Increasing use of biotechnology in the forestry sector has led the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to call for an international framework to assess the safety of genetically modified (GM) trees before they are commercialised. By genetically modifying trees, researchers hope to improve the quantity and quality of wood they produce, and to give the trees resistance to insects, diseases and herbicides. Both the timber and paper industries could benefit from such research, says the FAO. It warns, however, against rushing to commercialise GM trees before conducting environmental risk assessments according to protocols agreed upon nationally and internationally.