The main areas of work of the Working Party are related to the adaptability of Norway spruce under changing environmental conditions, in particular as related to climate and pollution. One important tool is the network of world provenance trials established under IUFRO's leadership in the 1964-68 and the IUFRO 1972. This network covers such a range of provenances and test sites that it is now able to mimick almost all climate evolutions suggested by climate change models.

Results of research conducted between 1984 and 2006 in the Polish trial at  Krynica (Carpathian Mts, Beskid Sądecki Range) as part of the world provenance IUFRO experiment laid out in 1964 and 1968 are presented. The report includes the estimation of genetic value of stands of the Carpathian Mountains and the protection and preservation of forest biodiversity in Carpathian gene banks. Click here to read more.