A lack of ecological diversity in forest nurseries limits the achievement of tree-planting objectives in response to global change.

The article focuses on the challenges forest nurseries in the northern United States face in supplying ecologically and climatically diverse tree seedlings to support emerging tree-planting strategies aimed at mitigating, adapting to, and restoring ecosystems under global change. It highlights significant limitations in nursery capacity, species diversity, seed provenance, and genotypic variation, which constrain the ability to meet ambitious reforestation goals that require climate-suitable and functionally diverse plantings. The authors recommend enhancing policy frameworks, financial incentives, informational resources, training, and research to diversify nursery inventories and improve seedling matching to future climate conditions. Without these systemic improvements, current nursery practices and seedling availability are unlikely to fulfill the expanding and complex demands of tree planting for global change mitigation and adaptation.