In 2009 a program that has introduced 310 million genetically improved trees into our state’s forests marks its 50th anniversary. The University of Tennessee Tree Improvement Program took root in 1959 and has flourished into a wide-ranging research and education effort that operates in cooperation with the Tennessee Division of Forestry.
Tennessee consistently ranks among the top five hardwood states, and the UT Tree Improvement Program ensures the highest quality seedlings, the most ideally suited to the state’s growing conditions, are planted in the state’s forests, where they will contribute to tree improvement for generations to come.
The program, part of the UT’s Institute of Agriculture AgResearch unit, takes a holistic approach to forest improvement, serving not just the timber industry but also fostering better habitat for game and non-game wildlife.
“The diversity of tree species we work with will allow Tennessee landowners to mold their lands after harvest, damage or fire in any way they want,” says program director and UT forestry professor Dr. Scott Schlarbaum. “Depending on the species mix, seedlings can be planted for game or non-game wildlife purposes, timber production in combination with wildlife, or strictly for wood products. The UT and Division of Forestry’s programs work together to provide landowners with trees that will allow them to get the maximum yield off of their lands.”
In a new alliance with Tennessee State Parks, the UT Tree Improvement Program is acting to protect the genetic resources of flora in state parks, which will ultimately result in restoring targeted areas to native habitat and preserving the genetic resources of Tennessee’s flora. This project will initially focus on the Cumberland Trail State Park, with the goal of expansion to other public or private lands throughout the state of Tennessee. The program also is advancing scientific knowledge and contributing to natural science education programs, from kindergarten through graduate school.
You can learn more about the UT Tree Improvement Program at its Web site, http://treeimprovement.utk.edu/.
For more information, contact Scott Schlarbaum at tenntip@utk.edu.

… read the rest of the story by Subscribing now.

... read the rest of the story by Subscribing now.