Forest Gene Conservation Association
The Forest Gene Conservation Association is a Kemptville, Ontario-based nonprofit founded circa 1990 that conserves forest genetic diversity in Ontario through species recovery, seed expertise, climate adaptation, and training programs serving conservation authorities, foresters, landowners, and nurseries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersKemptville, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Forest Gene Conservation Association does
The Forest Gene Conservation Association (FGCA) is a Canadian nonprofit organization founded circa 1990 and headquartered at 275 County Rd. 44, Kemptville, Ontario. It maintains forest genetic diversity as the foundation of a resilient Ontario forested landscape through four programmatic pillars: Species Recovery (focused on butternut and black ash conservation, including seed orchards and grafting programs), Seed Expertise, Climate Change Adaptation (strategies for climate-resilient forest management), and Training/Knowledge Transfer. The organization delivers these programs through a team of approximately 10 staff including foresters, horticulturists, ecologists, biologists, and seed experts, supported by an elected board of directors.
FGCA operates on a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining annual individual and organization memberships at $50 CAD, one-time sales of publications such as the Seed Manual, fee-based training programs (Certified Seed Collector workshops), and likely project-based grant funding from federal (Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service) and provincial (Conservation Ontario) partners. Its go-to-market motion is community-led and content-driven, relying on a WordPress-hosted website, blog, social channels (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube), and a deep partnership network spanning conservation authorities, academic institutions (Fleming College, University of Guelph Arboretum), and national conservation organizations (Forests Canada, Nature Conservancy Canada).
The core technology stack is minimal: a WordPress website with no proprietary platform, no public API, and no software products. The organization's principal intellectual assets are its three decades of accumulated expertise in Ontario forest genetics, its source-identified seed inventories, the Native Woody Plant Species interactive map, and a network of butternut and black ash seed orchards and archives. In 2026 FGCA extended its mandate nationally with the launch of Forest Source Selections, a certification program for source-identified seed. The organization is led by CEO Kerry McLaven (in role since 2020) and governed by an elected board.
Forest Gene Conservation Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forest Gene Conservation Association
- Legal name
- Forest Gene Conservation Association
- Website
- https://fgca.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Forest Gene Conservation Association is a Kemptville, Ontario-based nonprofit founded circa 1990 that conserves forest genetic diversity in Ontario through species recovery, seed expertise, climate adaptation, and training programs serving conservation authorities, foresters, landowners, and nurseries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forest Gene Conservation Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Forest Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)
- SIC
- Forestry (800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seed Collection, Processing & Storage (Provenance/Genetics) (AFAMACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sustainable Forest Certification & Chain-of-Custody Services (FSC/PEFC/SFI) (IMAMAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Forest Gene Conservation Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kemptville
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Forest Gene Conservation Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Annual Membership Fees: Individual and organization annual membership at $50 per year, providing access to FGCA programs and initiatives supporting forest gene conservation.
- Resource Sales: Sale of Seed Manual and other educational resources to forest managers, landowners, and ecologists.
- Training Programs: Delivery of Certified Seed Collector workshops and other training programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Annual Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Organization Annual Membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Forest Gene Conservation Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FGCA is a membership-based nonprofit that delivers forest genetic resource management programs for Ontario, including species recovery for butternut and black ash, source-identified seed supply and processing, climate change adaptation strategies, and Certified Seed Collector training workshops. It also publishes field guides and seed manuals and runs an interactive Native Woody Plant Species Map, supported by a $50 CAD annual individual/organization membership.
Product overview
FGCA offers a unified suite of conservation programs rather than a modular software platform. The core offerings include Species Recovery Programs (butternut and black ash conservation with seed orchards and grafting), Seed Expertise, Climate Change Adaptation strategies, and Training Programs. Supporting resources include publications (Seed Manual, Field Guides), an interactive Native Woody Plant Species Map, and the Forest Source Selections national certification program. The organization also offers an annual membership program at $50 CAD.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Species Recovery Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- Increased supply of high-quality, source-identified seed critical to forest health
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Forest Gene Conservation Association
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Forest Gene Conservation Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Forest Gene Conservation Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Algonquin Forestry AssociationcorePartner organization working on forestry initiatives in Ontario.
- Ausable Bayfield Conservation AuthoritycoreConservation authority partner in southwestern Ontario.
- Canadian Forest ServicecoreFederal forestry agency partner providing research and policy support.
