Assisted Migration Adaptation Trial

Overview

Approximately 200 million seedlings are planted in BC each year. When those trees are harvested 60-80 years after they are planted, the climate could be 3-4 degrees warmer than when the seedlings were planted, exposing the trees to maladaptation and health risks. Consequently, BC Ministry of Forest and Range researchers have initiated a large, long-term climate change research study - the Assisted Migration Adaptation Trial (AMAT) - to better understand tree species’ climate tolerances. 

Seeds from 15 species growing in BC and neighbouring US states will be planted at 48 reforestation sites from central Yukon to southern Oregon. Their growth and health will be monitored, and related to the climate of the plantations, enabling researchers to identify the seed sources most likely to be best adapted to current and future climates. The information will be used to revise BC’s species and seed source selection guidelines, helping to ensure maximum health and productivity of BC’s planted forests well into the future.

Click to see larger image.

  Cy - Yellow cedar - Cupressus nootkatensis
Cw - Western redcedar - Thuja plicata
Lw - Western larch - Larix occidentalis
Fdc - coastal Douglas-fir - Pseudotsuga menziesii (var menziesii)
Fdi - interior Douglas-fir - Pseudotsuga menziesii (var glauca)
Ss - Sitka spruce - Picea sitchensis
Sx - interior spruce - Picea glauca X P. engelmanii
Ep - paper birch - Betula papirifera
Es - silver birch - Betula pendula
At - trembling aspen - Populus tremuloides
Pli - lodgepole pine - Pinus contorta
Py - ponderosa pine - Pinus ponderosa
Pw - white pine - Pinus monticola
Hw - western hemlock - Tsuga heterophylla
Ba - amabilis fir - Abies amabilis
Bg - grand fir - Abies grandis
Bl - sub-alpine fir - Abies lasiocarpa

AMAT and assisted migration articles

Johnston, M., S. Webber, G.A. O'Neill, T. Williamson, and K. Hirsch. 2009. Climate change impacts and adaptation strategies for the forest sector in Canada. In 2nd Climate Change Technology Conference, 12-15 May, 2009. Hamilton, ON. Engineering Institute of Canada. [PDF 373 kb]

O’Neill, G.A., M.R. Carlson, V. Berger, and N.K. Ukrainetz. 2008. Assisted migration adaptation trial: responding to climate change by assisting class A seedlot migration: Workplan. B.C. Min. For. Range, Res. Br. [PDF 120 kb]

O’Neill, G.A., M.R. Carlson, V. Berger, and N.K. Ukrainetz. 2009. British Columbia’s assisted migration adaptation trial: powerpoint presentation. B.C. Min. For. Range, Res. Br. [PDF 1289 kb]

O'Neill, G.A., Ukrainetz, N.K., Carlson, M.R., Cartwright, C.V., Jaquish, B.C., King, J.N., Krakowski, J., Russell, J.H., Stoehr, M.U., Xie, C., and Yanchuk, A.D. 2008b. Assisted migration to address climate change in BC: recommendations for interim seed transfer standards. Victoria, BC. British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range, Research Branch. Tech. Rep. 048. Top

AMAT in the news

CBC short documentary - AMAT

Associated press article

Marris, E. 2009. Planting the forest of the future. Nature 459:906-908.

O'Neill, G.A. 2009. Meet the AMAT. BC Forest Service News 6(2):8. [PDF 969 kb]

Ukrainetz, N.K. and O'Neill, G.A. 2009. Adapting to adaptation: assisted migration addresses climate change. BC Forest Professional 16: 16-17. [PDF 336 kb]

Knox, R. 2008. Project grows forests' future. In Vernon Morning Star, pp. 1, Vernon. [PDF 284 kb]

O'Neill, G.A., Carlson, M., Berger, V., and Ukrainetz, N.K. 2008. Assisted migration adaptation trial. TICtalk 9: 3-4. [PDF 410 kb]

O'Neill, G.A., Carlson, M.R., Berger, V., and Yanchuk, A.D. 2007. Responding to climate change: assisting seedlot migration to maximize adaptation of future forest plantations. Ticktalk 8: 9-12. [PDF 510 kb]

Ministry Contacts

Greg O'Neill, Research Scientist
Michael Carlson, Research Scientist
Vicky Berger, Research Technician
Nicholas Ukrainetz, Research Scientist Top

Photos

Click to see larger image.
Happy AMAT planters at the Barnhartvale test site (Kamloops).		   Click to see larger image.
To assess growth and adaptation of BC's reforestation materials in BC's future climates, seedlots are tested across a wide climate range. Shown here are seedlings being planting at one of the hottest and driest test sites - the Kalamalka Research Station (Vernon).
     
Click to see larger image.
Seedlings for the AMAT are labelled, sorted, lifted, bundled and cold stored prior to planting.		   Click to see larger image.
AMAT seedlings being labelled prior to lifting in the nursery.

Contributors

  1. Inland Empire Tree Improvement Cooperative

  2. Weyerhaeuser USA

  3. USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, Genetic Resource Program

  4. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region

 

Ministry Contact: Alvin Yanchuck
Please direct questions regarding webpage to For.Prodres@gov.bc.ca
Updated September 2009