The New Brunswick Gene Conservation Working Group was formed in 1997. The goal of the group is to develop gene conservation strategies for native New Brunswick trees and shrubs. The first step in achieving this goal was to identify which species require attention and may need a gene conservation strategy. This was done by assessing a number of factors for each species. For example, 1) is the species rare; 2) is there a serious threat from disease or insect pests that will impact this species; 3) is the preferred habitat of the species in great demand for other uses?
This guide does not list all native New Brunswick tree and shrub species; rather, it lists 26 species that may require gene conservation strategies. This guide is intended to help identify these species and to increase awareness of the importance of these natural resources.
The information used to evaluate whether a species requires conservation attention was taken from a wide variety of sources (forest inventory databases, historical information, and herbaria) and in consultation with woodlot owners, conservationists, and people from industry and provincial and federal forestry agencies. This list is not static; it will be constantly evolving, with various species being added and removed.