Branchlines Volume 34 No 1 - Spring 2023

Urban Issue The

Regreening the Downtown Eastside

New research groups: tall wood buildings + biodiversity conservation

Q&A with Kelowna urban forester

Tara Bergeson

Dean’s message

By the year 2050, cities around the world will expand by a projected 2.5 billion people, according to the United Nations. With over 80% of the Canadian population currently living in urban settings, it should come as no surprise that the single-family homes that once dotted the landscape of cities like Vancouver are being replaced with towers and low-rise multi-family dwellings in an effort to build up rather than out.

While accelerated urbanization has made it possible to house a growing workforce within commutable distance to offices, recreation facilities and shops, this also comes at a cost, or at the very least a lot of questions. For example, how do we provide housing for this unrelenting wave of in-migration? How can we continue to provide meaningful nature-based experiences to an ever-increasing number of urban dwellers? And can we do this all in a way that supports the health and wellbeing of not only our planet, but all of its inhabitants?

In this edition of Branchlines – our Urban Issue – we try to tackle these and other questions by exploring how the worlds of forestry and urbanization have collided and led to the creation of burgeoning and fascinating fields, such as urban forestry and tall wood building design.

The importance of managing green spaces within our cities cannot be overstated. We know that trees in urban environments provide myriad social, environmental, health and economic benefits. Urban forests and green spaces make cities more livable by promoting recreation, social interaction and community-building. Their positive health benefits – both in terms of mental and physical wellbeing – are well documented. And they can be effective means of reducing air pollution, moderating water cycles and providing habitats for wildlife. Last but certainly not least, tree canopies help mediate the deleterious impacts of extreme weather events due to climate change.

Concrete, asphalt and densification have opened up a host of problems around managing climate change impacts, such as the creation of ‘heat islands’ during heat domes, and stormwater overflow during heavy rains. Urban green spaces can help mitigate some of these effects. Thanks to the advent of the urban forestry profession and mindset, more attention, funding and policy interventions are being directed to managing natural spaces in and around cities for their multiple values, uses and users. Given the sheer number of people who are or will be living in cities, an emphasis on urban greening makes good, common sense.

And it doesn’t need to end there. Tapping into the potential of low-carbon-emitting and renewable resources, such as forests, can help lead us down the right path to a greener, healthier and less energy-intensive future. In the face of climate change, the need has never been greater to build housing and services in the most sustainable and ecological way possible. As urban

populations swell in the coming decades, we need to think outside the proverbial box. Mass timber engineered wood products and tall wood buildings provide one interesting and viable opportunity to meet both our need to sequester greenhouse gasses and provide high-quality living spaces.

We have come to a point where we have surpassed being passive characters in the story of our planet. We are now its authors. Our challenge is to see if we can continue to thrive without inflicting irreversible damage, not only to our natural spaces, but to our urban spaces, as well.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

Please get in touch with me about this or any other issue at: rob.kozak@ubc.ca

All the best,

Rob Kozak (BSc ’88, PhD ‘96) Professor and Dean

Contents

9 Main feature – The rise of urban forestry

3 Excellence in tall wood buildings

6 Flood risk webinar

7 Regreening the Downtown Eastside

19 Mitigating flood risk

21 Q&A with COFI’s Linda Coady

22 Trees of Campus: Old World sycamore

23 Kelowna Urban Forestry Supervisor: Tara Bergeson

25 The future of wild Pacific salmon

27 A Burnaby urban forester’s journey

29 New biodiversity conservation research group

31 Undergraduate wood science bursary

33 Giving to a greener future

35 Alumni Builder Award recipient Reid Carter

37 Sue Watts: 50 years at UBC Forestry

Back cover – Urban Forestry Webinar

Branchlines is available on our website at: forestry.ubc.ca/news/branchlines

We acknowledge that UBC’s main campuses are situated within the traditional, ancestral, unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh, and in the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation and their peoples.

2023Gold Award-winning publication

Branchlines is produced in-house twice per year by the Faculty of Forestry, Development and Alumni Engagement Office at the University of British Columbia.

Managing Editor: Michelle Lindsay

Writer and Senior Editor: Sarah Ripplinger (MJ’08)

Design and Photography: Paulo Ramos

© 2023 Faculty of Forestry

University of British Columbia

ISSN 1181-9936

Questions concerning Branchlines or requests for mailing list updates, deletions or additions should be directed to sarah.ripplinger@ubc.ca

@ubcforestry

UBC Forestry’s new Sustainable Timber Built Environment cluster

Envisioning the next generation of tall wood building design, manufacturing and construction

Formerly the stuff of dreams, tall wood buildings have arrived on the scene as a more sustainable alternative to concrete and steel construction. At 18-storeys, UBC’s Brock Commons mass timber student residence – made possible by a site-specific building code – became the world’s tallest wooden building in 2016. In 2020, the Government of BC’s Tall Wood Initiative allowed for the construction of 12-storey mass timber buildings across the province.

Environmentally, wood building construction is said to have key climate mitigating advantages. It’s estimated to have 20% less carbon dioxide (CO2 ) intensity in tons of emissions per dollar of output compared with fabricated metal products, 25% less CO2 intensity than cement and 50% less than iron or steel, according to a 2020 study led by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The burgeoning tall wood building field has opened up a multitude of new avenues for research and innovation, sparking the launch of the Sustainable Timber Built Environment (STBE) cluster at UBC Forestry in 2022.

“STBE is a multidisciplinary social and applied sciences hub that supports teaching and research on holistic approaches to the manufacturing, design and construction of sustainable high-performance timber building systems,” notes cluster member and UBC Forestry Prof. in Wood Building Design and Construction, Frank Lam (BASc’82, MASc’85, PhD’92).

Currently comprised of a team of five UBC Forestry faculty members in the Department of Wood Science, the cluster is gearing up to attain great heights with mass timber and tall wood building technology.

“In the past, we processed material in one way, mostly focused on low-cost utilization,” notes Asst. Prof. Cristiano Loss, a STBE member and Assoc. Chair in Wood Building Design and Construction. “Now we want to create taller and stronger buildings, so we need to use wood from different types of trees and create and optimize new products and processes.

Another key to advancing the sector will be automation integration, adds Cristiano. Artificial Intelligence, machine learning tools and robotics could be used to aid in optimizing tall wood building design, construction and safety, as well as the manufacture of new engineered wood products. Advances in this field require training members of the up-and-coming workforce who will lead the charge in the coming years.

“In the near term, STBE will develop a stream in the undergraduate Wood Products Processing program on timber building systems, and set up course-based micro-certificates serving practicing professionals as well as new graduates,” notes Frank. “In the longer term, more involved graduate programs will be considered.”

Cont. on page 5

The UBC Earth Sciences Building shown here features gluelaminated timber (glulam) as well as cross-laminated timber (CLT), which consists of alternating layers of kiln-dried lumber glued together to form plate elements.

A mass timber building in Finland showcases laminated veneer lumber (LVL) structural composite lumber made out of dried and graded wood veneer.

Our new courses are intended to fill knowledge gaps.”

“ Building more high-performance, large and tall timber structures will require knowledgeable personnel - from product manufacturing to design and construction.

– Prof. Frank Lam

Shown here under construction, UBC’s Brock Commons Tallwood House student residence features CLT and glulam columns.

Laminated strand lumber (LSL) floor plates – made from a composite of flaked wood strands – along with glulam beams and columns form floor elements in the UBC Earth Sciences Building.

Frank and Cristiano were recently joined by STBE cluster members, Assoc. Prof. Minghao Li (PhD’09), Asst. Prof. Haibo Feng (MASc’13, Phd’21) and Asst. Prof. Felix Wiesner. Cluster members will lead several new tall wood building courses, as well as a new lab space to be housed in UBC Forestry’s Centre for Advanced Wood Processing.

