FORESTTRAC · Forest ecosystem genomics research: supporting Transatlantic Cooperation

The main aim of FoResTTraC is to prepare future coordinated research plans, via a strategic research roadmap, between Europe and North America regarding adaptation of forest trees to climate changes, linking different disciplines: ecology, genetics, genomics and evolution. FoResTTraC brings together a critical mass of research expertise in these disciplines on both sides of the Atlantic with 6 leading European partners, 3 American and 2 Canadian partners. For the time being, large scale genomics projects have been conducted in “parallel” between North America and Europe, lacking in cooperative exchanges and interactions. The leading institutions coordinating these projects are partners of FoResTTraC to ensure that the current state–of–art research is represented in the project. FoResTTraC will deliver a mapping of current research capacity and state of the art research in forest ecosystem genomics, a validated research roadmap regarding adaptation to climate change, a set of joint science plans, a collection of genomic resources preparing future whole genome sequencing of ecologically and economically important tree species. All project outcomes will be validated during the project by a wide group of stakeholders from Europe and North America and will be disseminated widely via the project website and key dissemination.