Branchlines Volume 35 No 1 - Spring 2024

Pushing boundaries

UBC Forestry launches Centre for Wildfire Coexistence

Emergency support for students in need

Tribute to the late, great Dr. John Worrall

Take the time to observe the transcendent beauty of a Liriodendron tulipifera in full bloom.

This is one of many lessons that I learned from Dr. John Worrall, our teacher, our mentor, our colleague, our friend. For generations of foresters, Worrall was their introduction to UBC Forestry and the fascinating world of dendrology. In many ways, though, he taught us so much more than just how to identify trees. As we usher in the new year — and a world of tumult and uncertainty — it is worth reflecting on Worrall’s sage advice: the world is also filled with beauty, wonder, possibility and hope. In this issue of Branchlines, we pay tribute to the inimitable, iconoclastic Worrall, a man who showed us all a kindness and a generosity that is almost beyond comprehension.

It’s in this spirit that we must come together as a community with compassion, understanding and support for one another. The current conflicts abroad and rising inflation have affected many, including UBC Forestry students, faculty and staff. Read on to learn about a newly launched program to assist Forestry students in need, including counselling services and a Forestry Student Emergency Fund.

Dean’s message

To create this fund, we have relied on the generous support of our alumni through various campaigns. To those readers who have given to the fund, our heartfelt thanks. For those able and interested in donating to this worthy fund, please read through the article on page 3 to learn more.

This issue’s “Pushing Boundaries” theme gives us a snapshot of some of the leading-edge research, teaching and community outreach taking place at the Faculty of Forestry. We deal with a dizzying array of grand challenges in the world of forestry — the protection of species, biodiversity and ecosystem services; climate change adaptation and mitigation; and the creation of viable and sustainable economic opportunities for forestdependent communities. These are big, complex, nuanced and multifaceted issues that require integrated, interdisciplinary thinking, and the Faculty of Forestry is very much leading the way in providing innovative and transformative solutions to many of these wicked problems. Indeed, we are incredibly fortunate to have some of the brightest scholars and educators in the world, who you will learn more about here.

In 2024, we will “keep on keeping on” in the words of Curtis Mayfield. In fact, this year promises to be a year like no other for the Faculty of Forestry. We will continue to build on the success of our online microcertificate programming to provide lifelong learning opportunities for our graduates, other professionals

and citizens-at-large. Beginning in fall 2024, we will combine five of our undergraduate degrees into a unified Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources degree, allowing students to choose from among six majors, which echo our current degree offerings. Last, but certainly not least, we are extremely proud to announce the launch of our highly anticipated Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship program, starting in September 2024, an important step along our path towards true reconciliation and co-creation with Indigenous communities across Canada. Additional information about these exciting changes will be made available on the Faculty of Forestry website in the coming months, so please stay tuned.

Get in touch with me anytime with questions, comments or concerns: rob.kozak@ubc.ca

All the best, Rob Kozak (BSc’88, PhD’96) Professor and Dean

Contents

7 Main feature — Pushing Boundaries

3 Help for students in need

5 What’s happening at Alex Fraser Research Forest

17 Introducing the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence

19 Mosaic’s leadership in forestry education

21 Reimagining the forest products lifecycle

23 Wildlife conservation through different lenses

25 Trees of campus

26 Trust-based philanthropy

28 Immersive climate change research in the Arctic

29 BC floods explained through attribution science

31 Faculty member retirements

33 Remembering Dr. John Worrall

Back cover — The carbon flux of life

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.

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

© 2024 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

SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS IN NEED

The Forestry Student Emergency Fund is a lifeline in challenging times

Inflationary pressures have added to the financial and emotional debt load weighing on many university students. Following pandemic restrictions that dramatically cut the number of hospitality and retail jobs many students rely on for part-time, flexible work, Canada’s Consumer Price Index reached a four-decadeslong high. Students are feeling the pinch, with many struggling to afford food and rent.

In response to these mounting pressures, UBC Forestry launched the Forestry Student Emergency Fund. The fund supports undergraduate and graduate students facing undue, unforeseeable and unnecessary hardship, including in the areas of student wellness and food and housing insecurity.

“This fund responds to an urgent need that we identified within the student body to receive emergency funds for extraordinary circumstances in these extraordinary times,” says UBC Forestry Dean, Prof. Rob Kozak . “We see this fund as a necessary step forward in supporting students’ academic success and wellbeing, which are key pillars at our Faculty and at UBC as a whole.”

More students than ever are arriving at the office of UBC Forestry student counsellor Nicole Adoranti without having eaten anything that day — to the point that she has taken to offering them high-protein granola bars. “How can they focus on our counselling session if they’re hungry?” she asks rhetorically.

Lineups at the UBC Food Hub donation centre have been longer than Nicole has seen in recent times, too, and the need greater than what available provisions can satisfy. Yet another challenge is housing. To find affordable rental accommodations, many students have been forced to live as far afield as a three-hours commute from campus.

“It used to be that the need was related to isolation or health issues due to the COVID-19 virus and social distancing requirements,” says Nicole. “Now the need is related to the financial stress that comes with inflationary pressures and the unaffordability of everything from food to housing and textbooks.”

“Some students are having to make the impossible choice of either buying textbooks for their courses or getting food for the week.”

Nicole recently spoke with two students who accessed the UBC Forestry Student Emergency Fund. One student did so to help them get through a major medical emergency. Another student was in an unsafe home situation, and received financial support to help secure new accommodations.

Juggling classes with part-time or sometimes full-time work to cover living and university expenses, or trying to make do with less, can take a toll on students’ psychological wellbeing.

In response, Nicole and UBC Forestry PhD student Tara Brown created workshops and resources on nature immersion, also known as forest bathing, as part of the UBC Forestry Wellness Committee. Forest bathing participants are invited to mindfully experience their natural surroundings through instructoror self-led nature immersion walks.

FOREST IMMERSION RESEARCH

For her UBC Forestry PhD dissertation, Tara Brown is researching how environmental changes and demographic variables, such as age, gender and socioeconomic status, influence the health benefits of the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, aka, forest bathing, among Metro Vancouver residents.