- Conservation OntariocoreUmbrella organization for Ontario's conservation authorities.
- Forests CanadacoreNational forest conservation organization partner.
- Fleming CollegecoreEducational institution partner for training and workforce development.
- Nature Conservancy CanadacoreConservation organization partner for land and species protection.
- Natural Resources CanadacoreFederal department partner for natural resources and forestry.
- Society for Ecological Restoration Ontario ChaptercoreProfessional society partner for ecological restoration.
- University of Guelph ArboretumcoreAcademic partner providing research coordination and expertise (Treasurer Dr. Aron Fazekas is Research Coordinator at the Arboretum).
- Somerville SeedlingscoreNursery partner (President Brent Forbes is Nursery Manager at Somerville Seedlings).
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Forest Gene Conservation Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Arbor Day Foundation: Large US membership-based tree planting and conservation organization; comparable membership-driven conservation model and reforestation mission, but operates at significantly larger scale with broader geographic reach.
- Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI): Major North American forest certification standard with a broader mandate across sustainable forestry; comparable to FGCA's Forest Source Selections certification effort but operates at significantly larger scale and scope across multiple forest values.
- Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Global forest certification body with chain-of-custody standards; overlaps conceptually with FGCA's source-identified seed certification work but operates internationally with broader forestry and timber chain-of-custody scope.
Direct peers
- Forests Canada: National forest conservation organization and FGCA strategic partner; comparable mission around reforestation, forest health, and community engagement across Canada, with overlapping programming in tree planting and forest stewardship.
- American Forests: US-based nonprofit focused on forest conservation and tree planting with a similar advocacy and reforestation mission; serves as a useful cross-border analogue to FGCA's species recovery and urban forestry efforts.
- Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) Ontario Chapter: Professional society partner of FGCA focused on ecological restoration; overlapping membership audience of restoration practitioners and shared interest in species recovery and habitat restoration methodologies.
- Ontario Woodlot Association: Ontario-based membership nonprofit serving private woodland owners; comparable community/membership model targeting the same private landowner segment interested in forest stewardship and tree planting.
- Nature Conservancy Canada: Canada's largest land conservation charity and an FGCA partner; shares focus on biodiversity, species at risk, and habitat protection, with overlapping science and stewardship programming relevant to FGCA's species recovery work.
- Conservation Ontario: Umbrella body for Ontario's 36 conservation authorities and an FGCA partner; operates in the same Ontario forest/watershed stewardship ecosystem and channels funding and programming to many of the same conservation authority customers.
Regional players
- University of Guelph Arboretum: Academic arboretum partner whose Research Coordinator sits on FGCA's board; engages in native woody plant conservation and research with comparable focus on Ontario-native species and seed science.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Forest Gene Conservation Association social profiles
Digital presenceForest Gene Conservation Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forest Gene Conservation Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Forest Gene Conservation Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forest Gene Conservation Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Forest Gene Conservation Association
What does Forest Gene Conservation Association do?
FGCA is a membership-based nonprofit that delivers forest genetic resource management programs for Ontario, including species recovery for butternut and black ash, source-identified seed supply and processing, climate change adaptation strategies, and Certified Seed Collector training workshops. It also publishes field guides and seed manuals and runs an interactive Native Woody Plant Species Map, supported by a $50 CAD annual individual/organization membership.
Is Forest Gene Conservation Association a public or private company?
Forest Gene Conservation Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Forest Gene Conservation Association founded?
Forest Gene Conservation Association was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Forest Gene Conservation Association based?
Forest Gene Conservation Association is headquartered in Kemptville, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Forest Gene Conservation Association make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Annual Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are resource Sales and training Programs.
Who are Forest Gene Conservation Association's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Arbor Day Foundation, Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Direct peers are Forests Canada, American Forests, Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) Ontario Chapter, Ontario Woodlot Association, Nature Conservancy Canada and Conservation Ontario. University of Guelph Arboretum is listed as a regional player.
Does Forest Gene Conservation Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Forest Gene Conservation Association.
What industry is Forest Gene Conservation Association in?
Forest Gene Conservation Association's product category is Forest Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAMACAB, Seed Collection, Processing & Storage (Provenance/Genetics), with a secondary code of IMAMAJAJ, Sustainable Forest Certification & Chain-of-Custody Services (FSC/PEFC/SFI). Its NAICS code is 113210 and its SIC code is 800.