Forest tree improvement is a long-term effort that requires sustained resources and can yield broad benefits for forest adaptability and productivity as environments and climates change. In 2021 and 2022, red pine trees were planted here and in two plots to the west as part of a 50-year Michigan State University genetic test using seed from 22 mother trees. The seedlings, or progeny, are genetically similar to their mother trees, and scientists monitor their growth to determine whether traits such as height and diameter are shaped by genetics or by the environment. In this process, foresters select seeds from strong genetic stock for planting in nurseries, and once the seedlings are large enough they are transplanted into Michigan's state forests. Researchers at Michigan State University's Tree Resource Center in East Lansing study questions such as why one tree is smaller than its neighbors. In 2021, tiny seedlings were planted in long straight rows at the historic Higgins Lake Nursery site, and in 2022 foresters measured the distance between seedlings to allow room for growth.