“Recognizing the growing health concerns related to air pollution, extreme heat and stress in Canada — particularly among different age groups — I see naturebased wellness programs as promising therapies,” states Tara. “My research investigations could identify environmental factors and vegetation variations that support optimal nature immersion practices within urban settings.”

Tara has also led training and developed a guide on forest immersion walks for the Wild & Immersive nature-based program for school-aged children and youth that takes place at UBC Forestry’s Alex Fraser and Malcolm Knapp research forests.

“Each walk brings a unique experience, and underscores the universal appeal and benefit of connecting with nature,” says Tara. “These experiences have reinforced my belief in the therapeutic benefits of nature immersion and the importance of integrating such practices into daily life, particularly within the academic context.”

“Students are coming out of three stressful years of a global pandemic to face the reality that life is getting much more expensive,” notes Nicole. “These are the people who will become the leaders of tomorrow, and they need our help to avoid slipping through the cracks. Who knows what they may discover and accomplish if given the opportunity.”

Learn more about student wellness and nature immersion resources by contacting Nicole, nicole.adoranti@ ubc.ca or Tara, tarabr@student.ubc.ca

Make a donation online to the Forestry Student Emergency Fund:

give.ubc.ca/projects/ forestry-studentemergency-fund

UBC Forestry PhD candidate Tara Brown

UBC Forestry Student Services Counsellor Nicole Adoranti

WHAT’S NEW AT ALEX FRASER RESEARCH FOREST

Situated on close to 10,000 hectares of crown forest in the Cariboo region of south-central BC, UBC Forestry’s Alex Fraser Research Forest (AFRF) is a hub for research and community engagement. The unique biogeoclimatic zones within the forest range from a wet interior cedar and hemlock zone to a very dry Interior Douglas-fir zone and moderately wet subboreal spruce and hemlock zone. Douglas-fir is the primary tree species at AFRF, but you can also find western red cedar, western hemlock, hybrid spruce, lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, aspen, cottonwood and birch.

Established in 1987, AFRF provides hands-on field work opportunities for research and education. To date, AFRF has been part of almost 400 research studies. Recent research includes post-wildfire regeneration and stand development; high-retention silviculture and harvest systems; prescribed burning for fuel mitigation and stand management; and remeasurements of longitudinal spacing and plantation trials.

In 2020, AFRF purchased a 22-hectare property located 10 minutes from Williams Lake. The new facility has allowed for an expansion of research, such as the first agricultural research project related to the application of wood ash as a soil amendment on agricultural lands, conducted with the BC Ministry of Forests and Ministry of Agriculture and Food. In the midst of an expansion, AFRF has new accommodation space and employs a teacher to assist with the delivery of its Wild & Immersive children and youth programs. It will soon feature a new outdoor covered area, classroom, washrooms and trails. Likewise, a small combined heat and power wood gasification plant that will be used as a training, research and demonstration facility is being installed in collaboration with FPInnovations.

Get to know AFRF staff

Stephanie Ewen (BSF’07), RPF Manager

Stephanie worked as a planning forester at AFRF for 2.5 years before stepping into the manager role, previously held by Ken Day, in January 2018. Stephanie brings to the team substantial knowledge in forest management and analysis, and over 10 years working as a forestry consultant in BC. On top of her undergraduate studies at UBC Forestry, Stephanie holds a Master of Science in forestry focused on forest growth modeling from Université Laval. Stephanie really enjoys working on solutions to implement complex silviculture systems and management objectives.

“We have so much going on here, including a combined heat and power plant that will be used to demonstrate and train people in wood biproducts power-generation — technology that could replace diesel power generation in some remote communities.”

Mark Gill Wild & Immersive Education Program Supervisor

With a background in education, Mark joined AFRF in 2022 to develop outdoor, nature-based programs for Wild & Immersive. When not engrossed in a fireside story or tree identification challenge, Mark can be found renovating houses or buses with his family.

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“Being able to take people out on the land and have them get immersed in what we’re doing really excites me. I also love the creativity that children bring to our days, and the types of games and worlds they create while here.” ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Waterfront at the Alex Fraser Research Forest headquarters near Williams Lake.

Jennifer Leslie, RPF Resident Forester

Jennifer joined the AFRF team after stints with forestry consultants in Terrace and North Vancouver, and working with BC Timber Sales in Vanderhoof. Trained in Natural Resource Sciences at Thompson Rivers University, as well as Forest Business Management at the University of Alberta, Jennifer has worked extensively in stand development in a variety of BEC zones and silvicultural systems. In her spare time, you will find Jennifer in the forest with her dog Aspen or on the water watching birds.

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“Working at Alex Fraser Research Forest continues to be an incredible opportunity to pursue a boots-on-the ground role that allows me to explore my passion for learning about forestry and sharing that learning with students and other forest practitioners”

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Jodi Taylor Manager of Administration

Jodi joined the team in early 2021, coming from a background in accounting, human resources and occupational health and safety. When not working, you can find Jodi in the garden with her chickens.

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“Research forests offer the opportunity to link science back to nature, but they are also where we can learn how to incorporate more nature into our lives and respectfully manage the areas in which we live and play to benefit us now and for future generations.”

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afrf.forestry.ubc.ca/about

Find out how you can support the continued development of our treasured research forests by contacting Emma Tully, Asst. Dean, Development, Alumni and External Relations, emma.tully@ubc.ca

POST-FIRE RECOVERY

RESEARCH

Rising global temperatures are drying out BC forests, supercharging the need to better understand how to plan for and co-exist alongside wildfire. UBC Forestry Prof. Lori Daniels (MSc, Forestry’94) is the Koerner Chair in Wildfire Coexistence and an expert in wildfire risk and adaptation approaches. At Alex Fraser Research Forest (AFRF), Lori and her Tree Ring Lab team are conducting novel research on post-fire recovery following the 2017 wildfires in AFRF’s Gavin Lake Block. The team is assessing areas of forest where burned trees were harvested or salvaged, as well as areas where trees were left in place, known as unsalvaged, and comparing them to parts of the forest that were not razed by the fire. They are also monitoring forest recovery indicators, such as tree species that return to the different areas, speed of recovery and long-term survival rates.

www.ubctreeringlab.ca

View from Alex Fraser Research Forest looking towards Gavin Lake.

