Public Knowledge and Perceptions of Safety Issues Towards the Use of Genetically Modified Forest Trees: A Cross-Country Pilot Survey

Kazana, Vassiliki; Tsourgiannis, Lambros; Iakovoglou, Valasia; Stamatiou, Christos; Alexandrov, A.; Araújo, Susana de Sousa; Bogdan, Saša; Božič, Gregor; Brus, Robert; Bossinger, Gerd; Boutsimea, Anastasia; Ćelepirović, Nevenka; Cvrčková, H.; Fladung, Matthias; Ivanković, Mladen; Kazaklis, Angelos; Koutsona, Paraskevi; Luthar, Zlata; Máchová, P.; Malá, Jana; Mara, Kostlend; Mataruga, Milan; Moravčíková, Jana; Paffetti, Donatella; Paiva, Jorge A P; Raptis, Dimitrios; Sánchez, Conchi; Sharry, Sandra; Salaj, Terézia; Šijačić-Nikolić, Mirjana; Tel-Zur, Noemi; Tsvetkov, I.; Vettori, Cristina; Vidal, Nieves

doi:10.1007/978-94-017-7531-1_12

Cited by 2 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Kazana et al . (, ) examined perceptions toward transgenic forest plantations and found that potential for gene escape causing contamination of wild forests (i.e. gene flow between transgenic plantation trees and wild trees) was the greatest perceived risk.…”

Section: Impacts Of Reproductive Modificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Kazana et al . (, ) investigated perceptions of students (mostly European) toward GE trees in plantations and found that respondents perceived several benefits, including reductions in pesticide inputs, restoration of contaminated soils and higher tree productivity. These benefits, however, may differ based on the scale of production (e.g.…”

Section: Impacts Of Reproductive Modificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reproductive modification in forest plantations: impacts on biodiversity and society

Strauss

Jones

et al. 2017

New Phytologist

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1000I.1000II.1001III.1014IV.1015V.10161016References1016 Summary Genetic engineering (GE) can be used to improve forest plantation productivity and tolerance of biotic and abiotic stresses. However, gene flow from GE forest plantations is a large source of ecological, social and legal controversy. The use of genetic technologies to mitigate or prevent gene flow has been discussed widely and should be technically feasible in a variety of plantation taxa. However, potential ecological effects of such modifications, and their social acceptability, are not well understood. Focusing on Eucalyptus, Pinus, Populus and Pseudotsuga – genera that represent diverse modes of pollination and seed dispersal – we conducted in‐depth reviews of ecological processes associated with reproductive tissues. We also explored potential impacts of various forms of reproductive modification at stand and landscape levels, and means for mitigating impacts. We found little research on potential reactions by the public and other stakeholders to reproductive modification in forest plantations. However, there is considerable research on related areas that suggest key dimensions of concern and support. We provide detailed suggestions for research to understand the biological and social dimensions of containment technologies, and consider the role of regulatory and market restrictions that obstruct necessary ecological and genetic research.

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Section: Impacts Of Reproductive Modificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Impacts Of Reproductive Modificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive modification in forest plantations: impacts on biodiversity and society

Strauss

Jones

et al. 2017

New Phytologist

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Compared to research on acceptance of breeding and GE in agriculture and food (NASEM, 2016), acceptance of using these approaches in forestry has received much less attention (NASEM, 2019). A small number of studies have, however, focused on acceptance of using breeding and GE to improve the resilience of forests to climate change and disease, and to increase timber and biofuel production (Hajjar & Kozak, 2015; Hajjar et al., 2014; Jepson & Arakelyan, 2017a, 2017b; Kazana et al., 2016; Nonić, Radojević, Milovanović, Perović, & Šijačić‐Nikolić, 2015; Peterson St‐Laurent et al., 2018; Tsourgiannis, Kazana, & Iakovoglou, 2016). This research has shown more acceptance for using these approaches to address specific forest health threats (e.g., diseases, pests) than for more general issues that transcend forests (e.g., climate change; NASEM, 2019).…”

Section: Conceptual Foundationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most research on perceived benefits of breeding and GE has focused on agriculture and food where researchers have found positive relationships between benefits and normative acceptance (NASEM, 2016; Scott et al., 2018; Siegrist, 2000). In the context of forestry, acceptance of approaches such as breeding and GE has been associated with perceived benefits including improved consumer choice (Tsourgiannis et al., 2016), reduced pesticide and herbicide inputs (Kazana et al., 2015), increased tree growth (Kazana et al., 2016), and reduced harvest pressure on wild forests (Nilausen et al., 2016). Research examining public responses to using breeding and GE to address ash dieback in the U.K. found that people viewed these approaches more favorably when used for addressing tangible issues (e.g., tree diseases), suggesting that perceived benefits may correlate with acceptance of using these approaches in forestry (Jepson & Arakelyan, 2017a, 2017b).…”

Section: Conceptual Foundationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trust, Perceptions of Risks and Benefits, and Normative Acceptance of Approaches for Restoring American Chestnut Trees

2021

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This article examined trust, perceived risks and benefits, and normative acceptance associated with using breeding and genetic engineering (GE) to restore American chestnut (AC) trees. Questionnaires were completed by a random representative sample of the public in the United States (n = 278) and a purposive sample of forest interest groups (FIG) such as scientists and managers (n = 195). These concepts were examined in relation to breeding (breed the AC with chestnut trees from Asia) and GE (add the oxalate oxidase [OxO] gene from bread wheat to the AC) approaches for mitigating chestnut blight and restoring AC trees. The public sample considered adding the gene from bread wheat (GE) to be more beneficial and slightly more acceptable, but also slightly riskier, compared to the breeding approach. The FIGs viewed the breeding approach to be more acceptable, less risky, and more beneficial than the GE approach. The FIGs viewed both approaches as less risky, more beneficial, and more acceptable than did the public sample. Path analysis showed that: (i) perceived environmental benefits were the strongest predictors of normative acceptance of both approaches for the public sample, (ii) perceived environmental risks were the strongest predictors of acceptance of both approaches for the FIGs, (iii) human benefits and risks were mostly unrelated to acceptance, and (iv) trust in government agencies charged with managing forests was only weakly associated with benefits, risks, and acceptance. Implications of these results for both research and management were discussed.

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Public Knowledge and Perceptions of Safety Issues Towards the Use of Genetically Modified Forest Trees: A Cross-Country Pilot Survey

Cited by 2 publications

References 17 publications

Reproductive modification in forest plantations: impacts on biodiversity and society

Reproductive modification in forest plantations: impacts on biodiversity and society

Trust, Perceptions of Risks and Benefits, and Normative Acceptance of Approaches for Restoring American Chestnut Trees

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