“Their expertise is most critical to the development and expansion of mass timber elements for larger and taller timber buildings,” says Frank. “It also nicely complements existing expertise at UBC Forestry and UBC Civil Engineering.”

STBE cluster members

Prof. Frank Lam BASc’82, MASc’85, PhD’92 Wood building performance and modeling

As senior chair in wood building design and construction, Frank’s main research interests include developing fundamental knowledge on the performance of solid sawn timber, wood-based composites and engineered wood systems, including testing and developing approaches to enhance the performance, strength and reliability of wood products. His work aims to address issues relevant to the forest products industries in the fields of timber engineering and wood-based composite mechanics to improve the utilization of structural wood products.

Asst. Prof. Cristiano Loss Timber, structural and earthquake engineering

Cristiano’s research aims to develop high-performance, wood-based systems and structures, as well as related performance-based optimum design procedures for engineers to provide them with cost-effective and safer buildings that can withstand extreme events. His work focuses on integrating new engineered wood products, structural elements and prefabricated hybrid composite systems into a coherent framework of innovative methods of design and construction for the next generation of buildings and sustainable urban development.

Assoc. Prof. Minghao Li PhD’09 Structural aspects of wood buildings

The main thrust of Minghao’s research is to develop robust structural solutions for timber buildings via experimental, analytical and numerical techniques. He has extensively researched high-performance engineered timber products, along with innovative connection systems, mass timber and timber hybrid structures. He is particularly interested in the design of resilient timber buildings.

Asst. Prof. Felix Wiesner Fire safety, protection and resilience

Felix is an expert in fire safety engineering, with a focus on the fire performance of timber buildings and infrastructure. He has extensive experience in large-scale compartment fire tests to assess the fire dynamics in engineered timber buildings and their structural response. His research also considers the role of fire safety within the context of durability and service life of wood products.

Asst. Prof. Haibo Feng MASc’13, PhD’21 Sustainable building design

With a focus on green building, building information modeling, life cycle assessment and building energy and carbon performance, Haibo is particularly interested in using sustainable technologies to promote zero-carbon timber-frame buildings. He also has extensive local and global experience in sustainable building design and construction management.

Our Losing Battle with Nature – Transition or Destiny

Climate change has elevated the risk of extreme weather the world over. In British Columbia, a natural flood risk mitigator lies all around us in the water-absorbing power of trees. In fact, research has shown that even a modest loss of forest cover due to wildfire, logging and disease can cause surprisingly large increases in the frequency of extreme floods. Will dykes, dams and levees be enough to protect against property loss and devastation from floods in the future? How can nature-based solutions, such as forests, and the restoration of natural floodplains and wetlands contribute to flood mitigation? What considerations need to be taken as BC develops its flood risk management strategy?

May 30 th, 2023 | 12:00-1:00pM

Register for this webinar to hear expert insights and answers to questions from the audience: forestry.ubc.ca/events/flood–risk–webinar

Featuring

Prof. Younes Alila UBC Faculty of Forestry

Moderator

Prof. Lori Daniels (MSc’94) UBC Faculty of Forestry

While my passion for the outdoors and natural resources comes from my mom, I also drew a lot of teachings from my grandmother from how she lived her life.”

Regreening the Downtown Eastside for better health

Empowering community voices through Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Physical health is often connected to the health of our environment. A new project led by fourth-year UBC Forestry undergraduate student Alexandra Thomas highlights how Indigenous knowledge about the healing and nurturing properties of the land could help mitigate negative health effects from climate change-related events, such as extreme heat, in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) – Canada’s poorest postal code.

“How can we be a healthy city if we don’t lift up every resident?” questions Alexandra, who is majoring in Forest Resources Management and minoring in Community and Aboriginal Forestry. “I hope other young people, especially young Indigenous students, who learn about this project will be inspired to follow their passions and realize their potential.”

Alexandra, who is of Kwakwaka’wakw and Coast Salish descent – with lineages from the Tlowitsis and shíshálh First Nation – comes from a matriline of action-oriented women whose leadership skills and community involvement have been a fountain of inspiration.

“While my passion for the outdoors and natural resources comes from my mom, I also drew a lot of teachings from my grandmother and how she lived her life.”

Alexandra’s mother works as a manager with the Coastal Guardian Watchmen, monitoring their traditional territories on Vancouver Island near Campbell River, BC, where Alexandra and her mom grew up. As a child, Alexandra remembers visiting her grandmother’s bookstore in Campbell River and hearing stories about the many foster children she raised over several decades.

“My grandmother was the matriarch of the family,” Alexandra recalls. “I was her only biological grandchild, and grew up with my family and community looking to her for guidance.”

After moving to Vancouver, Alexandra was surprised to find many areas of the city with minimal tree cover and vegetation. News reports of hospitalizations – particularly among people living in the DTES – during the 2021 heat dome that baked BC with temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius, compelled Alexandra to take action and create the regreening project, which received funding from UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Initiatives Fund.

Launched in September 2022, Alexandra’s Regreening Vancouver’s DTES to Combat Heat Island Effects project looks through a Traditional Ecological Knowledge lens to create a community coalition that gives voice to people living in the DTES. The project’s collaborative approach is designed to address the potential stumbling blocks of complex social dynamics and power structures found within the DTES community.

Regreening Vancouver’s DTES to Combat Heat Island Effects is seeking input from community partners. To inquire, contact climate.emergency@ubc.ca

Traditional Ecological Knowledge is living knowledge of the land and different ways of knowing passed down from one generation to the next, explains Alexandra. For example, the emotional and spiritual meaning and value of cedar trees to Indigenous Peoples is a longstanding part of Indigenous history and culture.

Together with project team members, Pablo Akira Beimler and Nadia Joe, Alexandra will engage with Indigenous nations, as well as Indigenous and non-Indigenous community groups. The project team will gather recommendations on how to manage and steward green spaces in the urban environment in a way that reflects the needs and traditions of local residents. The research team will also work with City of Vancouver staff on scoping and municipal bylaw considerations.

As the world heats up, green spaces can play an important role in cooling down the surface air temperature in the shade by around six to 13 degrees Celsius. Trees are also carbon absorbing machines, with a mature tree capturing an average of over 21 kilograms of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the course of a year.

Indigenous partners from around the world will be engaged to better understand how connections to the land can promote the health and wellbeing of people and the planet.

“We know that small details, such as the presence of a strawberry plant in a community garden, can help address issues of food security, create inroads to connect to the land and incentivize gardeners,” notes Alexandra. “The sharing of insights like this by partners will inform the recommendations we put forward at the close of the project.”

Forestry and care for the community’s surrounding natural resources was a constant presence in Alexandra’s youth. As an undergraduate student, she has further developed her skills and awareness in traditional Indigenous ways of life, land management and stewardship.

“Something that’s often missing from climate and environmental sciences is the interconnection of people and the natural environment, which I am passionate about addressing in my work,” Alexandra says.

Something that’s often missing from climate and environmental sciences is the interconnection of people and the natural environment, which I am passionate about addressing in my work,”

– Alexandra Thomas

The rise of Urban Forestry

There is a living, breathing ecosystem around us that deserves our attention

By the year 2050, the United Nations estimates that about 68% of the global population will live in cities. Vancouver alone is expected to welcome an additional one million residents, many of whom will want places to recreate and find refuge outdoors and close to home.

While urbanization is impacting everything from the hydrology of our planet to the number and intensity of extreme weather events, it also affords greater housing density and economies of scale that rural communities lack. Housing density often concentrates demand on public resources, such as parks, sports fields and other urban and wilderness spaces. Meeting public demand for these spaces, while maintaining their health and resilience in the face of mounting pressure from climate and land-use changes, is no small task.

