Photos the WFGA 2003 Meeting

Click on the links below to view photos of the meeting


Banquet
Pemberton Field Trip
Whistler Field Trip

 

Second Announcement

[Venue | Accomodation | Call for Papers]

 

The forest genetics groups at the University of British Columbia, in conjunction with the BC Ministry of Forests, will be hosting the 2003 WFGA meeting to be held at Whistler, BC, from July 28th (evening) through July 31st (afternoon). Meeting highlights will include:

Meeting registration forms are available on-line. These must be printed out and mailed, along with a check or money order payable to "University of British Columbia". Early registration ($275 Canadian per person; $225 for students) ends May 31st, after which registration will increase to $325 ($275 for students).

The theme for the meeting will be "Genetics, Genomics and Adaptation". Genomics is a rapidly expanding field, and the new Genome BC initiative in BC provides impetus for this portion of the program. Speakers from major tree genomics efforts in North America will provide us with insights into the state of knowledge and potential of genomic approaches for better understanding the genetics and evolution of forest trees.

Whistler is a great place to discuss adaptation of forest trees, as it is located in the transition zone from coastal to continental climates in the coast range of British Columbia. The trees in this zone occur across extreme temperature and moisture gradients, creating steep genetic clines and challenges for gene resource management. In addition, high elevation species in this and other areas face particularly strong adaptational challenges from a rapidly changing climate. How can forest scientists approach the integration of genomics and adaptation to better understand the ability of tree genomes to respond to new adaptational challenges? We will challenge invited speakers to provide a perspective on this topic.

Volunteer papers and posters will be welcome on these and other topics in forest genetics. A half-day field trip up the Whistler gondola will provide an opportunity to visit subalpine and alpine ecosystems and discuss the genetics and conservation of high-elevation species with a focus on whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis).

Venue

Whistler is a world-famous ski resort, but has many activities and attractions year-round including golf, downhill and cross country mountain biking, a network of cycling and rollerblading paths, and hiking. Whistler is located 1 1/2 hours from Vancouver. The meetings will be held at the Coast Whistler Hotel.

Accomodation

Standard double-double and king hotel rooms will be available at the Coast Whistler Hotel ($90 Cdn per night, www.coastwhistlerhotel.com, 1-800-663-5644); 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom condominium-style suites with full kitchens ($135 per night) are available at the Tantalus Lodge (www.tantaluslodge.com, 1-888-633-4046); and deluxe studio suites with kitchenettes ($129 per night) are available at the Summit Lodge (www.summitlodge.com, 1-888-913-8811). These hotels are just a short walk apart, in or near the Whistler Village. Note that rooms must be booked by May 28 to guarantee availability and special rates negotiated for the meeting. Be sure to specify Western Forest Genetics Association to receive these rates.

Call for Papers

Abstracts for volunteer papers and posters, preferably relating to the meeting theme but acceptable on any topic in forest genetics, should be received by June 15, 2003. Click here to submit your abstract on-line.

 

We look forward to seeing you in Whistler in July!

The organizing committee

Sally Aitken
Andreas Hamann
Kermit Ritland
John Russell
Tongli Wang
Alvin Yanchuk