About the FGCA

Our strategic plan

The FGCA Strategic Plan (Nielsen 1995, FGCA 1999) provides background on the history and current status of genetic resource management in southern Ontario from seed orchard management to rare species status reports. It also provides strategic direction for many possible action items. The membership ranked these items, which resulted in two priority programs:

the promotion of biologically appropriate material in support of planting programs, mainly through development of a seed source certification program – Ontario’s Natural Selections
the integration of genetic resource management principles into silviculture guidelines

Other items received widespread member support:

conservation strategy development for species of concern such as white pine, butternut, red spruce, elm, chestnut and pitch pine
gene bank establishment for rare species
seed orchard management for commercially important species such as white pine

Our business plan

The FGCA business plan was initiated in February 1996 from ideas generated at a members' and associates' forum. On the basis of that plan, a formal 3-year agreement was signed between the FGCA and the OMNR in the fall of 1997. This agreement provided initial funding support, and licenses to sell OMNR seed from the southern Ontario seed bank and to collect royalties from the sale of OMNR hybrid poplar clones. In return the FGCA would develop a seed source certification program for southern Ontario (roughly south of the Canadian Shield).

In 1997 the Richard Ivey Foundation generously provided funding to help us update and refine our business plan, specifically in the development and marketing of a seed source certification program. In 1999, they again provided us with a very generous grant to help us develop and accelerate the implementation of the certification program.

In 1999 the OMNR and FGO proposed an expansion of FGCA boundaries to include all of southcentral Ontario roughly south of North Bay and offered the support of an OMNR genetic resource management specialist to coordinate the expanded program of the FGCA. The FGCA members accepted the proposal at the June 2000 annual general meeting. The OMNR genetic resource management specialist was hired in November 2000 to act as FGCA Coordinator.

	FGCA > About the FGCA > Our Strategic and Business Plans
	About the FGCA Our strategic plan The FGCA Strategic Plan (Nielsen 1995, FGCA 1999) provides background on the history and current status of genetic resource management in southern Ontario from seed orchard management to rare species status reports. It also provides strategic direction for many possible action items. The membership ranked these items, which resulted in two priority programs: the promotion of biologically appropriate material in support of planting programs, mainly through development of a seed source certification program – Ontario’s Natural Selections the integration of genetic resource management principles into silviculture guidelines Other items received widespread member support: conservation strategy development for species of concern such as white pine, butternut, red spruce, elm, chestnut and pitch pine gene bank establishment for rare species seed orchard management for commercially important species such as white pine Our business plan The FGCA business plan was initiated in February 1996 from ideas generated at a members' and associates' forum. On the basis of that plan, a formal 3-year agreement was signed between the FGCA and the OMNR in the fall of 1997. This agreement provided initial funding support, and licenses to sell OMNR seed from the southern Ontario seed bank and to collect royalties from the sale of OMNR hybrid poplar clones. In return the FGCA would develop a seed source certification program for southern Ontario (roughly south of the Canadian Shield). In 1997 the Richard Ivey Foundation generously provided funding to help us update and refine our business plan, specifically in the development and marketing of a seed source certification program. In 1999, they again provided us with a very generous grant to help us develop and accelerate the implementation of the certification program. In 1999 the OMNR and FGO proposed an expansion of FGCA boundaries to include all of southcentral Ontario roughly south of North Bay and offered the support of an OMNR genetic resource management specialist to coordinate the expanded program of the FGCA. The FGCA members accepted the proposal at the June 2000 annual general meeting. The OMNR genetic resource management specialist was hired in November 2000 to act as FGCA Coordinator.