“If you just ignore natural areas, they become covered in Himalayan blackberry and other invasive species,” says retired urban forester Owen Croy (BSF’87).

BC presently has over 800 alien plant species, more than 175 of which are invasive and harmful to the local environment.

“We need to pay close attention to the intrinsic value of the urban canopy and natural areas – describing them, mapping them and determining whether they need to be protected and to what extent.”

Owen has an impressive professional background in urban forestry. In the 1980s, he worked with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, then spent over 25 years as an urban forester with the City of Surrey. Currently, Owen is an instructor with the Municipal Forestry Institute and an Adjunct Prof. with UBC Forestry.

From a bird’s eye view, Owen believes that the urban forestry profession’s number one goal now is to “find a way to communicate important messages and educate people from all walks of life about the benefits of the urban tree canopy, urban parks and natural areas in and around communities.”

UBCcampus

Canadian roots

The history of urban forestry in Canada dates back to 1955, when Danish forester Erik Jorgensen arrived in Ontario with a keen interest in fungi and plant pathology. The rising star in forest pathology received a Master of Forestry from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural College in Copenhagen, Denmark before being offered a position as a research officer with the Dominion Forest Service field laboratory in Maple, ON.

Erik took up arms against Dutch Elm Disease (DED), an invasive fungus that was killing elms in the metropolitan Toronto region and is easily spread by infected beetles from tree to tree. But the road to controlling the spread of DED seemed insurmountable without buy-in from local government and community members.

Erik realized that a new area of specialization was needed through which to frame the problem and train a workforce with the knowledge and skills to tackle invasive species, such as DED, and other issues affecting trees in urban areas. Dubbing it ‘urban forestry’, Erik defined the specialization as the cultivation and management of trees for their environmental and societal benefits. With Erik’s input, the University of Toronto began offering an urban forestry course in 1965.

Urban forestry at UBC

In 2015, UBC Forestry became one of the first forestry schools in Canada to establish an urban forestry degree program. The program is one of the largest in North America, and its Urban Greenspace Management

minor became the first urban forestry credential to be accredited by the Canadian Forestry Accreditation Board. Future graduates of this minor will meet the academic requirements for RPF status in any of the eight Canadian provinces that have a professional forestry association.

UBC Forestry now offers both a Bachelor of Urban Forestry and a Master of Urban Forestry Leadership, along with a wide range of urban forestry courses in both greenspace management and landscape and recreation planning. For example, Asst. Prof. of Teaching, Andrew Almas, teaches ‘Greening the City’, ‘Urban Forest Governance’ and ‘Urban Forestry Field School’, among others. Many classes are hands-on and involve field work. Led by UBC Forestry Lecturer and Director of Urban Forestry Programs, Sara Barron (MLA’08, PhD’19), UBC Forestry’s urban forestry programs have continued to expand, establishing a global reputation for excellence in this space.

“Students want to learn about urban forestry because they see the need for this specialized knowledge in communities,” notes Sara, whose research has focused on urban green spaces. In a 2023 study, Sara draws connections between urban natural spaces and youth social and mental wellbeing.

“I can see demand for this emerging discipline continue to grow with the expansion of cities, which require more climate-friendly solutions to urban densification.”

A diverse field

Until recently, urban forestry was a term unfamiliar to many Canadians. Now, however, metropolitan centres are turning to their urban forests to address issues ranging from human health to storm water mitigation, wildfire preparedness and community tree planting programs.

Urban foresters survey tree inventory for disease and pest detection and control. The profession has also evolved into the management of peri-urban areas adjacent to cities, consulting with other levels of government, launching public awareness campaigns, partnering with non-profits, controlling invasive species and protecting habitats for native plants and animals.

The career path of Joe McLeod (BSF’01), a landscape architect, arborist and manager of urban forestry with the City of Vancouver, exemplifies the broad skillset in demand within the specialization. Over the years, Joe has amassed professional experience in the fields of silviculture, arboriculture, wildlife habitat enhancement, woodlot management planning and landscape architecture.

“My primary obligation with the City of Vancouver now is risk management,” says Joe. “This ranges from managing decision-making related to wildlife habitats for nesting birds to removing danger trees and responding to our political commitments, such as bylaws and policies.”

Human and ecological health

Many of the drivers of change in urban forestry are born of necessity, government policies and on-thejob problem-solving. Others are being developed at educational institutions by leading thinkers in the field, such as members of UBC Forestry’s Urban Forests Research Hub (UFRH), which supports cutting-edge research to advance the science of urban forestry and realize sustainable urban ecosystems.

The research of UFRH member and UBC Forestry Prof. Susan Day digs into how the soils below urban forests impact ecosystem services, such as groundwater and stormwater management. Her insights have helped to set the soil sustainability standards of building developments for private companies and public officials.

UFRH member Asst. Prof. Lorien Nesbitt (PhD’18) researches environmental justice and human health and wellbeing in urban settings.

“Studies have shown that exposure to nature can support better heart health,” Lorien says. “Nature can also increase the amount of time people spend engaging in physical activity.”

Green space helps people cool down during times of extreme heat, such as heat domes, Lorien adds. It is also a valuable arena for making social connections.

“Exposure to green space has been linked with improved mood and mental health; lower stress hormones, such as cortisol; and improved microbiome conditions, which influence such things as asthma and other respiratory illnesses.”

Research led by UBC Forestry Adjunct Prof. Matilda van den Bosch , in partnership with Lorien, has found that exposure to vegetation in residential neighbourhoods can improve early childhood development outcomes.

“This is really important as we think about designing our cities in ways that can support healthy development in children, particularly among under-resourced families,” says Lorien.

Coexisting with nature

UBC Forestry Asst. Prof. in Urban Ecology and Urban Wildlife, Sarah Benson-Amram , examines how urban mesocarnivores – such as raccoons, skunks and coyotes – are adapting to their newfound environment.

Sarah collaborates with neuroscientists to understand animal cognition and behaviour. She often advises municipal government workers on how to reduce humananimal conflict through a deeper understanding of how animals have gained brain power and brawn to break into garbage cans and prey on small pets, as well as approaches to promote amicable coexistence.

of these animals puts all outdoor food sources on the menu, including food dishes for pets, compost bins, gardens and bird feeders, any of which can lead to human-animal conflict.

“Since cities are expected to continue expanding in the coming decades, I anticipate a parallel growth in human-wildlife conflict,” Sarah adds. “ But, there are many things that we can and should do to promote peaceful coexistence with wildlife, such as making it harder for them to eat human food.”

Getting citizens on board

In many ways, urban forestry’s success hinges on the involvement of multiple stakeholders and partners, including businesses, various levels of government and citizens.

“We’re seeing more human-wildlife conflict as cities expand and animals become more accustomed to us,” says Sarah.

For example, in January 2021, the BC Conservation Officer Service and Vancouver Park Board rangers closed part of Stanley Park in Vancouver following multiple reports of aggressive coyotes and attacks. As a result, several coyotes believed to be responsible were euthanized.

“As the saying goes, a fed bear is a dead bear,” says Sarah. “This is why we don’t want wildlife to get too comfortable around humans.”

Using night-vision cameras, radio frequency identification tags and, increasingly, artificial intelligence to aid in image analysis, Sarah and her research team have been wowed by the ability of raccoons to solve feeder puzzle boxes to retrieve the food secured within. The high-intelligence

UBC Forestry Prof. Emeritus Stephen Sheppard (MSc’78) has worked alongside local government staff on urban sustainability projects, such as investigating energy alternatives for single-family homes in the District of West Vancouver, BC, and developing a Coolkit for Oak Bay, BC (connect.oakbay.ca/coolkit).

