Embla – a seed orchard established for a quality cultivar of Icelandic birch

The formal breeding program for Icelandic downy birch commenced in 1987, initiated by a group of individuals with a shared interest in plant breeding, who formed the Plant Improvement Association, in Icelandic "Gróðurbótafélag". This association comprised representatives from various organisations, including the Icelandic Forest Service, the Icelandic Forestry Association, the Agricultural Research Institute, the Icelandic Horticultural Society, the Icelandic Agricultural University, and the Mörk Plant Nursery. Additionally, individuals passionate about improving genetic material for horticulture and forestry in the country joined the association.

The breeding process entailed selecting mother trees exhibiting rapid growth, single stem, straight-growing characteristics, ideally with light-colored bark. The birch cultivar Embla has since emerged as a product of a birch breeding project overseen by genetic ecologist Thorsteinn Tómasson, who is more than any other entitled to being called the "author" of Embla. Research findings indicate that Embla is well-suited to the local environment, demonstrating both a more direct growth pattern and achieving larger dimensions compared to the typical Icelandic birch.

Dr. Brynjar Skúlason, Forestry Geneticist and Director of Research and Development at Land and Forest Iceland, recently planted 400 Embla trees on a 0.5-hectare plot of land in Tumastaðir, Fljótshlíð. Several Land and Forest Iceland staff members assisted him. The rows are spaced four meters apart, and the trees within the rows are approximately two and a half meters apart.

According to Dr. Brynjar, the trees are anticipated to require approximately two to three years for recovery post-transplantation. However, seed production is projected to commence within a five-year timeframe. Two crucial factors are highlighted for the successful operation of a seed orchard: an adequate number of trees within the orchard and minimal risk of genetic contamination from external sources. Notably, the Tumastaðir region exhibits a scarcity of birch trees, making it an ideal location for the seed orchard. With four hundred trees in the orchard, we can reasonably expect substantial Embla seed production in the upcoming years.

The quality of the cultivation material directly influences the success of seedling production from seed in a nursery environment. Consequently, it is anticipated that more aesthetically pleasing and resilient birch forests will develop, at the same time increasing the likelihood of generating valuable products in the future.