Research, Technology and Innovation

Success Stories

Forestry Genomics and the Mountain Pine Beetle

Swaths of red have come to colour B.C.’s forest landscape. Wildland firefighters describe these areas as “red and dead”, each tree suffocated by the mountain pine beetle. And as climate change reduces the occurrence of cold snaps that perform pest control, infestations have spread like wildfire.

Molecular biologist Joerg Bohlmann, along with colleagues from UBC and the B.C. Cancer Agency’s Genome Science Centre, is attempting to sequence the poplar gene in the hopes of creating healthier, more productive forests. Most significantly, their research may allow them to identify natural defence mechanisms and produce forests that are more resistant to pest and disease epidemics.

Preserving B.C.’s landscape and stimulating the forestry industry through knowledge sharing initiatives with the Ministry of Forests and Range is not the only benefit. Healthier trees are more capable of removing carbon from the atmosphere, and have a role to play in responding to climate change. Bohlmann’s research will help make our forests stronger, for now and for the future.

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