The Coolkit program that Stephen and the Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning research group developed teaches residents simple steps that they can take to green their neighbourhoods, save energy, calm traffic and promote pollinators, among others. The program champions such initiatives as scaling-up tree planting and the stewardship of both trees on public streets and private lands.

In the face of a warming world, cumulative efforts by municipal governments, private companies and citizens to implement science-based urban greening and sustainable landscape design recommendations can significantly reduce a community’s greenhouse gas emissions and cool entire neighbourhoods. For example, approximately 88% of Vancouver’s trees are on public lands, such as Stanley Park; however, 57% of Vancouver lands are privately owned, notes Joe. To reach the city’s goal of 30% tree cover from the present 20%, staff members are looking to private landowners to help close the gap by planting more trees on their properties.

“Putting money and resources towards answering this question is more likely to produce green spaces that better serve the health and wellbeing of all members of a population.”

The National Healing Forests Initiative (nationalhealingforests.com) and the Vancouver Urban Food Forest Foundation (vufff.org) both support the co-creation of anti-colonial and healing parks and gardens, addressing the reality that green spaces often reflect colonial aesthetics and histories of oppression in their design and current uses, notes Lorien.

“There are many different ways of understanding the natural world and our relationship to it, along with different ways of engaging in that relationship,” says Lorien. “We need to be open to those differences.”

What degree of tree cover might be required to provide communities with optimal levels of ecological services and health benefits is a topic for further research and planning, says Melissa McHale , an urban ecologist and UBC Forestry Assoc. Prof. of Urban Ecology and Sustainability.

Doing so may boost not only citizen engagement in the future of green spaces in communities, but the equitable access to and sustainability of those spaces.

UBCForestrystudentsenjoyoutdoorgreenspaceoncampus.

Without acquiring scientific data, we may overestimate costs or miss opportunities to maximize the benefits that trees can offer.”

– Melissa McHale

TheseawallbetweenCoalHarborandStanleyParkinVancouver,BC, isapopularlocationforwalking,bikingandotheroutdooractivities.

Science-based data

Working alongside municipal governments, Melissa’s research has influenced government decision-making on how to sustainably green urban landscapes.

“On the whole, municipalities want to manage for their citizens, and on-the-ground data matters,” states Melissa. “Information that is specific to a place helps decision-makers across different departments within a city get on board to understand the ‘why’ behind a given management strategy.”

For her September 2022 study, Melissa and her research team assessed the summertime electricity consumption for cooling 21,048 single-family homes in a semi-arid city in Northern Colorado. While prior research linked greater energy consumption reductions to shade trees located on the west side of a home, Melissa’s study found that shade trees on the east side resulted in greater energy savings.

In another study, Melissa and other researchers found that people in a semi-arid environment who had trees in their yards used less water on their lawns and gardens.

Municipal water conservation, utilities, transportation, forestry and natural lands management departments have different foci, but data could help them identify opportunities to collaborate to meet shared climate change objectives and improve residents’ quality of life.

“If we are going to keep putting people in tiny spaces and stacking them on top of each other, we have to give them somewhere safe to go outside,” says Melissa. “If all you see when you walk out your front door are impervious surfaces, such as concrete and asphalt, it’s going to be a miserable existence.”

Fort Collins, Colorado

Melissaispreparingtoexpandher‘increasingurbanheat’researchtotheCity of Kelowna, which has a similar semi-arid environment to Northern Colorado.

Under-resourced communities are less likely to have access to green space and are often excluded from its design and stewardship; but, research has found that these communities derive more health benefits from interacting with urban forests.”

– Lorien Nesbitt

Newtechnology-suchasthedronepicturedhere,andits controllershownabove,right-arebecomingmorecommonplace intheforestryprofession,includingurbanforestry.

Environmental justice

In the bid for greener, healthier cities, researchers are calling for justice in urban greening.

“Under-resourced communities are less likely to have access to green space and are often excluded from its design and stewardship; but research has found that these communities derive more health benefits from interacting with urban forests,” says Lorien.

“It isn’t optional to put running water in our homes, but it has been seen as optional to plant or care for trees in our neighbourhoods,” she adds. “Trees should be seen as a matter of equity and justice.”

Working with her students in the Urban Natures Lab, and other co-investigators at UBC and internationally, Lorien’s research has examined inequitable distributions of urban vegetation in multiple cities across North America, including in the Lower Mainland. Her team has also analyzed the risk of gentrification associated with urban greening, a potential issue of concern when trying to correct inequitable access to green space.

The accessibility and design of urban parks to ensure that these valuable public spaces can be enjoyed by all members of the community is highlighted in the research of Asst. Prof. of Urban Forestry, Keunhyun Park

After analyzing drone data of urban park usage, Keunhyun created a demographic map of park users and activities. Data on users’ age, sex and whether they were sitting or running in a park, among others, can paint a picture not only of park users but also of people who might face barriers to park access.

“Many neighbourhood parks in suburban areas are underused,” says Keunhyun. “This often comes down to issues related to park location and design, as well as their connectivity to surrounding neighbourhood spaces.”

In Vancouver, one reason for park underutilization is that many are located in affluent, low-density neighbourhoods that are difficult to reach by transit – either due to absent or infrequently scheduled transit stops or long travel times.

Better access and utilization could be achieved through the co-creation of park space with representatives from diverse populations, cultures and under-represented ways of being and knowing, says Lorien.

Ultimately, parks are funded by citizens. And, how we engage with and manage our landscapes can contribute to not only the health and wellbeing of communities, but the planet as a whole.

Explore this topic more by registering to attend the Urban Forestry Webinar on June 15, 2023 from 12:00pm-1:00pm:

forestry.ubc.ca/events/urban-forestry-webinar

A flood of trouble

The November 2021 flooding of farmland in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley has raised questions about the potential role that nearby and distant forest management could have played. UBC Forestry Prof. Younes Alila’s research into the hydrology of harvested lands has linked forest practices, such as clear-cutting, with hydrologic extremes, including contributing to an increase in the frequency and severity of floods in low-lying plains such as the Fraser River Basin. Here are some of the factors at play.

Cut rate percentage

• The greater the number of trees removed from a forested area, the less vegetation is present to absorb and retain rainwater and snowmelt in canopies and soils

Topography

• Mountains and snow-capped peaks have different hydrological considerations than hilly or flat terrain

Climate change

• A warmer world has led to more frequent extreme weather events, including atmospheric rivers that dump centimetres of rain within 24 hours

Orientation to the sun

• Areas with snowpack that receive more sun exposure, such as south-west facing slopes, are more prone to rapid melt and water runoff

Land use

• The presence of urban infrastructure and industry, such as mining, often leads to water diversion and dyking that can ramp up an area’s flood risk

Sediments

• Areas lacking in trees are more prone to erosion, which can pour sediments into and clog nearby waterways, raising the waterline until it spills over its banks

Dive deeper into this topic by registering to attend our upcoming webinar: Our Losing Battle with Nature – Transition or Destiny with Prof. Younes Alila on May 30, 2023 from 12:00pm-1:00pm:

forestry.ubc.ca/events/flood–risk–webinar

See the complete event description on page 6.

While working for then BC coastal forest company MacMillan Bloedel in the early days of her career, Linda Coady (BA’74) took part in discussions to resolve land use conflicts over Clayoquot Sound and the Great Bear Rainforest. It was the 1990s, and the concept of sustainability was still in its nascency. However, Linda saw an opportunity that set the course of her career.

Before her current role as the President and CEO of COFI, as of July 2022, Linda served as Executive Director of the Pembina Institute – a leading Canadian think tank on energy, climate and environmental issues. She was also Chief Sustainability Officer for Enbridge Inc, Vice-President of Sustainability for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, Vice-President of the pacific region for World Wildlife Fund Canada and Vice-President of Environmental Affairs with MacMillan Bloedel and Weyerhaeuser. At UBC, Linda taught corporate social responsibility as a Sessional Lecturer with the Sauder School of Business from 2011- 2012, and worked on new models for sustainable finance and disclosure. We sat down with Linda to learn more about her work and the evolution of sustainable approaches to forestry in BC.

