**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** RECENT ADVANCEMENTS IN TREE GENETICS AND BIOTECHNOLOGY HAVE CREATED OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCELERATE THE TIME REQUIRED TO DEVELOP TREES THAT ARE RESISTANT TO PESTS AND PATHOGENS, OR THAT EXHIBIT DESIRABLE WOOD QUALITIES AND GROWTH RATES. HOWEVER, IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE CONSIDER PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROLIFERATION OF GENETICALLY IMPROVED TREES. IT IS ALSO CRITICAL TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS AMONG FOREST LANDOWNERS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR GENETICALLY IMPROVED TREES TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR FOREST MANAGEMENT GOALS. THIS PROJECT WILL UNFOLD IN THREE PHASES: FIRST, WE WILL CONDUCT A THOROUGH LITERATURE REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF TREE IMPROVEMENT RESEARCH TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS, EFFICIENCY, AND POTENTIAL RISK ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS IMPROVEMENT METHODS. THOSE RESULTS WILL DIRECTLY INFORM THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT, WHICH WILL INVOLVE AN ONLINE SURVEY OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT THE STATES OF MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN, TO BETTER UNDERSTAND ATTITUDES TOWARDS GENETICALLY IMPROVED TREES FOR USE IN VARIOUS MANAGEMENT CONTEXTS,AND PERCEPTIONS OF RISK AND INSTITUTIONAL TRUST. THE THIRD PHASE OF THE PROJECT WILL ENGAGE VARIOUS TYPES OF FOREST LANDOWNERS (NON-INDUSTRIAL, CORPORATE, TRIBAL) IN FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF RISKS AND BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH PROLIFERATING GENETICALLY IMPROVED TREES ON THEIR PROPERTIES.