Dear BC Forest Genetics Community & Colleagues,

Since the publication of the Forest Genetics Council of BC's (FGC) first eNewsletter in January 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly changed our world, our social life and the way we work. Although some activities are resuming with physical barriers and social distancing, large gatherings and international travel remains restricted. Meetings and events have been cancelled or postponed. Video conferences and other media, however, are helping to keep us connected. I hope you find this eNewsletter is beneficial too. Remain diligent and stay safe.

Brian Barber, RPF, Program Manager, Forest Genetics Council of BC.

1. New Forest Genetics Council Website

Check Forest Genetics Council of BC's new modern-look website on your desktop or mobile device at the new URL: www.forestgeneticsbc.ca

The panels on the home page represent the three pillars of BC’s forest genetics program: Conservation, Adaptation (formerly Resilience) and Health and Productivity (formerly Value).   

Website contents remain largely the same as FGC’s former website but have been re-structured to improve viewing and navigation. Take a tour and provide feedback to info@forestgeneticsbc.ca

2. Forecasting Seedling Needs to 2049: Project Results

In 2019/20, the Ministry, Vernon Seed Orchard Co., Select Seed Co. Ltd. and Forsite Consulting undertook a project to forecast annual seedling demand by species, management unit and BEC variant to 2049. See the project website for overview of methodologies and results. 

Provincial seedling demand is forecast to drop from 308 million in 2019 to 231 million by 2049. Most of the decrease is attributed to a significant decline in the demand for lodgepole pine, as harvest shifts from mountain pine beetle impacted areas to spruce-balsam leading stands.
 
These forecasts will be used to guide long-term investments in tree breeding and seed orchard priorities over the next decade. The next step is to identify seed orchard gaps and opportunities associated with the climate-based seed transfer (CBST) standards introduced in April 2018.
 
In the interim, the Ministry forecasts 302M seedlings will be requested for sowing in 2021, 297M in 2022, and 273M in 2023. These numbers do not include the federal Liberal’s government’s pledge to plant 2 Billion trees in partnership with the Provinces as funding for this program has not been confirmed. See the Western Forestry Contractor Association’s Business Summit held on August 25, 2020 for more information.

3. 2020 Cone Crop

The Tree Seed Centre (TSC) reports the following crop estimates from BC seed orchards for the top five commercial species. Seed and seedling yields are estimated based on the TSC’s species average tables, updated in June 2020. These numbers are subject to change.

The TSC will process Fd and Sx seedlots (up to 100 hl max.) first due to these species earlier nursery sowing dates. These species will be followed by (Pli), (Cw) and (Lw).  Check SPAR and the Climate-based seed transfer tool v.4 for suitable and available seedlots, or contact the appliable seed orchard manager.
 

4. New Lodgepole Pine Seed Orchards Established

Three new lodgepole pine seed orchards are being established to produce seed for north-central BC.  The orchards are located at the Ministry’s Prince George Tree Improvement Station, Vernon Seed Orchard Company’s in Quesnel, and a property south of Quesnel recently purchased by Select Seed, a company owned by FGC.

The orchard parent trees are being selected by Nicholas Ukrainetz, PhD, RPF, Research Scientist, based on extensive tree breeding and field-testing. Scion from the selected trees are being grafted onto rootstock at the Ministry’s Kalamalka Research Station in Vernon.
 
Selection, grafting and planting will take place over the next 3-4 years. The orchards will reach maturity in 10-15 years and produce enough seed to meet the forecast seedlings needs for this breeding zone.

5. Conservation Status of BC’s Native Trees

There are over 40 trees indigenous tree found in BC. With the exception of whitebark pine, federally listed as endangered due to blister-rust, BC’s native trees are well protected in parks, reserves and ex situ seed collections.

This on-line catalogue summarizes the conservation status of each native tree. Protection status is ranked based on species cumulative crown cover in protected areas and the number of conservation seed collections stored at the Provincial Tree Seed Centre by biogeoclimatic zone. An accompanying map shows the species range, frequency of presence and protected areas.
 
FGC’s Conservation TAC is working to fill the remaining minor gaps through additional seed collections. An accompanying peer-reviewed article will be published soon. For more information, contact Dr. Tongli Wang, UBC Centre for Forest Conservation Genetics.

6. Our People

Thanks and best wishes to those who have served BC’s Forest Genetics Community, and welcome to new-comers and those serving in new roles. 
 

Forest Genetics Council of BC

In late 2019, Dan Peterson, RPF, Ministry Regional Operations Representative, Gernot Zemanek, Interior Seed User Representative, Small Licensees, and Kori Vernier, RPF, Interior TAC Chair, completed their terms on council.

Katherine Spencer, RPF, was appointed as the Interior TAC Chair in Dec. 2019, Gord Chipman, RPF, was appointed to FGC as new Interior Seed User Rep, Small Licensees in Jan 2020. Click here to see list of all FGC member names and their affiliations.
 

Tree Seed Centre - Ministry

In 2019, Debbie Picard, Cone and Seed Processing Supervisor, retired after a 29-year career at the Tree Seed Centre. This created a staffing-dominos effect. Laura Klade, former Testing Supervisor, was hired as the new Cone and Seed Processing Supervisor. Victoria Lei, former Testing Technician, became the new Testing Supervisor and Laura Boivin, former auxiliary staff, is the new Testing Technician. 

Kalamalka Forestry Centre – Ministry 

After a 32-year career, Gary Giampa, Site Manager, Kalamalka and Bailey Road Seed Orchards, Vernon, retired from the Ministry. In June 2020, Katherine Spencer, RPF, former Site Supervisor, Skimikin Seed Orchards, was subsequently hired as the Senior Seed Orchard Officer with oversite for the Ministry’s seed orchards at Kalamalka, Bailey Rd., and Prince George. 

Eagle Rock Nursery and Seed Orchards – Tolko Industries

In June 2020, after a 43-year career, the last seven with Tolko, Rod Massey, Superintendent, Eagle Rock Nursery & Seed Orchards, retired in June 2020.  Nikki-Karyssa Scott was hired prior to Rod’s departure to be this site’s new Superintendent.

  7. News and Events

ITAC and CTAC Presentations Available on-line. 

Covid-19: Meeting Postponements

• BC Seed Orchard Association (BCSOA) – postponed to June 2021, Sidney, BC. 
• North American Forest Genetics Society (NAFGS) – postponed to June 2021, Asilomar, California. 
• Canadian Forest Genetics Association (CFGA) and Western Forest Genetics Association (WFGA) joint conference. Video conference for student presentations is planned for May 2021. In-person conference postponed to Summer 2022, Kelowna, BC. 

Nursery Technology Webinars