Experimental Network for Assisted Migration and Establishment Silviculture (ENAMES)
The USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest Research Stations have initiated a study to learn how we can improve the success of reforestation activities across the western United States through novel silvicultural practices, including human-assisted migration of seed sources to more hospitable environs.
Our goal for this project is to evaluate the selection of seed sources and post-disturbance stand establishment practices to provide guidance on what tree seed sources to use and how to plant them to maintain functional forest ecosystems in the future.
Project Updates
Visual representation of assisted population migration: Moving seedlings of a plant species between different populations within the species range to increase their chances of survival in a changing climate. Graphic adapted from USDA Northwest Climate Hub (click on the image to learn more about the different types of assisted migration).
All 32 ENAMES sites have been planted!
Spring 2026
- Completed planting the Fuego, Huck, and Rosland sites in Oregon.
- Completed third-year measurements at 4 sites. We measured seedling survival, diameter, and height at the Carlton site in Washington and at the Detroit, Riverside, and White River sites in Oregon.
Fall 2025
- Completed first-year measurements at 5 sites in Oregon and Washington: Burnt Creek, Lickety Split, Keller Ridge, Summit Trail, and Whitmore Fire. We collected data on seedling survival, diameter, and height measurements,
- Completed first-year measurements at 5 sites in California: Hammerhorn, Burney Mountain, Bald Fire, Sequoia, and Berry Brush. We collected data on seedling survival, diameter, and height.
Check out the ENAMES data dashboard. Weather station data is now available for several sites along with the new first-year measurements!
Media Feature
- Listen to Rob Slesak, project lead, discuss ENAMES on the NPR Podcast Shortwave.
Publication Updates
- The ENAMES general technical report is now available.
- Read the results from the forest manager survey on climate adaptation measures through reforestation.
Contact Information
- For questions about ENAMES, reach out to our project coordinator, Scout Dahms-May, at scout.dahmsmay@usda.gov.
Project Description
Climate change, drought, and high-severity wildfire are killing trees in many forests in the western United States. As a result, the 2022 USDA Forest Service Reforestation Strategy identified 4 million acres of formerly forested lands within the National Forest System that are in need of replanting.
However, the very conditions that created this need could hinder replanting efforts if seedlings can’t survive after planting and thrive into adulthood. Rapid changes in climate could be outpacing the rate of natural plant adaptation and migration.
Previous research and experience have given us the knowledge needed to start taking action, but there is still uncertainty about what seedlings to plant and how to plant them so that they survive increasingly harsh conditions in the years to come. Better data and information will help increase the success of reforestation efforts and improve long-term resilience of forests to changing conditions.
To maximize the effectiveness of replanting efforts, the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest Research Stations have initiated a study focused on assisted population migration and establishment silviculture. Assisted population migration refers to the movement of seed sources or populations of a particular species from their existing location to new, currently cooler locations within their habitat range. The goal is to match the seed source to a site where it will survive in a future climate, without moving it so far that trees suffer cold damage in the near term.
We are also evaluating silvicultural practices to determine which will increase short-term seedling survival and promote a forest structure that is resilient to a changing climate. Applied at the time of planting, these practices include planting larger seedlings than typical, reducing competition from other vegetation, and reducing planting density so that more resources are available to fewer trees.
Purpose and Scope
A seedling planted at an ENAMES experimental site in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. USDA Forest Service photo by Andrew Bower.
The study design is applicable to a wide range of tree species, site and post-disturbance conditions, and ownerships. The project spans southern California to northern Washington and includes all ownerships. This is a much larger scale than previously attempted in related studies.
The study team is partnering with forest landowners and managers because we want to ensure that the practices we are testing are relevant to operational management, aligned with forest landowner objectives, and commensurate with the resources available. Partnership between managers and researchers is a core tenet of the entire project. The purpose in developing this approach is to increase the efficiency, utility, and visibility of research efforts related to assisted migration and stand establishment practices.
Project Sponsors
This project is funded by American Forests, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the USDA Forest Service Deputy Chief’s Office for Research and Development, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Director’s Office, the USDA Northwest Climate Hub, and the Western Wildlands Environmental Threat Assessment Center.
