The OECD Scheme for the Certification of Forest Reproductive Material seeks to encourage the production and use of forest tree seeds or plants that have been collected, processed, raised, labelled and distributed in a manner that ensures their trueness to name. This certified material is intended for use in a variety of forestry functions, including timber production, soil protection, and environmental criteria.

The OECD Scheme for the Control of Forest Reproductive Material Moving in International Trade is open to OECD members as well as to other states. To date, 29 participating countries implement the Scheme (including tropical countries developing their seed exchange for reforestation purposes). Seeds and plants are produced and officially controlled according to harmonised procedures.

The OECD Forest Seed and Plant Scheme defines four broad categories of forest reproductive material that are recognised for certification: 1) source-identified material (minimum standards); 2) material from selected stands located in well-delimited regions of provenance; 3) qualified material from untested seed orchards and 4) tested material from tested seed orchards or stands which can produce seed of improved quality.

OECD labels are used according to the category of the forest reproductive material they fall under. The labelled material is recognised internationally as "QUALITY GUARANTEED" and "OF CONTROLLED ORIGIN". To date, the participating countries have approved 402 tree species that are eligible for OECD certification of reproductive material.

The rules were updated to reflect the growing commercial importance of new types of material derived from breeding programmes, including new forestry production and tree improvement techniques.

Our online database contains details on 275 tree species approved as eligible for OECD certification. (new version forthcoming)

The aim of the OECD/ISTA Handbook of Seed Testing and Nursery Practices is to provide users with a useful tool to identify seeds and seedlings and to facilitate the international trade of these materials. This handbook was developed as a database and it provides comprehensive information on seed testing and nursery practices.

» Access the Handbook

Intergovernmental Organisations

• European Commission - Agriculture and Rural Development (EC)
• European Commission on Health and Food Safety (EC)
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)

Non Governmental Organisations

• Center For International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
• Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations and General Confederation of  Agricultural Co-operatives in the European Union (COPA-COGECA)
• European Forest Nursery Association (EFNA)
• International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)
• International Seed Federation (ISF)
• International Seed Testing Association (ISTA)
• International Union of Forestry Research Organisations (IUFRO)
• Millennium Seed Bank Partnership (MSBP)
• World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

The most recent Annual Meeting of the OECD Forest Seed and Plant Scheme took place on 1-2 October 2019 in Vienna, Austria. contact us if you have any questions.