Pushing BOUNDARIES

Research, education and community outreach at UBC Forestry that’s bucking the trend and spurring innovation and collaboration

A new era of forestry is being ushered in by the rise of digital technology and automation, on top of the urgent need to mitigate climate change and respond to shifting community priorities. As a leading forestry school, UBC Forestry is tasked with equipping students and faculty members with the resources that they need to tackle some of the many global challenges facing communities and ecosystems. This arena for critical thought and scientific inquiry enables the cross-pollination and cultivation of ideas and insights, propelling progress. Here, students and scholars can challenge the status quo, as well as react and respond to changing priorities and needs within broader society. In the following pages, we highlight some of the many ways that UBC Forestry’s innovative research, teaching and community outreach is leading the way.

Photo: A highly magnified cross section of a European blueberry root reveals mycorrhizal fungi living inside the plant’s cells.

The carbon flux of life

Researchers at UBC Forestry have identified a previously underestimated carbon flux between trees and soils that has implications for forest operations and long-term ecosystem health.

“There is a continuous replenishment of carbon stocks that retains soil carbon equilibrium,” says UBC Forestry Prof. Cindy Prescott , who is at the forefront of this potentially revolutionary area of soil carbon research.

“If there is a break in the system due to the removal of a substantial area of trees, there may be more dead, woody debris and foliage contributing to carbon stores, but there will be an absence of active carbon.”

Active carbon comes from photosynthate, which is the sugar and other substances generated by plants when exposed to sunlight through photosynthesis.

Dead leaves and branches — including slash from forest operations — were once thought to contribute the vast majority of carbon found in soils, which is the repository of more carbon than that found in the atmosphere and all vegetation on Earth combined. Scientists also believed that most of the carbon from plant matter ended up being released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide gas.

Cindy’s research forms part of a more nuanced understanding of the carbon cycle, and one that involves a complex carbon feedback loop extending from treetop to root tip and into the soil.

In their 2023 paper on continuous root forestry, Cindy and UBC Forestry Prof. Sue Grayston reviewed evidence of a carbon exchange between photosynthate exuded from tree roots and from the branching hyphae of mycorrhizal fungi, as well as soil biodiversity, organic matter and carbon stocks.

Their paper explained how some of the carbon photosynthetically fixed by a tree is released through its roots or transferred to mycorrhizal fungi.

Bacteria, cocci and spirochaetes of various sizes cover a piece of woody debris, shown here magnified 2,000 times.

This carbon is then released into the surrounding soil, feeding belowground biodiversity, which accounts for around one quarter of all biodiversity on the planet.

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“Many of the unseen organisms in a forest rely on the nutrient exchange of the carbon flux.”

However, the carbon flux dissipates quickly the further afield it extends from a tree trunk. By the 10-metre mark, it becomes insignificant, Cindy notes.

Retaining more trees during harvest can protect the integrity of the carbon flux, ensuring soil carbon renewal, and the long-term health of the many organisms it supports, is preserved.

For example, partial, continuous-cover or selective retention harvesting that involves the removal of only a portion of trees from a stand can prevent a cumulative shortfall in photosynthate-derived carbon, Cindy explains.

Pushing BOUNDARIES

“Continuous-cover forestry retains living roots that help sustain belowground ecosystems.”

Larger trees fix more carbon than smaller ones, and broadleaved trees, such as red alder, contribute more carbon and nitrogen than coniferous trees. Other strategies to consider in support of a robust carbon flux that replenishes soil organic matter and carbon stocks include leaving in place larger trees and repopulating harvest zones with more broadleaved trees rather than only conifers, Cindy says.

Likewise, when trees are retained close enough to each other, the carbon flux can extend throughout belowground ecosystems, feeding a multitude of plants, bugs and microorganisms.

“Based on our research, we propose an inter-tree distance of 15 metres be practiced to keep the soil alive and functioning, and to support soil carbon replenishment,” adds Cindy.

Cindy’s research is one example of how innovative work at UBC Forestry is pushing boundaries to enhance the forestry profession.

“The findings from this research have changed my views on clear-cutting and sustainable forest management. While clear-cut harvest produces a lot of dead organic matter, we now know that living trees are a critical source of active carbon that generates persistent soil carbon,” says Cindy.

Watch Cindy’s “Carbon Flux of Life Webinar,” www.forestry.ubc.ca/events/carbon-flux-webinar

forestry.ubc.ca/faculty-profile/cindy-prescott

A variety of mites and worms — such as the bristle worm shown on the left-hand-side, the predatory mite next to it and beetle mite to the right — feed on fungi and other microorganisms. You can find between 20,000 and 50,000 microorganisms on one square metre of forest ground, or the equivalent of eight to 20 kilograms per hectare. These little critters digest cellulose and lignin, eating 10% to 20% of annual forest stand waste, and cycling nutrients back to into the earth through their feces — shown on the far, upper left — and other remains.