Two example sites in the ENAMES network showing the provenance of the four seed sources planted at each site. For some sites, locations that match future climates at the site are progressively further south (left panel). For others, they are progressively lower in elevation (right panel), or a combination of both. USDA Forest Service maps by Laura Gonzalez Mantecon.
Methods
To determine which seed sources to plant at a given site and how to plant them, we have initiated an experimental network focused on assessing the effect of assisted population migration and silvicultural practices on the short- and long-term success of reforestation activities. Specifically, we are undertaking the following:
- Establishing a new network of 32 experimental sites across California, Oregon, and Washington through collaboration between researchers and land managers. As of 2026, all sites have been installed.
- Testing the effect of assisted population migration in partnership with forest managers across all ownerships. Assisted migration treatments at each site include seed sources representing four different climate scenarios: historical (1961-1990), early-century (2011-2040), mid-century (2041-2070), and end-of-century (2071-2100) (see example maps, right). These seed sources are selected using the Seedlot Selection Tool or the Climate-Adapted Seed Tool.
Total count of ENAMES sites for each species planted and silvicultural establishment practice tested. For sites that are testing two silvicultural practices, each practice is represented individually. AM stands for assisted migration. USDA Forest Service graph by Michelle Agne.
- Testing different silvicultural strategies designed to increase reforestation success and long-term forest resilience. Each assisted migration treatment is crossed with different silvicultural treatments (typically 2-4) that represent adaptation strategies. These treatments include testing different seedling stock types, planting densities and conformations, and vegetation control treatments (see graph, right).
In the interest of covering a wide range of conditions and management objectives, the study team is partnering with forest landowners and managers across all ownerships to address their planting and operational management questions. We want to ensure that the practices we are testing are relevant to operational management, aligned with forest landowner objectives, and commensurate with the resources available to achieve them.
In addition to research and management goals, some of the most accessible sites will also include demonstration plots for educational purposes.
Implementation
As of spring 2026, all 32 experimental sites have been planted across various land ownerships, including the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Washington Department Natural Resources land, and Colville Tribal Lands in Washington; the Umpqua, Mount Hood, Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, and Willamette National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in Oregon; and the Eldorado, Klamath, Mendocino, Lassen, Plumas, and Sequoia National Forest and BLM land in California.
Working with partners to address their planting and operational management questions, the experimental sites test establishment practices such as seedling stock type, planting density and conformation, and vegetation control treatments. Some of the most accessible sites will also include demonstration plots for educational purposes. Additionally, the team has developed an interactive map and web tool to easily visualize all network sites and data that will be published very shortly, as well as individual web pages with detailed profiles of every site in the network (see Experimental Sites or Resources tab). Other communications and outreach work includes expanding our webpage with reforestation resources for land managers and informational content on assisted migration and climate-informed reforestation.
Project Deliverables
The 32 experimental sites in the network will serve as a foundation for assisted population migration research across the region and nationally for years to come. Over time, the network will provide information on the practices best suited for reforestation under changing conditions. We plan to develop a system to share readily accessible data and data visualization tools to promote information sharing.
The partnership between managers and researchers is a core tenet of the entire project. The purpose in developing this approach is to increase the efficiency, utility, and visibility of research efforts related to assisted population migration and stand establishment practices. Our vision is for the network to serve as a nexus that will bring together researchers, land managers, and policymakers to exchange ideas and information that can help guide the implementation of findings and support adaptive management into the future.
Photos of ENAMES sites representing a range of site conditions before planting. Top left: Carlton site—salvage timber harvested after a wildfire. Top right: White River site—no salvage harvest. Bottom left: McKenzie site – planted during a late spring snowstorm. Bottom right: Hillockburn Springs site – competing vegetation before a pre-planting vegetation control treatment was applied. USDA Forest Service photos by Michelle Agne, Scott Kolpak, and Broderick DeAngelis.
**Data dashboard and visualization tool**
ENAMES Experimental Site Profiles
ENAMES current and planned sites as of May 2026. USDA Forest Service map by Scout Dahms-May.
