Ponderosa pine tree breeding program

There is no formal breeding program for ponderosa pine, a species that dominates the hot and dry ecosystems in British Columbia which are anticipated to expand as the climate warms.

Testing has been limited to common garden experiments which have been established with populations of trees from the northern United States and throughout the range of ponderosa pine in B.C. This test series was used to select the best trees from the best populations for creating a seed orchard in the southern interior.

Although ponderosa pine is currently a very minor species, it is anticipated that its range and importance will grow as the climate changes.