Our History

Forest genetics activities in British Columbia have been coordinated through cooperatives beginning with the Plus Tree Board in the 1960s and the Coastal and Interior Tree Improvement Councils (TICs) from the 1970s to 1997.

In March 1997, the Provincial Chief Forester merged the TICs and appointed a transitional council. Its mandate was to recommend a new organizational structure to oversee British Columbia’s forest genetics program. The transitional council also developed a Strategic Plan for the period 1998-2007 and, with the assistance of the Coastal and Interior Technical Advisory Committees (TACs), a Business Plan to meet the Strategic Plan’s goals and objectives.

The Chief Forester of B.C. endorsed these plans in July 1998, and appointed members to the renamed Forest Genetics Council of BC (FGC) in November 1998.

In 1999, FGC established Select Seed Company Ltd. to increase Provincial seed orchard capacity. Funding was provided by Forest Renewal BC (FRBC) through a multi-year agreement. In 2002, FRBC was disbanded and its obligations associated with the Select Seed agreement were transferred to the Ministry of Forests.

FGC remains one of the most enduring and successful forest genetics programs in North America.