Trimble Technology

After many years of advancement, the forestry profession is increasingly going digital. Research and teaching at UBC Forestry is heading the charge, offering students the best possible opportunities to learn and gain skills using industry-focused digital software and hardware. Thanks to a significant in-kind gift from Trimble, a leading global technology company, UBC Forestry is home to the state-of-the-art Trimble Technology Lab – the first Forestry-focused lab for Trimble and the first lab of this type in Canada.

“The Trimble Technology Lab at UBC gives students and researchers access to some of the most sought-after digital tools that are being integrated into forestry practices across the industry,” says UBC Forestry Prof. and Canada Research Chair in Remote Sensing Nicholas Coops. “Making this technology available under one roof will help UBC Forestry continue to provide the highest calibre educational and research opportunities.”

Housed within UBC Forestry’s Forest Sciences Centre, the Trimble Technology Lab space will help train the next generation of forestry and natural resources professionals, researchers and leaders. Computer-based decision support systems, building information modeling software, rugged field-tablets and 3D laser scanners are among the technologies that will help expand teaching and research opportunities. Educational areas that will benefit from this new lab space include silviculture, stand dynamics, forest biometrics, carbon management, sustainable harvesting systems and resource identification and quantification.

“Trimble is incredibly proud to contribute to the advancement of forestry education and learning opportunities in British Columbia,” says Amy Northcutt , director of education and outreach with Trimble. “This gift to UBC represents Trimble’s commitment to the future of sustainable forestry practices and to the next generation of forestry and natural resources professionals. We’ve chosen to invest into UBC because of the alignment around our mission of transforming the way the world works, and our vision for the future of sustainable forestry and natural resource management.”

“Students graduating from UBC Forestry programs in the coming years will be entering careers in which they will address some of the most urgent challenges surrounding climate change, biomass utilization, wood building design, urban planning, sustainable harvesting and forest management,” adds Amy. “Trimble is proud to support these students and future professionals as they tackle these big challenges of tomorrow.”