Genetically Modified Forests

The term biotechnology came into common usage in the 1980s. Broadly defined, it is anything that combines biology and technology, but it commonly refers to genetic manipulation of plants and animals. And it has a long history; the genetics of many tree species have been purposefully modified for more than 5,000 years.

In Genetically Modified Forests, published jointly with the Institute of Forest Biotechnology, the authors trace the history of tree improvement, helping the reader to understand both human effect on tree genetics and the real and imagined concerns of genetic engineering.