Urban Tree Cultivar Exchange Program of the Netherlands and the United States

Abstract

A program has been developed for exchanging urban tree cultivars and related technical information between The Netherlands and the United States. We discussed with Dutch experts the need for a program, and possible activities in selection of trees, breeding, propagation, performance testing, and evaluation. We also examined experimental plantations, young trees in commercial nurseries, and mature trees in cities. An initial list contains more than 40 cultivars that may be considered for importation into the U.S. The list should be expanded in the future through a more extensive search, and by periodic additions of new cultivars when these are developed through selection and breeding. Decisions to import and test trees should be made only after careful review by scientific and commercial experts. Because valuable information on urban trees is available in both countries, a systematic exchange of information should be organized using simple, inexpensive procedures. The process for selecting cultivars to import, propagate, test, evaluate, and distribute to commercial nurseries needs to be developed further in each country. In The Netherlands the design of procedures is well advanced. Potential cooperators in the U.S. need to agree upon responsibilities and activities promptly if the exchange program is to succeed.