The lab technician hovers over the young forest like a a mother bird stands over a nest of hatchlings, using a pair of tweezers and a magnifying glass to arrange the tiny seedlings on a petri dish.
In 2000, four companies came together to form ArborGen. US Companies Westvaco Corporation and International Paper and New Zealand companies Fletcher Challenge and Genesis Research and Development pooled their years of research and expertise to develop a new breed of trees.
ArborGen in Summerville, SC, uses breeding and biotechnology to create what the company calls “SuperTree Seedlings.” A name that sounds like a lesser-known member of the Justice League, complete with it’s own set of super powers. The company’s goal is to produce trees that grow faster and produce more quality wood per acre, while being resistant to disease and cold.
Today, the company produces over 250 million seedlings a year, including four types of pine trees and numerous hardwoods including Eucalyptus, Oak and Black Walnut.
In a time when sustainability has become a household name, ArborGen is hoping their products will help meet the ever increasing global demand for renewable resources.
Sounds like a job for SuperTree.
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