CONTRIBUTING MEMBERSHIP

Contributing membership is designed for organizations that own/manage forest land, and for nurseries operating in the southern US that desire information about the genetic value of loblolly pine seedlings or seed.

Contributing Members gain access to the Cooperative’s database of performance information for all families tested by the Cooperative (which comprises 60% of the land regenerated annually in the South and a much higher proportion in the Southeast). This database is updated regularly as new families from the breeding program are tested, and is the same database used by Full Members to select orchard parents. Contributing Members receive consulting advice concerning the use of the database for purchasing, planting, and managing genetically improved loblolly pine for their specific land base or nursery. Contributing Members have voting rights to guide the Program’s research priorities with voting power in proportion to the monetary contributions up to the equivalent of an annual Full Member contribution.

Dues structure for land managers:

The dues for land managers depends on how many acres are reforested with seedlings purchased using information from the Tree Improvement Program database. The dues are $3.55 per planted acre regenerated using the database. Dues are assessed annually.

Dues structure for nurseries:

For nurseries, the annual dues are based upon the number of loblolly pine seedlings sold using the Tree Improvement Program database for the purchase of seed and/or the marketing of seedlings. The dues are $7.10 per thousand. This corresponds to $3.55 per acre regenerated assuming a planting density of 500 trees per acre. Dues are assessed annually.

For any Contributing Member, the minimum annual dues are $7,100 and the maximum annual dues is $99,397.

The fee is subject to revision by the Advisory Committee. There is no entrance fee for Contributing Members.

Admission of new Contributing Members requires a recommendation for admission by the Director of the Program and a majority vote for acceptance by the Advisory Committee.