Theirs was the only proposal that emphasized genetics. Funding has been renewed annually ever since. All trees are then grown at Puyallup. After initial screening, they are distributed for establishment of selection trials. Private cooperators from Vancouver Island to the Lower Willamette Valley and east to the Clearwater River in Idaho assist by growing clones on company land.
Cooperators maintain plantings and collect data.
Heilman and Reinhard analyze data and share results with the cooperators. Heilman believes hybrid cottonwood has the potential for solving, or at least ameliorating, a variety of problems. Besides providing an abundant, renewable source of fiber for high- quality paper products and an alternate source of energy, Heilman says the trees also can be economically grown for wood products, and even to help clean up toxic waste and to help reduce nitrate infiltration into streams and aquifers. Cottonwoods already are being credited with saving one Washington mill, operated by K Ply at Port Angeles. The mill is making plywood out of native black cottonwood, but is counting on plantations to supply future softwood needs.