Eco-labeling, greenwashing and the sustainability impacts of digital technologies

Walking through a furniture store, you may have noticed that some wood-based products are festooned with eco-labels. While the claims of many labels are backed by rigorous standards and auditing procedures, others are little more than clever marketing — a phenomenon that is commonly referred to as ‘greenwashing’. UBC Forestry Asst. Prof. Hamish van der Ven’s research and teaching examine the advantages and potential pitfalls of eco-labeling and corporate sustainability practices. His research also takes a look at how external forces shape business behaviour, such as social media activism and online discourse.

bst.forestry.ubc.ca

Learn about the “Strategic Management for Sustainability” Online Micro-Certificate Hamish instructs: forestry.ubc.ca/future-students/ certificates/strategic-management-sustainability

Sustainability through art

In the pursuit of sustainable landscapes, Assoc. Prof. Intu (Agni Klintuni) Boedhihartono uses different forms of artistic expression to break-down communication barriers among diverse and sometimes opposing groups. The “Crossing boundaries: exploring the power of art and culture” project that she leads with Assoc. Prof Chris Gaston (PhD, Forestry’97) — together with colleagues from Emily Carr University of Art & Design — convenes workshops with representatives from the communities, NGOs, local governments and the private sector. Group participants — such as those pictured here at a December 2023 workshop in Indonesia — engage in drawing, participatory art and an exploration of Indigenous world views to develop a deeper understanding of the diverse, relational values they share.

forestry.ubc.ca/faculty-profile/agni-klintuni-boedhihartono

UBC Forestry Asst. Prof. Hamish van der Ven

Climate Hacks

Students in UBC Forestry’s interdisciplinary pilot course, ‘Climate Hacks in the Community’, hone their skills in community engagement, co-design and hands-on construction of a project that addresses climate change needs within the community. Launched in September 2022, the course (UFOR 449C 001) was conceptualized by UBC Forestry Prof. Emeritus Stephen Sheppard (MSc, Forestry’78) and Dean, Prof. Rob Kozak (BSc’88, PhD’96), and is co-led by Asst. Prof. of Teaching Jörn Dettmer and Engagement Coordinator with the Collaborative for Advanced Landscape Planning Elisa Kwun. The year-long course brings together third- and fourth-year students in collaboration with community partners. Students apply skills developed in both programs to achieve synergies and expand their problem-solving skills. One student cohort — in coordination with Asst. Prof. Jennifer Grenz — developed movable bench seating using locally

reclaimed cedar to facilitate outdoor-based indigenous learning at the Totem Field research site, located in the heart of UBC’s Vancouver campus. Another group worked with the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House community organization to build raised foodgarden beds for multigenerational use and to inspire similar neighbourhood projects. At the end of 2023, students began work on a project in East Vancouver and in the Wesbrook Village alongside the University Neighbourhood Association. Made possible through a Sustainability Education Grant from UBC’s Sustainability Hub, further iterations of the course will hopefully expand and include students from additional disciplines.

Community groups interested in collaborating on future courses are encouraged to contact Community Climate Hacks organizers Elisa Kwun, elisa.kwun@ ubc.ca or Jörn Dettmer, jorn.dettmer@ubc.ca

sustain.ubc.ca/teaching-applied-learning/ sustainability-education-grants/featured-projects

Students collaborated to design and create raised garden beds for community use.

Empowering locals to choose sustainable landscape approaches

Increased pressure on forests from climate change and human activity within forest ecosystems has put at risk their many services and products, such as lumber for homes and wilderness habitats for species. In BC, forests support eco-tourism, recreation, tree farms, the availability of clean drinking water, as well as ecosystem services — such as pollinators, soil stabilization and water regulation. However, around 25% of the world’s population — approximately 1.6 billion people — rely on forest resources for subsistence farming, money, fuel and their livelihoods in general, according to the World Health Organization.

UBC Forestry Prof. Terry Sunderland researches the interconnections between forests, food security and varying interests, such as mining and other operations under the banner of economic development, on landscapes. “This work involves establishing a long-term presence within communities and facilitating equitable stakeholder engagement to, for example, reach agreement on a mutually acceptable vision for landscape-scale approaches,” states Terry. “For example, we look at how income from forestry, forest products and agriculture can be distributed more equitably throughout a rural population. This is more of a ‘process’ than a ‘project’.”

With research sites in many areas of the tropics, Terry and his team work with partners and engage with multiple stakeholders on innovative research related to Integrated

Landscape Approaches (ILAs). ILA is a governance approach that can reconcile such local and global challenges as climate change, biodiversity loss, food insecurity and poverty while generating multiple benefits for people on the landscape, enhancing resilience and inspiring positive change.

sunderlandlab.forestry.ubc.ca

www.cifor-icraf.org/colands

UBC Forestry Prof. Terry Sunderland

Pushing BOUNDARIES

UBC Forestry

Asst. Prof. Warren Cardinal-McTeague

Overcoming barriers to Indigenous science and data sovereignty

The scars of colonialism and the erasure of Indigenous scientific knowledges continue to be seen and felt in academic and public spaces. Reframing research from Indigenous perspectives, closing the technology gap and reorienting where research occurs are some of the investigations being led by UBC Forestry Asst. Prof. Warren Cardinal-McTeague.

“Environmental research needs to include the questions and approaches of Indigenous peoples, which are often more holistic and relational in nature.”

— Warren Cardinal-McTeague

Warren, who is Métis and Cree from the communities of Lac La Biche and Fort McMurray, has an academic background in botany and plant biology. His current research focuses on plant genomics and biodiversity, as well as Indigenous environmental management and the practice of decolonizing science and education.

Many Indigenous communities feel alienated from academic institutions, Warren notes. However, initiatives such as the Summer internship for INdigenous peoples in Genomics (SING Canada) are making accessible the technology needed for certain types of scientific inquiry. A free, hands-on, week-long intensive

workshop for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral and community fellows, SING Canada builds Indigenous capacity and scientific literacy through basic training in the areas of genomics, bioinformatics and Indigenous and decolonial bioethics in the classroom, lab and field. A program that Warren has been involved in for several years, SING Canada shares perspectives that include ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social implications.

This past summer, Warren co-presented a mobile genomics lab that brought equipment and research opportunities to Indigenous community partners. SING Canada participants learned how to sequence soil microbiomes using this mobile technology, while at the same time affirming the research interests of their community partners.

This portable genomics equipment supports place-based training and research among Indigenous community members who can use the technology to quantify soil or water microbial diversity.

“More research should involve Indigenous-led questions and provide direct benefits to Indigenous communities.”

— Warren Cardinal-McTeague

“Indigenous peoples have always been scientists and analyzed questions and information from the world around them, but colonialism largely disrupted these practices,” states Warren. “We are at a point of reclaiming sovereignty over our research interests, and an important part of that is having access to the tools and technology necessary for modern scientific inquiry. From here, Indigenous peoples will be better able to ask questions that relate and provide benefit to their communities.”

