[06 September 2006]
[SUBMISSION: ENGLISH]
Question 1. Does your country have any plantations, either commercial or experimental, of genetically modified trees?
No.
If yes, please answer all remaining questions.
If no, please state the reason why:
The two major forest plantation species in Australia are native temperate eucalypts and exotic pine species. There is a national regulatory organization (Office of Gene Technology Regulator) established to monitor approval of field trials of GM plants. At this stage there have been no applications for commercial or experimental field trials of GM trees.
It is likely that OGTR’s major concern about GM trees would be focused on the likelihood of movement of transgenes into native populations and the ecological consequences of this, in particular the affect of the transgene on weediness and the consequent impacts on biodiversity. With eucalypts the concern is about movement of transgenes into surrounding forests containing interfertile species. Pines are considered a weed species in some environments so increased weediness would be an issue.
Application of GM technology in Australia is hindered by a number of factors, including the size of the forest industry, the perception that there is likely to be strong public opposition to GM trees, and the anticipated cost of obtaining approval for commercial release after extensive and expensive field trials. In addition, it is likely that total sterility will be a requirement for some or most GM trees in Australia, placing an additional research/application costs on the relatively small industry. While Australia grapples with these issues, other countries are beginning to establish commercial trials. It is likely that the Australian industry will eventually feel considerable pressure to adopt GM trees in order to remain competitive in the global economy. There is some concern that these pressures may eventually result in movement of fertile GM eucalypts into Australia via illegal routes.
Question 2. Has your country developed any platform/discussion forum/national committee etc. dealing with genetically modified trees?
To the best of our knowledge there has not been a national initiative dealing with GM trees. This is probably because the industry is not pushing for the uptake of this technology yet. There is discussion between scientists in national research organizations. CSIRO/Ensis supports the responsible uptake of GM technology and CSIRO scientists have held a public forum to discuss GM technology in forestry (Talkback Science @ CSIRO Discovery forum on ‘Forestry Biotechnology: Has it a home among the gum trees (and pine trees)? CSIRO Discovery – Thursday 22nd June 2006). At a Federal government level, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry has started work on a status report on GM trees in terms of the issue of GM forest technology in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and Australia’s position thereof.
3. Does your country have any guidelines or regulations for minimizing the impacts of genetically modified trees for scientific and/or commercial purposes?
No. The OGTR does not have in place guidelines specific for forestry. Whatever the OGTR decides in relation to forestry will be in direct response to specific applications for release of GM trees after consultation with its scientific and ethics committees. Australia’s regulatory system focuses on the specific biology of the target species and the engineered trait on a case-by-case basis, allowing for the assessment of a wide range of characteristics across all plant species, including forest trees.
Environmental impacts of genetically modified trees
(Example: effects on native ecosystems, use of herbicide)
Possible environmental impacts are key considerations within OGTR guidelines and regulations for all plant species, including trees. The biology of the target species is evaluated as well as the impacts of the genes introduced, be they for herbicide tolerance or any other trait. Potential negative impacts must be considered and addressed in applications for release in order to receive approval for any introduction into the environment.
Cultural impacts of genetically modified trees
(Example: positive or negative impacts on indigenous and local communities and their traditional knowledge)
If GM trees were approved in Australia it is unlikely that they would have any impact on local communities beyond the impact that non-GM plantation forestry is having.
We are not in position to comment on the impact or the response of Aboriginal communities to GM trees.
Socio-economic impacts of genetically modified trees
(Example: positive or negative effects on quantity, quality and economic value of forest
production; positive or negative impacts on livelihoods of communities)
It is likely that the Australian industry will eventually feel considerable pressure to adopt GM trees in order to remain competitive in the global economy.
FORESTRY SCIENCE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE
[01 September 2006]
[SUBMISSION: ENGLISH]
[27 November 2006]
[SUBMISSION: ENGLISH]
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