When did you realize that you wanted to pursue sustainability in your career?

When I was first involved in land use issues on the BC coast, I saw how sustainability principles could be applied on the ground to help resolve conflict. The United Nations’ Our Common Future Brundtland Report had just been released in 1987, and the Earth Summit in Rio happened five years later. The Rio declaration put the first global ‘flag in the ground’ that sustainability and environmental concerns are integral to development. Subsequent multigovernmental commitments to work collaboratively to meet emerging sustainability goals made me realize that this was a movement I wanted to be part of.

What potential did you see in sustainability frameworks and how have they changed with time?

At first, I saw these frameworks as a means to address objectives around environmental stewardship and conservation. On the BC coast, this necessarily included sustainable forest management, Indigenous rights & reconciliation and the development of new partnerships, policies and technologies. I grew

to understand that taking a sustainability approach requires consideration of social, economic and environmental dimensions. Today, sustainability is a lot more rigorous. Perhaps not quite a science, but it now comes with metrics, measurements, standards, benchmarks, reporting and accountability.

How is diversity and inclusion part of the bigger sustainability picture today?

Most sustainability frameworks started out with a focus on environmental indicators. Then, social indicators, such as diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and on other issues, became a pillar in reporting on sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance. So, companies, governments and investors using these frameworks are also now required to disclose how they are managing risks related to the social dimension of their activities. This largely stems from the growing acceptance of the importance of incorporating differing opinions and belief systems in business decision-making, along with an acknowledgment that cultural histories and backgrounds influence perceptions of the validity of different approaches.

In BC, Indigenous rights and reconciliation are central to discussions on sustainable forest management, as well as the transition to managing for ecosystem and community resilience. Ultimately, the hope is that by being more inclusive and having more people at the table, we’ll be able to equitably identify better solutions to very big challenges, such as climate change, minimizing our impact on the environment and maximizing our resources in order to lead more sustainable lives.

How can forestry help reach federal and provincial net-zero emissions goals by 2050?

All sectors of the economy will need to be involved in the movement to net-zero by 2050, and making measurable progress by 2030. The forest industry in BC and Canada is developing roadmaps and identifying areas where emissions can be driven down at the operating level and in the form of carbon storing products, materials and biofuels. These climate smart forestry approaches include managing forests for climate change, such as mitigating fire risk and biodiversity loss. A lot of attention is also being directed to identifying new value-added wood products, as well as expanding mass timber and other engineered forest products for tall wood building construction and green building systems in the province and abroad. These innovations open the door to more skilled jobs and forward-thinking approaches to the use of new forest tech and the production of renewable materials for construction, the bioeconomy and pulp and paper.

Q&A with president and CEO Linda Coady

Trees of campus

Old World sycamore

Native to the Mediterranean, the robustness of the Old World sycamore (Platanus orientalis) has enabled it to thrive in locations around the globe. This species has a large crown spread and big palmate leaves (five lobes) that resemble those of silver maple. The Old World sycamore shown here is a special planting, with a plaque telling the story of how the tree arrived at UBC. Its life began as a cutting from the original tree located on the island of Kos, Greece. The genetic kin of the tree that Hippocrates, the father of medicine, taught his students under, cuttings are given as gifts to universities around the world, including UBC. Approximately 500 years old, the Greek parent tree is also the largest Platanus orientalis in Europe. UBC’s cutting is a beautiful example of the species, sporting an estimated total height of 18.4 metres and a very large crown spread.

Send us your Trees of campus photos: sarah.ripplinger@ubc.ca

Thank you to Finn Köpf, a UBC Forestry fourth-year urban foresty undergraduate student, who submitted this Old World sycamore to us to be featured in Trees of campus

ThisOldWorldsycamoreislocatedalongUBC’sLowerMallroad,nexttotheMarineDriveresidences.

Finding a path to urban forestry

Tara Bergeson has been at the forefront of urban forestry’s growth in BC

After cutting her teeth on research and tree planting, UBC Forestry alumnus, Tara Bergeson (BSF’09) entered the then emerging field of urban forestry. Now the Urban Forestry Supervisor with the City of Kelowna, Tara has played a key role in community greening and wildfire preparedness projects, including Kelowna’s most recent wildfire resiliency plan. With many years in the field under her belt, we were grateful that Tara sat down with us to share insights from her career, both past and present.

How did you first become interested in forestry?

I grew up in Riding Mountain National Park in southern Manitoba, where my grandfather was a park warden. He would often take me patrolling with him on horseback, so I appreciated protecting the land from an early age. When I was 18, I fell in love with tree planting. That’s also when I found out that forestry was a career option. Through my UBC Bachelor of Science in Forestry (Forest Resources Management) program, I secured a work placement with Bruce Blackwell (BSF’84, MSc ’89) in wildfire and stand rehabilitation in mountain pine beetle-affected areas near Williams Lake. Following that, I completed a Master of Science in Natural Resource and Environmental Studies at the University of Northern BC, which took me to northern Uganda, where I studied the relationship between the environment and health.

What drew you to urban forestry, in particular?

During my undergrad, I was hired to inventory all vegetation in Stanley Park – from trees to shrubs, ferns and coarse woody debris – after the 2006 windstorm that leveled 41 hectares of the forest. We crawled all over the place to plot each hectare of Stanley Park. I absolutely loved the work and being part of a team that was protecting and restoring a central pillar of Vancouver’s natural environment. Our data informed part of the first urban forest management plan for Stanley Park, which coincided with a time when urban forestry was entering the scene as a viable career option. Through each step of my professional journey, I continued finding connections between people and places, ultimately landing my dream job as Urban Forestry Supervisor with the City of Kelowna. My work there ties together community and environmental needs, such as wildfire protection, parks management and development and planning.

What’s an example of a forest management initiative you’ve worked on?

Over the past five years, I’ve been helping to grow our NeighbourWoods program, which makes available subsidized trees for residents to purchase to increase canopy cover on private properties. Since it began, the program has resulted in the planting of over 6,000 trees, and is a significant contributor to our urban forest.

What aspects of your role with the City of Kelowna are you particularly passionate about?

Wildfire is something that I’ve always been very passionate about. I was tree planting in Barriere during the devastating 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park Wildfire, and was one of the over 33,000 people evacuated from the area. This fire prompted Kelowna to create its first community wildfire protection plan in 2004 – the first of its kind in the province. In my role, I’ve been proud to have overseen several initiatives to reduce fire risk in Kelowna. The neighbourhood chipping program I initiated in 2022 removed almost 100 metric tonnes of hazardous landscaping material that could pose a fire risk from over 250 community homes. We also created a FireSmart Kelowna website that provides information on how to reduce fire risk to homes by following steps such as cleaning gutters, installing fire-resistant windows, planting fire-resistant plants, keeping grass trimmed and keeping roofs clear of combustible branches and other debris. In general, though, I love the diversity of urban forestry. My role touches on everything from policy to operations, forest management, media relations and community outreach.

Attend the Urban Forestry Webinar on June 15th, 2023 in which Tara will appear as a guest panelist and take questions from the audience: forestry.ubc.ca/events/urban-forestry-webinar

Aerial shot of downtown Kelowna, BC.

Prof.ScottHinch

Compounding the impacts of climate change are land use practices such as forestry, agriculture, urbanization and water extraction that degrade habitat and can also create numerous barriers for fish to access habitat,” Scott adds.

“It’s almost like death by a thousand cuts.”

