Neiker-Tecnalia (the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development) is working on the development of new biotechnological tools to produce in vitro selected trees of the Pinus genus.

By studying similarities in the genes of Scots Pine trees, scientists have shown that the iconic pine forests of Highland Scotland still carry the traces of the ancestors that colonized Britain after the end of the last Ice Age, harboring genetic variation that could help regenerate future populations.

By JAMES MORGAN SOME of the oldest trees in Scotland were blown up yesterday - by conservationists. Staff at the Abernethy reserve, near Aviemore, took the drastic action against 10 Caledonian Scots pines to boost the amount of dead wood in the forest.