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Sustainable forestry in Canada will benefit from a genomic understanding of trees. The researchers looked at the spruce and poplar species, plus an applicable and biologically well-characterized model plant, Arabidopsis, to build the first and largest forestry genomics platform in Canada.  This project was the first in the world to develop large-scale genomics and proteomics resources for species of spruce, thus establishing Canada as an international leader in conifer genomics. The project also made unique and essential contributions to the first genome sequencing of a forest tree, in its contribution of a physical map and genome sequence annotation to the international poplar genome consortium.      The project also used genomics tools for cross-species comparisons to identify candidate genes controlling wood formation, wood quality, insect and disease resistance. End-users in the BC Ministry of Forests use results from the spruce genomics research in support of tree breeding, for the long term economic benefit and sustainability of Canada’s forests