Investing in the future of wild Pacific salmon

Numbers-based decision-making may be our best bet to save threatened salmon populations

“Despite all the pressures they’re facing, Pacific salmon are still showing up,” says UBC Forestry

Prof. Tara Martin

Chinook, coho and sockeye salmon runs are quintessentially BC; however, stocks have been on a marked decline since the mid-1990s, largely due to habitat loss, warming ocean temperatures from climate change , fishing and shifting landscape uses.

“Climate change is perhaps the single biggest overarching factor because it’s depleting salmon’s food sources in the ocean, where some species spend the majority of their lives,” notes UBC Forestry Prof. Scott Hinch, Director of the Pacific Salmon Ecology and Conservation Lab.

“Compounding the impacts of climate change are land use practices such as forestry, agriculture, urbanization and water extraction that degrade habitat and can also create numerous barriers for fish to access habitat,” Scott adds. “It’s almost like death by a thousand cuts.”

In the Fraser Valley, around 85% of floodplain habitat used by 19 genetically and ecologically distinct Pacific salmon populations has been lost to agriculture, housing and businesses. In addition, “our research also shows that around 64% of stream length is now either lost entirely or inaccessible to salmon due to barriers, such as dams, floodgates and road culverts,” says Tara.

To address this, Tara and her team have embarked on a project that takes a Priority Threat Management approach to quantify threats to wild Pacific salmon species and the related costs of protecting them. Developed by Tara’s Conservation Decisions Lab, Priority Threat Management is a decision-making tool that illustrates how to recover the most species for the least cost using a scientific, data-driven approach.

“Priority Threat Management draws on empirical data and expert knowledge of major threats to biodiversity to forecast the expected outcome of tailored management strategies on species recovery and persistence, along with the cost and feasibility of those strategies,” says Tara.

The approach can help decision-makers in Indigenous, federal, provincial and municipal governments select the most prudent path forward to save as many species as possible for the least cost. Importantly, research also shows that the expected benefit of implementing salmon management strategies increases when supported by Indigenous and crown governments, Tara adds.

Learn more at: pacificsalmonecologyconservationlab .ca

Habitat restoration is a key lever Tara and Scott’s research, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology in April 2022, calculated that to support healthy populations of 14 distinct salmon species in the Lower Fraser River would cost approximately $20 million per year for 25 years. Moneys would go towards a suite of habitat restoration strategies that would involve restoring coastal areas found at the tidal mouths of rivers, along with freshwater restoration, barrier removal, habitat protection and updates to watershed management policies.

Implementing conservation strategies for an additional three salmon species would double the cost, their assessment concluded. Doing nothing will likely lead to the slow decline of all 19 salmon species found in the Lower Fraser.

“Run sizes in the southern latitudes are shrinking, whereas salmon populations in northern regions are doing ok,” says Scott. While the number of salmon in the north Pacific continues to increase, population diversity is declining, which will ultimately further weaken salmon’s resilience to climate change, adds Scott.

We’ve hit a tipping point where ecosystems are collapsing,” Tara says. “Now is the time to support science-based conservation and climate adaptation efforts.”

Learn more at: taramartin.org/research lower-fraser-river-salmon

Prof.TaraMartin

When I first got started in this field, the term urban forester was controversial. Since then, the profession has come a long way.”

Born and raised in Burnaby, BC, Mark McDonald (BSc’19 (Forest Sciences), MUFL’22) was not thrilled by his high school experience. At 18 years of age, he entered the workforce, developing skills as an arborist with a private landscaping company.

Work Experience:

Para Space Landscaping Inc.

4 years

Labourer - landscaping (2003-2004)

Plant Health Care Supervisor (2004-2005) Diagnosed common plant diseases and pests and oversaw their eradication using sustainable methods.

Landscape Maintenance Supervisor (2005-2007)

Groundsman/Climber (2007-2008)

City of Burnaby

12 years

Labourer 3 – Arborist (2011-2016)

Tree Pruner (2014-2016)

Field Arborist (2016-2022)

Aboricultural Foreman (2022)

Tree Inspector (2016-2023)

Parks Forester Foreperson (Present position as of Jan. 2023)

Tree maintenance and care were what appealed to Mark the most. While learning the ropes as a tree climber on one contract with the City of Burnaby, Mark also got a glimpse into the local government’s work culture.

These experiences raised questions in Mark’s mind about the relationship between trees and the urban environment. Eager to learn more, Mark began researching forestry and horticulture programs, and found the right fit with UBC Forestry’s Bachelor of Science in Forest Sciences program, which offered an option to major in forest pathology.

“I find plant evolution, physiology and health issues really fascinating, especially in urban areas where trees are highly susceptible to many factors that affect their survival, including pests and diseases, often acquired through contact with people and through trade goods.”

Mark identified a need for the City of Burnaby to expand into remote sensing and geomatics applications for its tree inspection work. He saw how, like many other cities, Burnaby’s tree canopy was shrinking as the local human population grew and densified. In collaboration with architects, engineers and various other disciplines, Mark put forward nature-based and engineered solutions to create urban green spaces that are more climate resilient and sustainable, and provide ecosystem services that can benefit an increasingly diverse population of community members

In pursuit of his goal to extend his knowledge base to better fulfill his career aspirations with the City of Burnaby, Mark juggled his studies with work. His undergraduate degree thesis project examined a type of Phytophthora water mold that is in the same genus as pathogens that caused the Irish potato famine and is responsible for sudden oak death. The water mold was found growing on red alders in Burnaby. Mark’s study on the subject - conducted under the supervision of UBC Forestry Prof. Richard Hamelinwas later published in the Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology in 2022.

Also in 2022, Mark completed a Master of Urban Forestry Leadership at UBC Forestry. The comprehensive, 14-month, online, course-based master’s program takes an interdisciplinary perspective and focuses on strategic management, decision-making and creativity. In 2023, Mark enrolled in UBC Forestry’s Climate Action and Community Engagement online micro-certificate course, which teaches students how to lead climate action and greening initiatives in their communities.

I’ve always enjoyed being out in nature, camping and hiking,” says Mark. “But, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to appreciate the presence of greenery in my neighbourhood.

Now, I’m proud to be part of the growing network of urban foresters who are helping to manage and maintain optimal levels of urban canopy cover in our communities.”

Education:

The University of British Columbia

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Forest Sciences, Forest Pathology 2019

The University of British Columbia

Master of Urban Forestry Leadership, Urban Forestry

Jul 2021 - Aug 2022

The University of British Columbia

UBC Forestry’s Climate Action and Community Engagement Micro-Certificate enrolled in 2023

Learn more: Master of Urban Forestry Leadership: forestry.ubc.ca/future-students/graduate/professional-masters-degrees/master-of-urban-forestry-leadership

Collaborative research for biodiversity conservation

The new IBioS Collaboratory is an innovation incubator that brings together researchers from multiple disciplines

Biological diversity in Canada is facing pressures unseen for millennia. According to the Canadian Species Index, between 1970 and 2016, vertebrates known and monitored by the federal government decreased by 4%. Within this category, monitored fish and mammal species declined by an average of 21% and 42%, respectively. These represent only a fraction of species loss in the Canadian wilderness.

At its inception in June 2003, the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA) listed 233 species at risk. As of December 31, 2021, that number has jumped to 640, according to the 2021 SARA Annual Report to Parliament.

Species loss is not only a concern for biodiversity, it inflicts collateral damage to many other species within habitats and ecosystems. For example, declines in salmon populations reduce a food source for many predators and human communities. This, in turn, decreases the availability of nutrients that benefit trees and other plant and animal life deposited via predator feces.

Addressing the decline in biodiversity involves conducting research into novel conservation approaches, as well as taking science-based actions to protect species in the coming years.

