Delivery of genetic gain in the interior of British Columbia

The forest industry is important for the province of British Columbia, Canada. Timber harvest is regulated on a sustained yield basis. Productivity can be increased by enhanced reforestation, stand tending and tree improvement thus reducing the area needed to provide the required amount of wood so that more forest land can be preserved. Tree breeding is done by selection and progeny testing. Genetic gain is delivered through seed orchards where panmixia and seed production can be enhanced. Drought stress and hormone application appeared useful flower enhancement techniques. In a spruce progeny test strong family by site interactions were found. The polycross and the open pollinated progeny tests gave different estimates of the general combining abilities of the same parents, indicating the inferiority of open pollinated progeny tests. Genetic gains for marginal growing sites appeared very low as well as growth rates themselves. Tree improvement must concentrate on better growing sites. Utilizing genetic gains through shortening rotations can have serious consequences for wood and growing site quality