Professor Strauss was the invited speaker at the October meeting of the Emerald Chapter of the Society of American Foresters based in Eugene, Oregon.   He discussed the GMO (genetically engineered crop) controversy in general, how genomic and genetic engineering methods can contribute to forestry, where GMO methods make sense for trees, and focused on the value of GMO methods for helping to deal with growing pest and climate stresses on forest trees all over the world.

Regulations on genetic engineering combine with restrictions built into green forest certification programs to stymie rapid and innovative use of GMO trees to adapt to climate change and introduced pests, says Steven Strauss, professor of forest biotechnology at Oregon State University. “No one can really use GMOs now because the regulations are very difficult and because we have these green certification systems,” Strauss says. “Pretty much everywhere in the world, if you’re green certified, they won’t let you plant them, even for research.”

Regulations on genetic engineering combine with restrictions built into green forest certification programs to stymie rapid and innovative use of GMO trees to adapt to climate change and introduced pests, says Steven Strauss, professor of forest biotechnology at Oregon State University.

In his third-floor laboratory in Richardson Hall, Oregon State University forestry professor Steven Strauss shows off his latest creation: genetically engineered poplar trees that can be propagated in a Petri dish but are incapable of reproducing in the field.