IBioS’s solutions-based, cross-disciplinary approach

The Interdisciplinary Biodiversity Solutions (IBioS) Collaboratory is a cross-disciplinary, UBC consortium formed to address the challenges facing biodiversity loss. It aims to devise innovative solutions that draw on bright minds from various faculties, departments and disciplines across UBC, including the Faculty of Forestry. Its approach combines research and training to co-develop world-class studies, co-advise students, produce policy-relevant solutions and engage with communities, all levels of government and other academic institutions to protect biodiversity for future generations.

Asst. Prof. Alex Moore

“The big picture goal for IBioS is to have meaningful impact related to the conservation of biodiversity,” says IBioS member and Asst. Prof. Alex Moore, who is cross-appointed to UBC Forestry’s Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences and the Department of Botany in the Faculty of Science. “IBioS recognizes the need to leverage different knowledge systems to achieve meaningful change in this area.”

Launched in 2020, IBioS members’ UBC crossappointments range from Geography to the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs; Forestry; Botany; Zoology; and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, to name a few.

“We are all committed to working together, starting with building rapport and community before co-launching research projects,” explains Asst. Prof. Juliet Lu, an IBioS member cross-appointed to UBC Forestry’s Department of Forest Resources Management and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs in the Faculty of Arts. Juliet’s research background includes political ecology with a focus on the implications of China’s investments in resources.

By sharing insights from their specializations, group members enrich each other’s knowledge base, filling in blanks and deepening perspectives and understanding, says Juliet.

Before attending the 2022 Convention on Biological Diversity co-hosted by China and Montreal, Juliet spoke with IBioS members to get more background information that could help her maximize her experience. “Many IBioS members have conducted long-term research on the subject, so I went to them to get their perspectives, and then shared some of the knowledge that I’d gained from the Convention with groups members afterwards.”

“We need to recognize the value of the unique skills and experiences of each person and their discipline within the unit,” Alex adds. “Even though my background is largely in the natural sciences, my value is not more or less than anyone else’s who maybe comes from a social sciences or humanities background.”

In the coming years, IBioS will begin the important work of pursuing impact- and solutions-oriented research on how to protect species that are not only important for ecosystem health, but for human health and wellbeing.

The group expects to produce traditional academic outputs, “but, most importantly, it will aim to move the biodiversity conservation needle forward,” Alex notes. “IBioS collaborators are looking for novel approaches that will have a meaningful impact in real-world settings to prevent further species and habitat loss.”

We are all committed to working together, starting with building rapport and community before co-launching research projects,”

– Juliet Lu

Learn more at: ibios.ubc.ca

Asst. Prof. Juliet Lu

Built for success

I have had a great career, and now wanted to help out the next generation by providing them with some financial support to pursue their studies.”

– Alan R. Casselman

“

A new undergraduate bursary helps wood science students realize their dreams

Alan R. CasselmanBursary in Forestry

Wood and wood derivatives are found in more products today than at any other point in history. Wear rayon? The material is extracted from wood-derived cellulose or other plant materials. Home insulation? Researchers have developed wood-based foam to produce that. The same goes for renewable plastics, packaging materials and a host of other products. Tall wood buildings that outperform steel and concrete? Scientific studies and knowledge-sharing have made them a reality.

The seemingly endless permutations of wood products drew former chemistry and engineering student, Ghullam Yahia Muneeb, to study the renewable resource at UBC Forestry’s Department of Wood Science.

“I am very interested in the environmental aspects of wood,” notes Ghullam. “Products such as crosslaminated timber, glulam and other engineered wood products are replacing non-renewable products used in home construction, such as concrete. I see a lot of potential for growth and job opportunities in this industry.”

At the end of his second year of a Wood Products Processing undergraduate degree, Ghullam is also the inaugural recipient of the Alan R. Casselman Bursary in Forestry. The award – made possible through an endowment established by Alan R. Casselman (BSF’61) – helps relieve some of the financial burden on students like Ghullam.

“I dealt with a lot of financial hardships moving here from Alberta, including an even higher cost of living from inflation,” says Ghullam.

Ghullam faced squeezing a full course load of studies between full-time work to make ends meet. The bursary he received made it possible for him to focus on his degree.

Like Ghullam, Alan came to forestry obliquely. After losing his footing in the second year of a commerce degree, Alan took two years away from university to work as an invoice clerk, survey assistant, chokerman and log scaler in the forest sector. He then received some sage advice from then UBC Forestry Dean George S. Allen, who encouraged him to pursue a degree in forestry at UBC, where he found his calling.

Alan’s keen interest in wood products led him down a highly successful career path as an engineered lumber products consultant. He managed wood products market research with MacMillan Bloedel, including identifying new markets for the company’s groundbreaking Parallam manufactured wood product. Along with David Parker, former general manager of the Parallam Division at MacMillan Bloedel, Alan co-founded StrongWood Technologies Inc., a new proprietary engineered wood technology.

“I have had a great career,” says Alan, “and forestry continues to have a huge impact on me.”

Alan remains close with some of his former UBC Forestry classmates to this day. He decided to help out the next generation of UBC Wood Science majors by providing them with financial support to pursue their studies through the Alan R. Casselman Bursary in Forestry.

After graduation, Ghullam plans to work in industry as a quality control specialist in wood building materials before pursuing a master’s in architecture and PhD in timber engineering.

“My eventual plan is to become a professor of timber engineering,” Ghullam says.

“I’m very thankful to Alan Casselman for this support. It’s really helped me a lot.”

– Ghullam Yahia Muneeb

We all play a role in creating a more sustainable future for our planet and ourselves. One of UBC Forestry’s key goals is to provide world-leading research, teaching and community outreach in areas such as sustainability, biodiversity conservation, forest management and biomaterials to address the pressing global issues of climate change and habitat loss. However, we can’t do it alone.

“ Giving to a greener future

The education that I received from UBC Forestry put me in the position that I am in today. What I learned has been foundational to my career and life, and I would like to support that opportunity for other students, particularly those who are underprivileged and cannot really afford post-secondary education.”

– Bruce Blackwell of B.A. Blackwell & Associates Ltd.

While around one-third of our funding comes from government grants, and another approximately one-third from student tuition fees, UBC Forestry relies on the generosity of donors to make possible enhanced educational experiences for students, bursaries for individuals in need and funding for cutting-edge research and equipment.

Whether you give a little or a lot, every donation counts! Here are a few ways to support the work of UBC Forestry students and faculty, and a greener future for us all:

• Give through securities, such as stocks, bonds, shares and mutual funds (when gifted, the capital gains tax is eliminated)

• Make a gift for the future through an estate gift in your will

• Give in memory of someone special through a memorial gift

• Become a monthly donor and help provide stable funding

• Set up an endowment to provide lasting support for an area important to you

• Create an annual or endowed student award

• Choose UBC Forestry as the beneficiary of your retirement assets (RRSPs, RRIFs and TFSAs)

• Donate real estate or personal property, such as works of art or collections

When you give to UBC Forestry, you benefit by knowing that you are supporting positive change. Research also shows that prosocial spending is correlated with happiness. In short, giving is good for you and the planet we all depend on.

Please get in touch with our philanthropy experts to learn more:

Emma Tully Assistant Dean, Development, Alumni and External Relations

Office: 604-822-8716

emma.tully@ubc.ca

Anna Horváth, MA Associate Director, Development

Office: 604-827-2314

anna.horvath@ubc.ca

“

I wanted to leave an estate gift to UBC Forestry because sustainable forests are part of our future and will play an important role in efforts to address the many economic, social, cultural and environmental challenges we face, today and in the future.”

– UBC Forestry Assoc. Prof., Markets and Economics, Christopher Gaston

A winning mindset drove 2023 Alumni Builder Award recipient Reid Carter to excel and give back Reid Carter (BSc’79, MSc’83) has never shied away from a challenge, especially when the potential of a future payoff was high.

