The SMarTForest project will develop tools to enhance forest health and productivity and to increase the value recovered from forest plantations. This project will leverage the power of genomics to develop diagnostic markers based on DNA, metabolites, and proteins to advance breeding in Canada’s major spruce species. Marker systems are aimed at identifying trees and seedlings with improved growth, wood properties, and insect resistance. They will be used in an approach called Marker Aided Selection (MAS). Estimates are that MAS could increase annual wood yield by 1.5 million cubic meters per year over the long term if applied to only 20% of Canada’s white spruce plantations. This gain translates into a potential GDP increase of $300 million. Methods like MAS help to concentrate wood production on a smaller land area and allow for more forest land to be set aside for conservation.