Who Pays for Tree Improvement?

Byram, T. D. and Raley, E. M. IN: National Proceedings: Forest and Conservation Nursery Associations — 2010, p. 1418. Riley, L.E., Haase, D.L. and Pinto, J.R. technical coordinators. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Proceedings RMRS-P-65. 2011.

Tree improvement has been one of the most successful collaborative research efforts in history, eliciting participation from a wide variety of players. This effort has included state forestry agencies, research universities, integrated forest industries, and the USDA Forest Service. Tree improvement was organized through cooperatives whose objectives were to distribute responsibilities, rights, and rewards fairly and equally. Mergers, which accelerated in the 1990s, followed by land divestitures from integrated forest industries to institutional investors, and the rise of nursery businesses marketing genetics directly to landowners, have resulted in a much more heterogeneous business environment. With increasing disparity in organizational capabilities, changing economic goals, and the increasing costs along with potential benefits of biological research, it is unclear as to whether collaborative tree improvement efforts will remain viable. Game theory offers an explanation as to why tree improvement collaborations have been successful in the past, points out shortcomings in the current cooperative structure, and offers some insights into how we may choose to manage our future.

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Author(s): E. M. Raley, Thomas D. Byram

Publication: National Nursery Proceedings - 2010

Event: Joint Meeting of the Southern Forest Nursery Association and Northeastern Forest and Conservation Nursery Association
2010 - Little Rock, Arkansas