In the Federal Republic of Germany, work on the conservation of forest genetic resources has been coordinated since 1985 by a Federation-Länder working group.

The members of the Federation-Länder Working Group "Forest Genetic Resources and Forest Seed Law" (BLAG-FGR) are currently made up of representatives of the structural units of the forestry state institutions dealing with gene conservation, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (BMEL), the Institute of Forest Genetics of the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute (Thünen Institute) and the Information and Coordination Centre for Biological Diversity (IBV) of the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE).

On the basis of a five-year action plan, the Federal-Länder working group implements the measures and actions oft the National Programme (Concept for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest Genetic Resources in the Federal Republic of Germany) in a coordinated cooperation. Key areas of work are e.g.:

• Recording and evaluation of existing forest genetic resources,
• In-situ measures (natural rejuvenation, conservation of stands and individual trees, sowing, planting, etc.)
• and planting in the forest),
• Ex-situ measures (evacuation, generic seed plantations, gene banks),
• Conservation within the framework of use (rejuvenation, stock maintenance, timber harvesting),
• Development of joint research priorities.

In addition, BLAG-FGR supports the BMEL e.g. in European conservation measures such as EUFGIS (EUFORGEN) and in international implementation processes such as the Nagoya Protocol (Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD).

The aim of this work on forest genetic resources is to continue to preserve the diversity of species and the diversity within tree and shrub species, to make sustainable use of forest genetic resources, to restore viable populations of endangered tree and shrub species, and to contribute to the conservation and restoration of diverse forest ecosystems.