The rising tree population could disrupt the natural processes that cycle snow and energy through the region and increase the amount of carbon it stores, according to the researchers.
He said there was no guarantee that introducing a specific genetic change would have much impact in a population which was subject to the effects of many other natural selection processes.
Therefore it is particularly important to have a well-informed population with access to accurate and independent information from diverse sources, with an understanding of the decision-making processes.
Changes such as these revamped processes and the advent of 24-hour courts has resulted in a drop in the average daily jail population by 400 prisoners per day, Ray said.