WASHINGTON
• Carlton
• Cedar Cub
• Keller Ridge
• Pettijohn
• Schneider Spring
• Summit Trail
• Whitmore Fire
OREGON
• Burnt Creek
• Detroit
• Falls Creek
• Fuego
• Gawley Panther
• Hillockburn Springs
• Huck
• Lickety Split
• McKenzie
• Riverside
• Rosland
• Sugar Pine
• White River
• Winterfelled
CALIFORNIA
• Bald Fire
• Berry Brush
• Burney Mountain
• Caldor Fire
• Hammerhorn
• Happy Camp
• Letts Lake
• Magalia
• Tamarack
• Sequoia
Project Description
Improved Seed Deployment sites by land ownership as of May 2025. USDA Forest Service map by Scout Dahms-May.
ENAMES and provenance trials typically use seeds collected from the wild to test the viability of growing trees from seeds transferred from another location. However, much of the Douglas-fir reforestation that occurs in this region is done by using genetically improved seed that has been developed over many decades by regional tree improvement cooperatives. These cooperatives are comprised of private companies and public agencies that share genetic resources and data to select trees with desirable traits, including fast growth and wood quality.
The first-generation of tree improvement involved field trials that tested thousands of parent trees grown from open-pollinated seed. To create the second generation, top performing families from the first generation were bred together to produce full-sib crosses for further testing.
It is unclear whether transfer guidelines developed for wild seed can be applied to the second-generation, genetically improved seed (O’Neill et al. 2014), limiting our ability to provide guidance on where to use improved seed sources under changing climate.
In partnership with members of several tree improvement cooperatives, companies, and agencies, we initiated a parallel project to ENAMES to test the performance of genetically improved seed deployed over a wide range of climates. The study uses genetically-improved seed from the second cycle of the Douglas-fir tree improvement programs to evaluate safe transfer distances that maintain productivity across a wide climate gradient in Oregon and Washington. Our objectives are to:
- Develop transfer functions for genetically improved seedlots.
- Quantify the level of genetic gain across a range of climates.
- Evaluate whether safe transfer distances differ for genetically improved versus wild seed.
- Provide guidance on the deployment of genetically improved seed sources under future climates.
Methods
Cranberry Lake, Washington: A researcher marks a study plot to be included in the Improved Seed Deployment study. USDA Forest Service photo by Allison Phillips.
Creating Seedlots: Partners from the South-Central Coast Advanced Cycle Tree Improvement Program, Roseburg Umpqua Tree Improvement Program, and Washington Advanced Generation Tree Improvement Program provided location information about the parent trees used in crosses for which surplus seed remained in inventory after the planting of second-generation progeny tests. We used this to calculate a “home” climate for each full-sib family by averaging historical (1961-1990) climate normals extracted from ClimateNA (Wang et al. 2016) for each parent. We then determined the climate range represented in the second-generation inventory and developed climate bins based on mean cold month temperature and summer heat moisture index to group second generation sources into breeding populations (climate provenances). Climate bins generally covered a range of about 1 °C mean cold month temperature. For a given temperature range, crosses were sorted into low and high summer heat moisture bins.
In addition to general climate bins, crosses selected to form seedlots came from a single first-generation breeding unit or several closely adjacent breeding units within the same local area. Each seedlot consisted of at least 12 unique crosses within these parameters.
Seedlot Characteristics: We selected 17 unique seedlots based on the following criteria:
- A wide range of climate representation (-0.06 ℃ to 6.42 ℃ mean cold month temperature)
- Large availability of surplus seed remaining in the seed owner’s inventory of second-cycle crosses.
- 12 seedlots consisting of pooled full-sib families from the second-cycle breeding programs—6 are from Oregon and 6 are from Washington.
- 5 populations are wild-collected sources to serve as controls to estimate genetic gain.
- Seed was cold-stratified, sown and germinated in 262 cm3 containers, and seedlings were grown for 1 year before outplanting.
