At least half of the more than 12 million coniferous seedlings planted in California during the past five years failed to survive their first summer in the field. Part of this failure can be related to factors such as rodents, livestock, and competing vegetation. On the other hand, there are many instances where the reason is not apparent; not even the long summer drought nor the high temperatures associated with California's Mediterranean-like climate are satisfactory explanations.

The above progress report is based on Research Project No. 1577.