British Columbia's forest genetic resources are the foundation for maintaining healthy productive forest ecosystems and a globally competitive forest industry. We are fortunate in having a strong, multi-sectoral community of practice involved in conserving and managing these important natural resources. However, a number of social, economic and environmental drivers, such as the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic and climate change, challenge us to re-examine our current assumptions, objectives, activities, and desired outcomes that guide Forest Tree Genetic Resource Conservation and Management (GRM) in BC.
During 2006 and 2007, under the sponsorship of Jim Snetsinger, Chief Forester, and Craig Sutherland, Deputy Chief Forester, representatives from Tree Improvement Branch, Research Branch and the Forest Genetics Council of BC (FGC) undertook a Challenge Dialogue with members of the GRM community of practice, stakeholders and interested members of the public to develop a strategy for guiding GRM activities over the next decade.
The attached Final Report (26 pp.,1.6 MB) has been prepared by the project's champions and supporters based on the diverse and rich input received though various meetings, responses to two challenge papers and a workshop held in Richmond on October 17, 2007. These conservations afforded persons the opportunity to participate, learn, share and wrestle with ideas regarding the conservation and management of this important public asset. As a result, the process of engaging persons in this Dialogue was just as, if not more, important than the final product itself.
This final report, whose key elements are summarized in the attached GRM Logic Model (1 pp., 3.2 MB) will serve to guide the development of the FGC's next 5-year strategic plan (2009-2014). This strategic plan will, in turn, inform the business plans of the FGC and Ministry of Forests and Range that will describe the activities and performance measures necessary to achieve the objectives and outcomes proposed in this final report.
As with other documents produced throughout this Dialogue, the sponsors and champions welcome your feedback on this final report. Comments may be submitted to officelink@shaw.ca by March 28, 2008.
Background information
Workshop Synopsis Richmond BC, October 17, 2007 (47 pp., 1.1 MB)
Workshop Workbook, Richmond BC, October 17, 2007
Workshop Meeting Notes, October 17, 2007
Progress Report and Cover Letter - synthesis of Stakeholder and Public Dialogue, August 31, 2007
Consolidated Feedback from Stakeholders and Public, July 1, 2007
Invitation letter from Jim Snetsinger, Chief Forester, May 2, 2007
GRM Challenge Paper, May 1, 2007
Feedback form to GRM Challenge Paper, May 1, 2007
Invitation letter from champions, November 23, 2006.
Original "Challenge Paper" November 23, 2006.
Consolidated Feedback, from Community of Practice dialogue, January 9, 2007
Co-Champions letter, response to COP feedback, January 9, 2007
Progress Report and letter from the co-champions February 12, 2007
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