Vandals destroyed trees and seedlings at three B.C. sites in recent months, in the mistaken belief that researchers are genetically modifying native B.C. trees.

Last Halloween, vandals cut down more than 3,000 trees at Western Forest Products seed operation on Vancouver Island, causing about $250,000 damage and destroying 10-15 years of research.

Thousands destroyed by vandals

At a research facility near UBC, vandals destroyed hundreds of two-year-old seedlings from the Ministry of Forests Research Branch. The seedlings were being used to study the adaptability of trees reared from Douglas fir and western hemlock seeds collected across B.C.

Then in March, some people destroyed 1,527 trees and seedlings at the MOF seed orchard in Central Saanich, north of Victoria.

An underground environmental activist group admitted responsibility for the vandalism. They said they want to protect society from what they call “frankenforests,” produced with genetically modified trees.

They object to the use of genetically modified organisms—commonly called GMOs—which are produced by artificially transferring genetic material from one species to another.

But these people were misinformed. MOF does not allow any genetically modified materials on Crown land in B.C. Trees, seed and seedlings used in provincial programs are produced through traditional plant selection and breeding processes.

Tree improvement strategies in B.C. focus on selecting the best-adapted individuals for better growth, better frost hardiness, more pest resistance and other traits governed by the natural complement and structure of genes in a tree’s DNA.

Individual orchards contain many different trees to ensure the seed produced contains the genetic diversity of the forest. Strict provincial standards must be met for seed to be registered for use on Crown land.

In addition, work in the provincial gene conservation program requires that tracts of forest are set aside, studied and maintained to preserve the natural genetic diversity of our forests.

While there is some limited activity on the genetic modification of forest trees in a few laboratories around the world, the Forest Service does not conduct such research.

Ironically, the vandals may have destroyed some of the diversity they were intending to preserve.

MOF has posted a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the vandals who attacked the Saanich Seed Orchard. And the ministry is working with Victoria Crime Stoppers to produce an advertisement telling the public about the crime.

Crime Stoppers News Release

Tree Improvement Branch

Research Branch Forest Genetics