives: to improve/develop alternative reliable methods for
assessing complex traits with a focus on some adaptive traits (phenology
& tree water relations and response to drought) and wood properties
(chemical contents, natural durability, spiral grain, density)
- Explore - develop new tools, methods (near-remote sensing, cambial
phenology, robot, specific metabolites, 2D-scanner, DSC-TGA, etc)
- Standardise methods (M/N-IRS sampling & calibration, phenology, etc)
 Medium/high throughput phenotyping methods to be transferred to TA labs
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

27. Trees4Future: who?
The actors – the consortium
Country Code Institute
Austria 2 AIT
28 partners from 13 countries
5 BFW
6 BOKU
Belgium 19 VLAGEW
24 UGENT
26 JRC
11
28 IW
Finland 11 EFI 23
23 METLA 21
France 1 INRA
7 CEA
14
12 FCBA
22 IT
Germany 4 ASP 15
25 VTI 3 17
24
27 SBS 1926 25 27
Great-Britain 14 FR 28
122
Italy 9 CNR 7 4 25
10 CRA 6
13 FEM 16
12
Netherlands (The) 3 ALTERRA 8
9
Poland 15 IBL 10
17 IDPAN 13
20
Portugal 18 IICT 18
Romania 16 ICAS
Spain 8 CIDTG
20 INIA
Sweden 21 INNVENTIA
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

28. Coordination: INRA
Associate-coordination: EFI
Administrative management: INRA-Transfert
Duration: 48 months
Start: 01/11/2011
Budget (total): 9 106 euros
EU-contribution: 7 106 euros
Scientific officer: Mrs A.M. Johansson
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

29. Conclusion
• Europe is a chance…
• But ambition & courage are needed:
– From scientists
– From headquarters
– From forestry-wood chain actors
– From EU
Trees4Future Orléans, January 18, 2012: kick-off meeting

30. Thanks
To
A.Baker & L.Premvardhan (IT)
P.Montes… (INRA)