Last updated in November 2005

Forest Genetics in Alberta

The Standards for Tree Improvement in Alberta (STIA) were implemented May 1, 2003. The standards guide traditional reforestation activities, enable industry to plant genetically improved stock on crown land, and direct reforestation and conservation efforts necessary to preserve the genetic diversity and health of Alberta’s crown forests. The standards consist of five sections, which are:
• Ownership and Data access
• Material Collection, Handling, Registration and Storage
• Green Area Deployment
• Breeding, Testing and Verification
• Production of Controlled Parentage Material

These standards were developed by more than 40 scientists and resource managers working within the Alberta Forest Genetics Framework (AFGF). This framework process was guided by a Primary Task Group (PTG), which delegated technical work and oversaw completion of the standards to a publishable form. Built into the framework process was the provision for an annual review for the first two years after implementation. These reviews were undertaken by the PTG with user and stakeholder input in the fall of 2003 and 2004.

The Primary Task Group has completed a first and second year review of the standards. Most of the recommended and approved revisions coming out of this review process have been incorporated in the standards manual and took effect July 1, 2005.

Revisions coming out of the review process were generally minor in nature; however, a few of the more complex issues were referred to a special genetics technical group which will be working to resolve them for future revisions. One major change to the standards was implementation of the new digitized seed zones for Alberta. These seed zones guide collection, handling and deployment of wild seed used in reforestation of crown land to ensure that deployed stock is adapted and sufficiently diverse to maintain forest health and productivity. The seed zones were developed in conjunction with, and are nested within, the recently revised Natural Regions and Subregions of Alberta. Both the revised seed zones and Natural Subregions are now available in digital form. Revisions to both were made using improved data availability, much of it GIS based. To improve the resolution for resource management activities, line work for both was done at 1:250,000 scale.