The Mother Tree Project (MTP) is a groundbreaking research initiative investigating forest renewal practices that aim to safeguard biodiversity, carbon storage, and forest regeneration as climate changes. The project assesses how seedlings from local, warmer, and colder climates respond to different levels of overstory tree retention, with a focus on seedling survival and growth.

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About Mother Trees

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Trees are connected

Through their research, Dr. Simard and others have discovered that trees are connected below-ground via a vast fungal network.

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Trees communicate and share resources

Trees use the mycorrhizal network that connects them together to send and receive chemical messages to one another.

Mother Trees and the Forest

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Trees are part of a large, interconnected community

Trees interact with their own and other species, including forming kin relationships with their genetic relatives.

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Tree regeneration is more dependent on connections in drier climates

As forests become stressed, seedlings are more dependent on mycorrhizal networks for establishment and survival.

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Forests where the natural connections between trees are maintained should help enhance regeneration, support biodiversity, and conserve carbon storage

About the Mother Tree Project

Watch this short film produced by filmmaker Bill Heath to learn more about the Mother Tree Project.

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Research

The Mother Tree Project explores how connections and communication between trees, particularly below-ground connections between Douglas-fir Mother Trees and seedlings, could influence forest recovery and resilience following various harvesting and regeneration treatments. The project was designed to explore these relationships across different climates, in order to understand how climate change could influence these processes and affect the outcomes of the treatments.

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Dr. Suzanne Simard in the forest looking up a tree
Dr. Suzanne Simard and Jean Roach

THE TEAM

Led by Dr. Suzanne Simard, forest ecology professor at the University of British Columbia, the Mother Tree Project brings together academia, government, forestry companies, research forests, community forests and First Nations to identify and design successful forest renewal practices.

Meet the Team

Collaborators

UBC Forestry Logo
Province of British Columbia - Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Logo
Cook's Ferry Indian Band Logo
Canfor Logo
BC Timber Sales Logo
Interfor Logo
Brinkman Reforestation Logo
Aspen Planners Ltd Logo
Alex Fraser Research Forest Logo
John Prince Research Forest Logo
Harrop-Proctor Forest Products Logo
Kalesnikoff Lumber Co Ltd Logo

Funders

NSERC Logo
FESBC logo
Province of British Columbia Logo
Columbia Basin Trust Logo
Jena & Michael King Foundation Logo
Donner Canadian Foundation Logo