How Do 80 Million Christmas Trees Happen?

The holiday season is upon us! Come join John Frampton, professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources and December’s Fabulous Faculty, as he discusses one of the season’s most popular traditions, the Christmas tree.

The display of forest trees to celebrate the holiday is a centuries-old tradition. But today, most trees aren’t dragged from the wilderness. Instead, they are produced in specifically established and managed plantations, resulting in a vibrant enterprise to meet the needs of a worldwide consumption exceeding 80 trees million annually.

Dr. Frampton leads the Christmas Tree Genetics Program whose mission is to advance North Carolinas’s Christmas tree industry through the application of genetic principles. Specific activities of the program include: tree improvement of Christmas tree species important to the state; screening of new species; development of propagation systems for Christmas trees; development of pest resistance in Fraser fir; and genetic conservation of Fraser fir, a globally threatened species.

Join us to learn about the history of Christmas trees, the industry and technology behind tree production, and current research efforts to improve the quality and growth of holiday trees.

Thursday, December 3, 4 p.m.
Assembly Room
D. H. Hill Jr. Library