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Abstract
The following remarks are primarily an account of the experience of the Texas Forest Service in organizing the Western Gulf Forest Tree Improvement Program (WGFTIP) and the philosophy that went into its devetopment. The program of the Texas Forest Service has had two very distinct phases, although in both phases it was a cooperative effort. The initial phase lasted from the organization of the program in 1951 until the middle 1960's. Initially the program was supported by a combination of State and industrial funds, with the State of Texas providing the lion's share of the cost, but with several industries giving additional financial support. At this time the program was mostly research-oriented. Practical experience in tree improvement was largely lacking and most of the effort went into developing techniques for selection, grafting, seed orchard management, and progeny testing. The results were generally available and advice was given to other organizations, but the basic philosophy of the program at that time was one of research rather than service.
Parent Publication
Citation
Van Buijtenen, J.P. 1973. The western gulf forest tree improvement program, history and organization. In: Joint Proceedings of the Tenth Lake States Forest Tree Improvement Conference and the Seventh Central States Forest Tree Improvement Conference; Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-3. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station. 50-52
