December 23, 2025
Climate change is reshaping BC’s forests. It is altering pest ranges, shifting rainfall patterns and stressing trees that are not adapted to these new conditions. For decades, replanting relied on geographic seed zones. But what if that’s no longer enough?
Research has demonstrated that the genetic makeup of trees such as lodgepole pine and interior spruce is closely tied to their local climate. Using genomics, researchers identified traits such as drought resistance and cold tolerance, enabling predictions of which seed sources are best suited to future environments.
This work directly informed the BC government’s Climate-Based Seed Transfer (CBST) policy, which became part of the Chief Forester’s Standards for Seed Use in 2018. Instead of planting trees based on where they came from, CBST matches seed sources to where the climate is headed. It’s a proactive shift — one designed to help the 250 million trees planted annually in BC not only survive but thrive.
By combining genomics, climate modelling and field trials, this approach is helping future-proof our forests, ensuring that reforestation today will still make sense tomorrow.
