In 1989 the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association set up the Paulownia Action Group under the auspices of the NZ Tree Crops Association and the NZ Farm Forestry Association. The purpose was to provide landowners with an independent source of information about Paulownia. Chaired by Ian Barton, the Group was active until 1996, and was responsible for many newsletters, information handouts, and seminars. It also assisted in the setting-up of eight species trials in different parts of New Zealand. At itspeak the Group had about 270 members. Newsletters contained information about growers' experiences, and also research reports from the New Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd and Waikato University. Following a special meeting in 1996 the Group went into recess. Ian Barton and John Gourley assumed responsibility for use of accumulated funds to publish a summary of knowledge about the growing of Paulownia in New Zealand. With the aid of additional funds obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Sustainable Farming Fund, this Handbook has been prepared as a resumee of the findings of the Paulownia Action Group.
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