Trial Sites: 9 trial sites were established on partner lands across a wide climate gradient in western Oregon and Washington. Site selection focused primarily on suitability to cover the range of desired climate given availability constraints for planting (i.e., site had been recently harvested).
Site name
| Location | Mean cold month temperature (°C) | Summer heat moisture index | Soils | Ownership |
| Watermelon Man | Hamilton, WA | 0.5 | 23.3 | Spodosols | Hampton Lumber |
| Escape Route | Nesika, WA | 1.6 | 47.1 | Andisols | Port Blakely Companies |
| Parched Larch | Creswell Heights, WA | 2.3 | 34 | Inceptisols | Washington Department of Natural Resources |
| Simpson 281 | Oakridge, OR | 3 | 79.2 | No data available | Sierra Pacific Industries |
| Lone Rock | Wimer, OR | 3.7 | 202.8 | Inceptisols | Lone Rock Resources |
| Cranberry Lake | Shelton, WA | 4 | 72.2 | Inceptisols | Green Diamond Resource Company |
| Giustina | Disston, OR | 4.1 | 79.2 | Inceptisols | Giustina Resources |
| Hare Creek | Cow Creek, OR | 4.7 | 168.2 | Ultisols | Chinook Forest Management |
| Noel Ridge | Gardiner, OR | 5.7 | 56.5 | Andisols/Inceptisols | Roseburg Forestry Products |
A newly planted seedling in the Improved Seed Deployment Trial at the Lone Rock site in Oregon. USDA Forest Service photo by Mekeilah Aguilar.
Experimental Design:
- Randomized complete block with 4 replications of each seed source at each of the 9 sites.
- Site preparation and treatments:
- Removal of most of the slash (typically by pile and burn).
- Herbicide application to control competing vegetation prior to planting.
- Additional herbicide applications as needed post-planting.
- Layout:
- 68 plots, each plot at 0.09 acres (about 6 acres in total per site).
- Planting density: 30 trees were planted in each plot at a spacing of 10.4 x 10.4 feet (about 400 trees per acre).
Planting & Measurement Timeline:
- 8 sites were planted February through March, 2025. The coldest site in the north Cascades was planted in May 2025 after snowmelt.
- Survival and growth (diameter and height) measured annually on each seedling in the fall after growth cessation for the first three years.
- Measurement frequency after the first 3 years will depend on the availability of resources.
- Soil moisture, soil temperature, and weather (air temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation) are being monitored continuously at each site.
Project Partners:
This project is only possible with the support and commitment from our partners:
- Chinook Forest Management
- Giustina Resources
- Green Diamond Resource Company
- Hampton Lumber
- Lone Rock Resources
- Port Blakely Companies
- Roseburg Forest Products
- Sierra Pacific Industries
- Washington Department of Natural Resources
This interactive dashboard provides information about sites within the Experimental Network for Assisted Migration and Establishment Silviculture (ENAMES) study. The dashboard shows the ENAMES sites, seed sources, site-specific and network-wide data, and site information, as well as links to complete site profiles. This tool can used by anyone interested in climate-informed reforestation and strategies to increase reforestation success. The dashboard will be periodically updated with new data.
Click here or on the image below to view the dashboard in full-screen
ENAMES dashboard screenshot.
