Greg O’Neill, PhD, RPF, is a researcher with the BC Ministry of Forests, Kalamalka Forestry Centre, Forest Improvement and Research Management Branch, in Vernon, British Columbia. He will be speaking to Nature Vancouver members on Zoom on Thursday, September 17, 2026, starting at 7:30 p.m., on the subject of the BC Ministry of Forest’s Assisted Migration Adaptation Trial (AMAT) of trees.

Greg studies the adaptation of tree species and applies this understanding to develop resilient reforestation practices in a changing climate. Greg is a professional forester and former certified arborist, with degrees in biology, forest ecology, and forest genetics. He is the principal investigator of AMAT, the largest tree species trial in North America, and he pioneered the development of BC’s Climate Based Seed Transfer system for selecting seed sources for reforestation, the first of its kind in the world. He was the 2018 recipient of the Climate Change Innovator award by the BC Forest Professionals Association.

Forested ecosystems form the lungs of our atmosphere, the liver of our streams, the tendons of our soil, the home to our floral and faunal neighbours, and the soul of our well-being. Climate change is a game changer for our forests. Numerous reports have already linked large-scale forest disturbance with Anthropogenic climate change. The intention of this presentation is to illustrate the relationship between trees and their climatic “home” and show how climate change is impacting forests. Lastly, our speaker, Greg O’Neill, will make a case for “boldly going where no forester has gone before,” by deconstructing the 100-year-old paradigm of planting local seed sources and restoring trees to their ancestral climate as a strategy to mitigate climate change impacts to forests.

This presentation will take place online via Zoom.  On the Monday preceding the event, Nature Vancouver members will receive the Zoom link in the weekly e-News.  The talk will begin at 7:30 pm.  Non-members are welcome and should Email zoom-request@NatureVancouver.ca between the preceding Friday and Wednesday to register for the link.