The 2025 CFGA Conference program and location is not yet determined.

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A message from the 2023 Organizing Committee

Thank you to those who attended Forest Genetics 2023. We were very pleased to host this in-person event in Vernon on the traditional territory of the Siylx Okanagan Peoples and the epicentre of BC’s interior forest genetics program.

Over 100 people, including 32 students, from Canada, the USA, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Sweden, Poland, Taiwan, South Korea and Australia attended. We hope you all enjoyed the sessions, field trips and wonderful banquet, and reconnect with colleagues and make new acquaintances. All recorded sessions will be posted on CFGA’s YouTube channel at a later date.

Many people helped make this conference possible, including our many generous sponsors, suppliers and volunteers. In particular, we would like to thank:

• Our invited speakers: Jennifer Grenz, Brian Cullis, Sean Hoban, Laura Leites and Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra, who wrapped up the conference with his ‘amaizing’ talk.
• All volunteer oral and poster presenters, especially the students – our next generation.
• Dave Kolotelo, Melissa Spearing and Victoria Lei for organizing a most interesting tree seed workshop on Monday.
• Greg O’Neill and Brian Baltunis for leading the scientific program committee, including abstract reviews and program schedule.
• Vernon Seed Orchard Co. for hosting the conference banquet with its grand view + music, and for unveiling their new cone and seed processing equipment!
• Staff from the BC Ministry of Forests and PRT Growing Services, and Scott King, Pacific Woodtech, for hosting stops during the Wednesday field tour.
• Post-conference field tour organizers and speakers: Marie Vance, Greg O’Neill, Trevor Doerkson, and Alix Liu. And how about those incredible donuts!
• Andreas Hamann and anonymous judges of the CFGA and WFGA student awards committee (winners listed here).
• Ashely Thomson for leading CFGA’s Undergraduate Student Travel Award team; and the sponsored students Denise Alano Bonacini (UQC), Pier-Alexander Grenier (UQO). Jesse Milani (Lakehead) and Martin Henry (UBC) for assisting with registration.
• Gayathri Dinesh, Caorda Web Solutions, for designing the logo, and Christopher Thomson for the beautiful maple name tags, which you can use as a drink coaster!
• Prestige Vernon Lodge for hosting the conference and New Horizons Productions for the audio-visual services.
• Sonia Serrambana, Conferences and Accommodations UBC, for conference planning, communications, website and finances. A tremendous help.

This was the third meeting co-hosted by CFGA and Western Forest Genetics Association in British Columbia in as many years. It is time for us to pass our respective batons onto others to organize the 2025 conferences at a location to be determined. Dr. Jill Hamilton, Penn State University, is the incoming WFGA president. CFGA’s next president will be elected at its annual general meeting to be held online in October 2023. Watch for announcements and sign-up for CFGA’s mailing lists at the bottom of this page.

In the interim, save the date for the North American Forest Genetics Society’s meeting in Oaxaca, Mexico, June 10-14, 2024. Details will be posted at https://treegenesdb.org/nafgs.

Thanks again for attending. Hope we cross paths again soon.

Nicholas Ukrainetz, Chair, Western Forest Genetics Association

Brian Barber, Chair, Canadian Forest Genetics Association