Scientists apply to plant GM trees

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A group of researchers from the University of Southampton want to establish a settlement of GM poplar trees to carry out research into biofuels.

A spokesman for the Forestry Commission said: "I'm aware that researchers from the University of Southampton have applied to plant some GM poplar on our land. We're still considering their request but haven't given a definitive answer."

The plantation would be the first attempt to cultivate GM trees in the UK since 1999, when activists destroyed 115 plants in Berkshire.

But campaigners warned that allowing the move to go ahead would be "an unknown and worrying risk" for Britain's eco systems.

Clare Oxborrow, a GM campaigner for Friends of the Earth said: "Our concerns with GM trees are even more serious than crops because trees are very long lived. They are inherently geared up for spreading seeds and pollen because of they way the reproduce. There's a huge potential for cross pollination. It could have a really negative impact and cause widespread ecological damage."

She added that biofuels: "distract from the real solutions that we all know we have. Our concern is that biofuels will distract people away from other solutions."

Peter Riley, of anti GM campaign group GM Freeze said the Government needed to "think very carefully" before allowing the bid to go ahead.

"It's the long term environmental implications that we should be worried about," he said. "It's difficult to predict what the long term consequences would be. In the forests you have a vast number of species and a diverse ecosystem. The trees last for a long time, if something goes wrong, the consequences are quite long term and significant."

Southampton University were unavailable for comment.