The Co-op’s core functions are funded entirely by its membership which currently comprises seven organisations drawn from across the forestry sector. Our seven members are:
- Forest Research www.forestry.gov.uk/forestresearch
- Tilhill Group incorporating Maelor Forest Nurseries www.tilhill.com
- Forestry and Land Scotland www.forestryandland.gov.scot
- Forestart www.forestart.co.uk
- Forestry England www.forestryengland.uk
- Scottish Woodlands www.scottishwoodlands.co.uk
- Gresham House www.greshamhouse.com
These core members make both cash and Work In Kind contributions and, with a wealth of expertise across all tree breeding activities, make a significant commitment each year to taking forward the Co-ops work programmes. Representatives from each organisation act as the CBC’s Board of Directors, setting programme priorities and providing a governance function.
A major source of operational funding for us since 2021 has been DEFRA’s Tree Production Innovation Fund (TPIF) administered by the Forestry Commission. This has allowed us to accelerate the pace of work on Alternative Conifers (Norway spruce, Douglas fir & Scots pine) through a national programme of Plus Tree identification and grafting to create the base resources for tree improvement in these species. The Conifer Breeding Co-operative gratefully acknowledges the support of TPIF and that of the many landowners who kindly donated scion material.
In 2026, TPIF is again playing a significant role, providing part of the funding needed to enable us to transition to Rolling Front Breeding by adopting state of the art tree evaluation and breeding software. Further details can be found on the “Latest News” tab.
The Co-op is a rapidly evolving organisation and we are keen to develop industrial and research partnerships to increase our reach and impact. If you would like to discuss how your organisation could collaborate with us, please contact the Co-op administrator (details on the right).