Another project Warren has undertaken would reframe the relationship of the collection and storage of Indigenous Knowledge in the form of biological and ecological data from one of exclusion to one of collaboration. For example, museum collections often house samples with data from Indigenous communities without the consent of Indigenous community members. “Indigenous peoples have often been treated as objects of research by settler scientists,” Warren notes.

The Indigenous data sovereignty approach Warren proposes would return governance over Indigenous data to their respective communities.

“Institutions today should work directly with Indigenous communities to rectify past and ongoing harms, as well as affirm

principles of Indigenous data sovereignty over the physical samples and digitized data that relate to Indigenous peoples,” says Warren. “True reconciliation means moving away from colonial patterns and towards the return of Indigenous history and identity to its rightful owners.”

forestry.ubc.ca/faculty-profile/ warren-cardinal-mcteague

Eye-catching forestry applicants

Students in UBC Forestry’s Communications Strategies classes (WOOD 225) learn how to stand out from the crowd with creative resume and cover letter design tips, role playing exercises and video pitches. The course’s interactive group learning environment engages students in creating job applications from scratch and conducting mock interviews with their peers. “This experience allows them to see things from both sides of the interview process,” says course instructor, Lecturer Carellin Brooks. Featuring guest speakers from UBC, including a graphic designer, career specialist and media production expert, students leave having gained leading job application skills, such as strategies for incorporating graphical elements and two-minute videos into their applications. The critical thinking skills acquired along the way prepare students to tailor their pitches to the cultural settings of a potentially international pool of prospective employers.

forestry.ubc.ca/faculty-profile/carellin-brooks

Simulating the future of forest operations

Augmented reality sandbox

UBC Forestry recently installed an augmented reality sandbox tool for advanced, interactive forest operations visualization. Used in educational facilities around the globe, the sandbox technology dynamically projects real-world environmental scenarios to deepen students’ understanding of these complex interactions. Asst. Prof. Paul Pickell (PhD, Forestry’16) moves around sand (see image, left) to manipulate a virtual representation of topography, forest hydrology, soil stability and more to enhance student learning.

UBC Forestry has a new forest machine simulator by Montreal based CM Labs. Featuring multiple screens, the simulator can be used by students and professionals alike to virtually operate forestry equipment, such as forwarders and harvesters, to practice their operating skills. In addition to training, the simulator is also being used to conduct leading research in the Forest Action Lab led by Dominik

Roeser, UBC Forestry Assoc. Dean, Research Forests & Community Outreach, together with FPInnovations. The team envisions uploading highquality remote sensing data, including forest slopes, species, density and tree size, to simulate different forestry approaches, such as thinning practices, with the goal to find solutions that will move the forest sector forward.

UBC FORESTRY LAUNCHES WILDFIRE RESEARCH CENTRE

The

Centre for Wildfire Coexistence

will address the dual priorities of community and ecosystem resilience

Over the past seven years, British Columbia and Canada have set unprecedented records for area burned by wildfires, with Canada’s most devastating wildfire season taking place in 2023. Communities and habitats have been turned upside down by out-of-control blazes that have resulted in the tragic loss of life, mass evacuations and tens of millions of hectares of scorched earth.

In response, UBC Forestry has launched a research centre devoted to the discovery of novel approaches to address the escalating risk of severe wildfire. Led by Prof. Lori Daniels — the inaugural Koerner Chair in Wildfire Coexistence at UBC — the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence will advance proactive forest management and eco-cultural restoration research, collaboration and innovation.

“The success of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence hinges on collaboration and engagement with partners at all levels,” says Lori. “By actively involving the

public, communities, Indigenous leaders, all levels of government and non-governmental organizations in our research and initiatives, we can co-create effective strategies for wildfire coexistence and build more resilient landscapes.”

In the context of wildfires, ‘coexistence’ refers to the proactive mitigation of catastrophic risks through the transformation of forest and fire management. Landscape resilience and human safety are balanced with protecting the role of good fire in sustaining ecosystem health.

“Historically, low-severity fires sustained diverse forests across BC’s interior, ignited by lightning and Indigenous fire stewardship,” notes Lori. “These fires thinned forests, curbing intense blazes and nurturing renewed plant growth, along with rejuvenating wildlife habitats.”

“Controlled fires remain crucial for maintaining forest health.”

Lori and her team’s field work and collaborations with community members will lead to science-based discoveries that support communities in safely coexisting with wildfire.

Lori and her team collect partial or full cross-sectional disks (pictured here) from trees, tracing the scars of environmental disturbances, such as insect infestations and wildfires.

Transformative support for a more resilient future

The launch of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence is a significant step forward in advancing proactive wildfire management practices and fostering coexistence between people and the environment. Made possible thanks to a visionary $5 million donation from the Koerner family, the Centre will undertake cutting-edge research to assess the efficacy of proactive wildfire management strategies and co-develop solutions for communities at risk.

“The Koerner family is proud to catalyze the establishment of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence at UBC Forestry,” says Michelle Koerner, Trustee of the Koerner Foundation. “We recognize the urgent need for proactive management and restoration of our forests to mitigate wildfire impacts, safeguard communities and foster a safer, sustainable future for the benefit of all Canadians.”

The Koerner’s gift is a highly impactful contribution that takes place during FORWARD, the campaign for UBC with the promise and potential to advance healthy lives, a healthy planet and healthy societies.

“This generous donation from the Koerner family is an investment towards a healthier future for our planet,” says Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President and Vice-Chancellor of UBC. “The Centre will be at the forefront of understanding and managing the complex relationship between wildfires and ecosystem health, bringing together Indigenous peoples, researchers and government agencies to co-develop strategies for protecting natural landscapes and the communities that depend on them.”

The Centre’s holistic and inclusive approach is positioned to redefine the wildfire management landscape, paving the way for a more balanced approach that includes identifying proactive solutions in collaboration with communities towards a safer and more resilient future.

