Abstract:

Exotic forestry has become a very important subject in the field of modern forestry and played a more important role than ever before in the development of plantation forestry, wood production, improvement of the living environment for human beings and gene conservation of forest resources. Even though having rich genetic resources of indigenous species, China still use a great number exotic tree species in plantation forests, which is estimated to be of a total area of 8 million ha for more than a quarter of the area of whole plantation forests in the country.A strategy for a long term tree introduction and domestication wherewith exotic forestry is developed. The strategy is essentially composed of the establishment of base population, development of land race and improvement of the land races with wide enough genetic base. Indigenous species which never be grown under silvicultural conditions should be included in the strategy to get naturalized. In the experimental design for field trials of the exotic species or provenance, a certain consideration should be given to the seed production and gene conservation for tree breeding in the future.

Key words: Tree introduction and domestication, Introduction strategy