Investigators
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Person
Robert A. Slesak, PhD
Research Foresterhttps://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/robert.slesak -
Person
Jessica W. Wright, PhD
Research Geneticist Plantshttps://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/jessica.w.wright -
Person
Christopher Looney, PhD
Research Foresterhttps://research.fs.usda.gov/about/people/christopher.looney
Co-investigators
- Michelle Agne, PhD
- Scout Dahms-May
- Beth Roskilly, PhD
- Allison Phillips
- James Dollins
Collaborators
Project partners
- Scott Kolpak, Region 5 Regional Geneticist
- Vicky Erickson, Region 6 Regional Geneticist
- Joe Sherlock, Region 5 Regional Silviculturist
- Bryan Reatini, Southwest Oregon Area Geneticist
- Erin Baumgart, Western Washington/Northwest Oregon Area Geneticist
- Cameron Stauder, Eastern Oregon Area Geneticist
Site partners
- Stephanie O’Dell, Silviculture Forester, Mt Hood National Forest, Clackamas River Ranger District
- Lisa Garrigues, Silviculture Forester, Mt Hood National Forest, Barlow Ranger District
- Eireann Pederson, District Silviculturist, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Chelan Ranger District
- Adrienne Barcas, District Silviculturist, Umpqua National Forest, North Umpqua Ranger
- Lindsay Anderson, Assistant Forest Silviculturist, Willamette National Forest
- Orion Peavy, Assistant Forest Silviculturist, Deschutes National Forest, Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District
- Steven Braun, Silviculture Forester, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Cle Elum Ranger District
- Kari O’Leary, Vegetation Management, Fremont-Winema National Forest
- John Walter, Young Stand Silvicultural Specialist, Oregon Department of Forestry
- Sam Steinshouer, State Lands Forest Health Program Manager, Washington Department of Natural Resources
- Lisa Meredith, District Silviculturist and Inventory Specialist, Bureau of Land Management Medford Oregon Area
- Chad Vetter, O & C Forester, Bureau of Land Management Medford Oregon Area
- Spus Wilder, Forest Manager, Bureau of Indian Affairs/Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Forestry Department
- Shay Logue, OND District Lead Forester, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Forestry Department
- James Albertson, Supervisory Forest Technician, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Forestry Department
- Jose Rodriguez, Forester, Plumas National Forest, Feather River Ranger District
- Clay Davis, District Planner, Plumas National Forest, Feather River Ranger District
- Gary Urdahl, Silviculturist, Mendocino National Forest, Upper Lake Ranger District
- Radoslaw Glebocki, Silviculturist, Mendocino National Forest, Grindstone Ranger District
- Katelyn Suderman, Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek Ranger District
- Marie McLaughlin, Seed Procurement Manager, Region 5
- Luis Vidal, Manager, Northern California Forest Restoration, American Forests
- Whitney Olsker, Silviculturist, Mt Hood National Forest, Barlow Ranger District
- John Hardy, Intensive Management Forester, Washington Department of Natural Resources
- Andrew Stenbeck, Washington Department of Natural Resources
- Andy Townsend, Washington Department of Natural Resources
- Steven Hanson, Washington Department of Natural Resources
- Cole Weekly-Wilson, Bureau of Land Management
- Madeline Lerz, Forester, Bureau of Land Management
- Carissa Camenson, North Zone Forester, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Methow Valley Ranger District
- Robert Reed, Silviculturist, Fremont-Winema National Forest
- Seth Chrisman, Silviculturist, Fremont-Winema National Forest, Klamath Ranger District
- Willow Blanks, Forester, Fremont-Winema National Forest, Lakeview Ranger District
Data and Tools
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Tool
https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/products/dataandtools/seedlot-selection-tool
Related Documents
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https://research.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2023-02/pnw-reforestation_general_enames.pdfFile Type: pdf
File Size: 1.27MB -
https://research.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2023-02/pnw-reforestation_partners_enames.pdfFile Type: pdf
File Size: 1.13MB
Publications
- Michelle C. Agne, Robert A. Slesak, Laura Gonzalez Mantecon, Jessica W. Wright, Scott E. Kolpak, Erin Baumgart, Andrew D. Bower, Robyn Darbyshire, Claire Ellwanger, Vicky J. Erickson, Arnaldo R. Ferreria, Christopher Looney, Beth Roskilly, Joseph W. Sherlock. 2025. Informing reforestation with the Experimental Network for Assisted Migration and Establishment Silviculture (ENAMES)
- Michelle Agne, Robert A. Slesak. 2025. Practitioner perspectives on assisted migration and adapting reforestation for climate change in the western US
Experimental Sites (Washington)
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https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/projects/carlton-enames -
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https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/projects/whitmore-fire-enames
Experimental Sites (Oregon)
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https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/projects/fuego-enames -
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Huck site in the Experimental Network for Assisted Migration and Establishment Silviculture (ENAMES)
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https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/projects/winterfelled-enames
Experimental Sites (California)
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https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/projects/sequoia-enames