I wanted to support the Conservation Decisions Lab because I believe this approach is one of the best opportunities we have to optimize the protection of species and habitats.”

When failure isn’t an option

– Reid Carter

“I’m not comfortable with failure,” admits Reid. “I’ve always assumed that it’s only a matter of time until somebody tapped me on the shoulder and said: ‘you know, you’re a very nice guy, but we don’t need you anymore’. And that has kept me running really hard my whole life.”

Growing up near the forest in West Vancouver, Reid developed a deep love for the outdoors, whether it was hiking, racing bikes, mountaineering, rock climbing or skiing. With devoted parents cheering him on and encouraging him to give back to his community, Reid also felt a sense of responsibility to make them proud.

No stranger to putting in long hours and pivoting when necessary to achieve academically and professionally, Reid always kept his sights firmly set on his goals.

At UBC Forestry, Reid completed a Bachelor of Science in forestry in 1979 and a Master of Science in Soil Science in 1983, as well as received his RPF accreditation.

UBC Forestry Prof. Dr. Hamish Kimmins helped Reid land a job with Dr. Karel Klinka, also a UBC Forestry Prof., “who was a spectacular forest ecologist with the BC Ministry of Forests Research Program,” says Reid.

“That experience got me very involved in the operations of forest ecology. I was able to work with really smart, passionate people who shared my curiosity at UBC Forestry.”

Reid’s studies opened the door to a forest ecology project that resulted in him being part of the team that developed the Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification system – a hierarchical forest management tool that organizes ecosystems by location and region – and one that is still in use today.

“That was at a time when you went through ecology to be a conservationist, and much of the work was trying to understand which species grew and in what combinations; why certain species grew in different locations; why productivity varied by location; and how all of this related to soils, site quality, moisture and light,” recalls Reid.

Reid later ran a research program at UBC Forestry and developed novel methodologies for forest management decision-making, species selection, fertilization, genetics and understanding how many of these factors interacted.

A winning attitude, and crossing paths with the right people at the right time, buoyed Reid throughout his sometimes stressful and hectic career.

Working for a time as a forest ecologist, silviculturist and decision-maker for Fletcher Challenge Forests, Reid then pivoted to become a Forest Products Analyst with National Bank Financial. Up until his semi-retirement, Reid was a Managing Partner with Brookfield Timberlands Management and Brookfield Asset Management Inc., and President and CEO of Acadian Timber Corp. He now holds Directorships with several notable companies, including West Fraser, Semios, MakeSpace and Cross Country British Columbia.

“I’ve been very fortunate in many ways; and, because of that, I’ve chosen to be a significant investor in UBC Forestry in the area of conservation, particularly UBC Forestry Professor Tara Martin’s work,” says Reid.

“I wanted to support Tara’s Conservation Decisions Lab because I believe her data-driven approach, which combines identifying threats to species loss, along with management strategies and costs, is one of the best opportunities we have to optimize the protection of species and habitats.”

Reid has also given back to his alma mater as a guest lecturer in the Master of Sustainable Forest Management program and forest economics classes, while also participating as a member of UBC Forestry’s Advisory Council for around 15 years.

In 2023, Reid received an Alumni Builder Award in recognition of his considerable contributions to the forestry profession and UBC Forestry. Established in 2017, the award goes to UBC alumni who have significantly supported the university and enriched the lives of others.

“I am humbled by this recognition,” says Reid. “It has been my pleasure to give back to UBC Forestry and support some of the incredible work underway here.”

Learn more at: alumni.ubc.ca/alumni-builder-awards

Sue Watts: 50years at !

After half a century among our Faculty ranks, we spotlight Sue’s legacy as she enters her well-deserved retirement

We would like to congratulate and sincerely thank Dr. Sue Watts for her almost 30 years of work as editor of Branchlines , probably the longest-running newsletter of any UBC faculty, and for her dedication and excellent contributions to UBC Forestry as a faculty member and lecturer. You’ve set the bar high.”

Sue edited Branchlines for 30 years

1989 2004 2010 2018

Sue Watts (MF’75, PhD’81) arrived at UBC Forestry 50 years ago with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Bangor University in North Wales, where she was the only female in her graduating class. Sue was drawn to UBC Forestry for graduate work in forest entomologymore specifically, to study blood-sucking flies - becoming only the second female to receive a Master of Forestry and the first to receive a PhD in Forestry. In 1982, Sue added an RPF to her list of credentials.

Having decided to stay on with UBC Forestry as a faculty member. Sue worked under six deans and three acting deans, and edited two editions of the Forestry Handbook for British Columbia, a Forestry Undergraduate Society publication first produced in the 1950s. In the late 1980s, Sue began a new role as Assistant Dean, External Relations, and was made responsible for creating UBC Forestry’s first newsletter, Branchlines

Branchlines was officially launched in 1989 under the leadership of then Dean Bob Kennedy. In the early days, it was a monochrome, tri-fold newsletter featuring one short research article from each of UBC Forestry’s three departments. All pre-print production was - and continues to be - handled in house. Distribution was by mail four times per year. Over time, Branchlines has continued to evolve, becoming a central communications tool for UBC Forestry that links alumni, researchers, educators and members of the public with the broadranging work of students and staff. Today, the print publication is distributed to over 7,000 individuals and organizations around the world twice per year.

Sue edited Branchlines for 30 years before stepping down from her administrative roles in 2019 to focus her time on mentoring and teaching communication courses to graduate students. Students and alumni may also remember seeing Sue walk the Forest Sciences Centre halls with her large chocolate Labrador at her side. She was the force behind the Dogs in the Workforce program, launched in 2016, that encouraged faculty, staff and graduate students to bring their dogs to work. Since then, over 80 dogs have been registered in the program.

Helping graduate students through her teaching and mentoring roles was something that Sue was always passionate about, and she says that this is also the hardest thing for her to step away from in retirement. However, she is quick to add that she will be happy to have more time to devote to her hobbies of perennial gardening and dog training, as well as to connect with old friends and new.

Dean Rob Kozak (BSc’88, PhD’96) says it best: “We would like to congratulate and sincerely thank Dr. Sue Watts for her 30 years of work as editor of Branchlines, probably the longest-running newsletter of any UBC faculty, and for her dedication and excellent contributions to UBC Forestry as a faculty member and lecturer. You’ve set the bar high.”

We spread our branches standing on your shoulders, Sue. Best wishes on your next adventures!

Read past issues of Branchlines: forestry.ubc.ca/news/branchlines

Webinar Urban ForestryManaging Complex Ecosystems

Cities are complex, interconnected systems that support habitats and livelihoods. Their outwards and upwards growth has transformed the landscape at an unprecedented rate, uprooting native species and introducing invasive ones. Human activity has altered waterways and drainage systems; the composition of flora and fauna; fire risk and the presence of heat islands; along with the global climate. Managing this newfound complexity within the urban environment requires the specialization and expertise of a team of individuals, including the urban forester.

Join us for a conversation with experts in the field who will delve deeper into some of the most pressing challenges facing the urban forestry profession today and the work underway to find solutions.

June 15 th, 2023 | 12:00-1:00pM

Featuring

Tara Bergeson, (BSF’09)

Registered Professional Forester

Urban Forestry Supervisor, City of Kelowna

Featuring Assoc. Prof. Melissa McHale University of British Columbia

Moderator

Mike Larock, (BSF’81)

Registered Professional Forester

Director of Practice, Forest Professionals British Columbia

Register for this webinar to hear experts share insights and answer your questions: forestry.ubc.ca/events/urban-forestry-webinar

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:

Faculty of Forestry

University of British Columbia

Forest Sciences Centre

2005 – 2424 Main Mall

Vancouver BC CANADA V6T 1Z4