North American Forest
Genetics Society
The North American Forest Genetics Society (NAFGS) is a professional society that serves as an information resource and advocacy group for the practice of the discipline of forest genetics and genomics in North America. Historically, the discipline of forest genetics has been served by regional organizations in the US, Canada and Mexico (Wheeler et al. 2015). These organizations organize annual or biannual meetings and have been very effective in serving their regional communities. However, with changes in public land management and consolidation in private forest land ownership and a transition to genomic versus genetic based research by academic researchers, there has been both a decline in the discipline and a shift in research direction and priorities (Wheeler et al. 2015). It seems timely that the discipline now be served by a single society that seeks to coordinate activities among regional groups and develop a strong and unified voice that advocates more effectively for the discipline. Membership to the NAFGS is open to all practitioners of the discipline of forest genetics and genomics not only from North America but from throughout the world.