To find out how to support the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence, please contact emma.tully@ubc.ca forestry.ubc.ca/centre-for-wildfire-coexistence

INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP IN FORESTRY EDUCATION

Game-changing support is helping keep BC forestry on the world stage

A transformative gift to UBC Forestry from Mosaic Forest Management extends the realm of possibilities of forestry education, student experiences and the forestry profession.

“Mosaic’s gift to UBC Forestry supports our ongoing commitment to students as one of the leading forestry academic institutions in the world,” says UBC Forestry Dean, Prof. Rob Kozak . “This gift also reflects an important and ongoing partnership with members of the local forest industry, helping to ensure that post-secondary education in forestry continues to respond to industry and workforce needs in the province.”

Mosaic’s donation — recognized in the newly named Mosaic Forest Management Lecture Theatre at UBC Forestry’s Forest Sciences Centre — will further enhance UBC Forestry’s research, education and community outreach mandate through various streams, including facility upgrades and experiential learning opportunities, such as field schools and field work.

Rob Gough, President and Chief Executive Officer with Mosaic, addressess the crowd during the Mosaic Forest Management Lecture Theatre unveiling ceremony at UBC Forestry’s Forest Sciences Centre

“UBC Forestry students are the future,” says Domenico Iannidinardo (BSF’01), Senior Vice-President of Corporate Engagement and Chief Development Officer with Mosaic.

“Mosaic recognizes that our support of students’ educational experiences through this donation, as well as through our existing scholarships and other programs, all add up.”

— Domenico Iannidinardo

Mosaic was created in 2018 through the affiliation of Island Timberlands and TimberWest. Operating as several predecessor companies — including Fletcher Challenge on Coastal BC — for over 100 years, Mosaic is among Canada’s largest private timberlands producers.

Prior to their recent transformational gift to UBC Forestry, Mosaic established many ongoing careerbuilding opportunities for forestry students, such as internships, field classes and summer positions.

Domenico was a summer student with what is now Mosaic around 25 years ago, while studying towards a Bachelor of Science in Forestry at UBC. This opportunity expanded his view of how to apply technologies he had learned about in his course work, such as the role geographic information systems — then in their nascency — could play in the future of forest modeling and tree harvest practices.

“By supporting various inroads along the forestry student journey, we help ensure the continued production of highly educated and prepared forestry graduates who can contribute to a broader and more diverse and productive workforce.”

—

Domenico Iannidinardo

In fact, the same year that UBC Forestry opened the doors of the then newly minted Forest Sciences Centre, Domenico was among the first students to attend lectures in the very same hall that now bears the Mosaic name.

Collaboration and sustainability

Apart from supporting educational institutions, Mosaic is passionate about giving back to the broader community. Over the past five years, the forestry company has contributed over $10 million to various communities and environmental causes, and thousands of hectares of land for conservation and related non-timber uses, says Domenico. Last year alone, Mosaic donated almost $700,000 to community organizations. Mosaic also funds public campsites and firewood programs, and supports a variety of recreational opportunities from hiking to biking, fishing, game clubs and more “to ensure that we safely share the great outdoors and increase community access,” Domenico says.

Equity, diversity and inclusion inform community outreach and business operations, including close working relationships with over 30 First Nations on the Coast of BC.

A portion of the proceeds from the carbon credits sold on 40,000 hectares of Mosaic’s BigCoast Forest Climate Initiative are now part of a research commitment with the Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas Innovation Program — lands and waters of which ecosystem conservation and protection rest primarily with Indigenous governments.

“Part of the Mosaic mandate is to add value to local economies through collaborations with Indigenous peoples, as well as rural and remote communities,” says Domenico.

Mosaic’s support of voluntary, non-governmentrequired reductions in the carbon footprints of multiple companies over multiple continents around the world is part of their goal to “drive changes in the forestry sector and other sectors that will ultimately benefit communities and the planet,” states Domenico.

From recent grad to Mosaic employee

During her time at UBC Forestry, Lorry Mackay (BSF’23) completed two summer co-op terms with Mosaic, where she developed professional skills that helped her secure a full-time job as an Infrastructure Planner with the timberlands management company after graduation.

“Through the support of UBC Forestry professors, I gained exposure to cutting-edge field– and computer-based forest management technologies and tools,” says Lorry. “This, coupled with class time spent outdoors at UBC’s Malcolm Knapp Research Forest and my co-op experiences with Mosaic, set me up for success.”

This vision for forest management involves sustainable forest operations that protect the long-term viability of the land. Mosaic has replanted millions of hectares of harvested forest with the seedlings of local species, says Domenico. The company is also certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, which requires meeting a multitude of sustainable forest management standards.

“We try to set the bar high in hopes that others in the industry will follow suit,” says Domenico.

REIMAGINING THE FOREST PRODUCTS LIFECYCLE

Bright minds

like Shiva Zargar are

developing novel approaches to reduce waste and improve the sustainability of forestry

At some point, a new refrigerator could be fully made from recyclable bio-based materials and, once it cooled its last jug of milk, recycled into something else. The bid to transform waste material into novel commercial items is part of the global shift to a circular economy in which product production approaches or attains net zero carbon emissions, and technology performs an ongoing service to society, rather than having a limited shelf-life.

UBC Forestry PhD student Shiva

Zargar is a rising star in this area of research. Shiva holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Mechanization Engineering from Guilan University in Iran, a master’s degree in Biosystems Mechanical Engineering in the field of Renewable Energies from Mohaghegh Ardabili University in Iran and a master’s degree in Biology from UBC Okanagan in Kelowna. She is the recipient of the Vanier Canada Graduate Student Scholarship — one

of Canada’s top graduate student awards. Among many other awards and accolades, Shiva also received UBC’s Wright Scholarship in Forestry, UBC Forestry’s Doctoral Fellowship, the VanDusen Graduate Fellowship in Forestry and the Student LCA Leadership Award from the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment.

Shiva’s PhD thesis is aimed at discovering new ways to evaluate the role of forest biorefineries, which convert forest biomass into a range of bioproducts, such as biofuels, bioenergy and biomaterials.

“This type of analytical platform could help policymakers, industry leaders and researchers make informed decisions about the development and implementation of forest biorefineries,” says Shiva. “It could also highlight the most promising pathways; identify potential challenges and obstacles; and provide insights into how these can be overcome.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“A goal of my research is to directly contribute to steering our society towards a more sustainable future.”

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While traditional forest pulp and paper mills have been on the decline, they could breathe new life and diversify forest revenue streams when retrofitted to produce renewable bio-based products, Shiva notes. Additionally, biorefineries could aid in finding alternatives to petroleum-based and carbon-heavy materials, such as plastics.

Reimagining waste

Excess waste from Canadian sawmills has been estimated at around 2.7 million tonnes of woody material annually, all of which could fill approximately 979 Olympicsized swimming pools. BC alone has an estimated surplus of 1.8 million tonnes of wood waste.

With around 9% of global forests located in Canada, and mounting pressure on these resources from climate change and natural disasters, such as wildfires and floods, sciencebased forest management practices are in high-demand.

Alongside her doctoral supervisor, UBC Forestry Asst. Prof. Qingshi Tu, Shiva is working with the members of the Sustainable Bioeconomy Research Group and the UBC BioProducts Institute to develop and implement sustainable practices in bioindustries using multidisciplinary knowledge and tools. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“Industrial waste can be a problem, but it is also an opportunity when transformed into bioenergy and other bioproducts.”

To date, some of Shiva’s collaborations have resulted in peer-reviewed publications and a report, including one study into the lifecycle environmental impacts and opportunities to improve lignin–containing cellulose nanocrystals.

“All of these projects align with my passion for the sustainable bioeconomy and industrial ecology, providing me with opportunities to apply my skills in data analysis, computational modelling and sustainability assessment, while also allowing me to contribute to real-world sustainability challenges,” says Shiva.

“Every time I work on developing or improving a sustainable product or process, I feel like I’m planting a seed for the future — one that holds the promise of a tree, shade and life that will be cherished by someone years from now.”

Following the completion of her PhD, Shiva plans to pursue opportunities that allow her to contribute to the move to a more sustainable economy, whether in academia, industry, consulting or public service, she says.

“The wonderful thing about my experience at UBC Forestry is that it has prepared me for a range of possibilities; and I am open to exploring where my path might lead. However, my ultimate aim is to be in a role where I can drive meaningful change and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

Sustainable Bioeconomy Research Group: grouptu.forestry.ubc.ca

BioProducts Institute: bpi.ubc.ca

UBC Forestry PhD student Shiva Zargar presents at the 2023 International Society for Industrial Ecology (ISIE) conference at Aalto University in Helsinki-Espoo, Finland.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM LIAM’S WILDLIFE OVERPASS RESEARCH

Liam’s study, “Wildlife overpass structure size, distribution, effectiveness and adherence to expert design recommendations,”* summarizes several key features of 120 wildlife overpasses on highways across the globe, such as overpass dimensions, effectiveness and costs.

The study team found that more research into wildlife overpass measurements is needed to establish exact dimension recommendations.

LOOKING AT WILDLIFE SCIENCE THROUGH DIFFERENT LENSES

Liam Brennan’s passion for snapping photos of fauna led him to conduct innovative research with Assoc. Prof. Cole Burton’s WildCo Lab

At 16 years of age, Liam Brennan bought a cheap Browning trail camera — an infrared, motiontriggered device often used by hunters to track the movements of game. Roaming about on the around 10 hectares of wilderness in the Ottawa Valley where he grew up, Liam had the perfect setting to begin experimenting with his new wildlife monitoring device.

“The landscape has relatively mature, healthy forest,” recalls Liam. “I remember capturing images of coyotes, porcupine, a family of foxes and lots of deer.”

Apart from observing wildlife in his neighbourhood, another favourite pastime that foreshadowed things to come was Liam’s predilection for reading about how to identify hawks from a distance and collecting data on his observations of local bird species.

“When I began studying at UBC, I quickly realized that I was pursuing the scientific method naturally as a child,” Liam reflects. “That was when I developed a deeper awareness that this is something that I could pursue as a career.”

Researching safer road crossings for wildlife

In the last year of his undergraduate degree, Liam took a wildlife ecology course taught by UBC Forestry

Assoc. Prof. Cole Burton, whose research into wildlife coexistence dovetailed with Liam’s own investigations on the topic.

After his third year of studies at UBC Forestry, Liam completed a summer co-op term as a wildlife and habitat technician with the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. The co-op involved reviewing literature on wildlife overpasses — structures built around the world that enable animals to safely cross busy roads. He also used camera trap data and Google Earth Pro satellite imagery to conduct a case study on the effectiveness of wildlife overpasses in North America. The findings of this research were published in 2022.

“Some of our key findings were that we need a universal definition of recommended overpass dimensions, and that wider overpasses are more effective than narrower ones,” says Liam. “We found that, generally speaking, these structures are a win-win for humanity and wildlife. They reduce collisions, they make roads safer for everyone and their upfront building costs can be well worth the investment, in some cases actually saving taxpayers money in the long run by preventing costly damages associated with collisions.”

In summer 2023, Liam continued to pursue research into wildlife and human coexistence as an undergraduate research technician working with graduate students in Cole’s Wildlife Coexistence (WildCo) Lab. Traveling far afield into the forests around Williams Lake, BC, and other parts of the province, Liam has supported

investigations into recreationaland forestry-related pressures on animal species. Using wildlife camera traps and other tools, the research team collected data on the decline of Itcha Ilgachuz Woodland Caribou and captured images of wildlife located around the Berg Lake Trail within Mount Robson Provincial Park in eastern BC.

“The Itcha Ilgachuz project installed about 180 cameras on the landscape, enabling the collection of copious amounts of data,” notes Liam. “I feel very lucky to be exposed to cutting-edge technologies through WildCo to facilitate these big-data projects.”

Bridging science through visual storytelling

Outside of academia, Liam continues to explore his love of wilderness photography. He shares many of his photos online, some of which have garnered media attention in the likes of The Globe and Mail, Kelowna Capital News, Vancouver Is Awesome, Daily Hive - Vancouver and CTV News.

“I see photography as a way to build a bridge between my research and the public,” states Liam. “When people encounter an intriguing photo of a bird, for example, it tells a visual story that may pique their interest, perhaps also breeding a desire within them to learn more about that bird and protect it and its natural habitat.”

Learn more about the Wildlife Coexistence Lab: wildlife.forestry.ubc.ca

Find Liam’s wildlife photography: liambrennanphotography.com, @LiamBrennnan

Newton Apple Trees

There’s nothing quite like the experience of twisting an apple off a branch laden with ripe fruit or experiencing the sweet, crisp flavour and aroma as you take the first bite. Apple trees can be seen in full bloom on UBC campus during the spring, producing several varieties of red, green and gold colour combinations. A cluster of trees near the TRIUMPH particle accelerator centre at UBC (4004 Wesbrook Mall) descend from the one at Sir Isaac Newton’s childhood Woolsthorpe Manor home in Lincolnshire, England. The famous story of him being struck on the head with an apple in the 1660s — while likely embellished — is said to have inspired his search for the laws of gravity in the ensuing years. That tree, a Flower of Kent varietal, may very well be the parent of these UBC grafts. See for yourself on your next visit to campus.

Learn more about the Newton Apple Trees: royalsociety.org/blog/2012/02/newtons-apple-tree

TRUST-BASED PHILANTHROPY

A longstanding history of giving to world-class forestry research, education and community outreach

After the Second World War forced Paul and Edwina Heller to leave their home in Warsaw, Poland in 1941, they found a new one in Vancouver, BC.

The family thrived, with Paul and his brother, Sam, taking over a lumber business that they transformed into the highly successful Pacific Pine and Company. Paul held an engineering degree from the Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge, England, and found this skill set was wellsuited to the millions of hectares of forest covering BC.

“Being an engineer, my father used the forestry experience he gained in Poland to optimize

Pacific Pine’s sawmill production, upgrading its functionality and techniques, and making great changes to the operation of the mill,” says Dr. Irene Bettinger, one of Paul and Edwina’s two daughters.

In the late 1980s, the Hellers established the Paul Heller Fellowship in Forestry to commemorate Paul’s 75th birthday, beginning a longstanding tradition of giving to UBC Forestry. After the passing of Edwina in 2012 at age 97 and Paul a year later at age 101, the Edwina and Paul Heller Memorial Fund and the Fellowship at UBC Forestry were established.

father’s lifeblood. He enjoyed the intellectual thought process of working towards more innovative ways to make changes to production and management; and, I believe he would have reveled in how UBC Forestry students and faculty are developing novel approaches and processes.”

As the trustee of her parents’ estate, Irene utilizes Heller funds to support the changing world of wood science.

“This fund gives UBC Forestry researchers the opportunity to do something that might not otherwise have been possible.”

— Irene Bettinger

“The funds are directed to UBC Forestry’s Department of Wood Science in support of education and research that are responding to evolving needs in the forestry profession and broader community,” states Irene. “Engineering was my

“The memorial funding is our way to support creativity, new ideas, paths and techniques to continued innovation in forestry.”

— Irene Bettinger

Support that is moving wood science forward

A distinguishing feature of the Heller Fund is its flexibility. Department of Wood Science faculty members Prof. Scott Renneckar, Asst. Prof. Cristiano Loss and Assoc. Prof. Julie Cool have the flexibility to direct Heller funding to hard-to-fill financial gaps, such as field work,

miscellaneous equipment needs, conference attendance and student recruitment and retention.

“The Heller Fund is open for the professor to use as they see fit to advance their specific area of research,” says Emma Tully, Asst. Dean of Development, Alumni and External Relations. “I guess you could call this ‘trustbased philanthropy’, where the donor trusts the organization to make the best use of their support to the stated field for maximum impact.”

For example, Heller funding was directed toward Julie’s research into sawmill optimization, enabling the research team to purchase essential equipment and conduct data analysis.

“Heller funds supported the paid work of two UBC Forestry graduate students who analyzed existing data on the sawing process and collected new data from sensors during the cutting process,” notes Julie. “This data could further advance the optimization and control of sawmilling processes to maximize log utilization, increase product value and decrease production costs associated with such things as maintenance and energy consumption to ensure a sustainable forest industry.”

Scott directed Heller funds to costs associated with open-access rights to his publications, as well as to international conference attendance for UBC Forestry students assisting with his research and the wages of some of his research associates. Funds also made possible “collaborations with scientists from other faculties, such as Microbiology, which has

opened doors to the exploration of new research areas,” says Scott, who is a Canada Research Chair in Advanced Renewable Materials.

Muzaffer Karaaslan, a research associate working in Scott’s lab, was able to participate in Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada-supported research projects thanks to the additional support from the Heller Fund. This included an innovative collaboration with Domtar, a paper company, on the production of carbon aerogels from lignin for energy storage applications.

“This experience enhanced my research skills, problem-solving abilities and interdisciplinary collaboration,” states Muzaffer. “It also provided relevant experience and a strong professional network to prepare me for success as I continue to pursue academic or industry contributions that push the boundaries of knowledge, solve complex problems and translate research findings into practical solutions that benefit society.”

Building student success

The Heller Fellowship has also ventured outside the world of wood science to support other labs at UBC Forestry, including graduate students in the labs of UBC Forestry Asst. Prof. Haibo Feng and Dominik Roeser, Assoc. Dean, Research Forests & Community Outreach. This support relieves some of the financial burden on bright young minds, such as Master of Science in Forestry students Rojini Kathiravel and Zexi Liu (BSF’23).

After completing her degree at UBC Forestry, Rojini is aiming for a career in the engineering industry. Under the direction of Haibo, Rojini’s graduate research has focused on engineering and construction, including timber structures and sustainable timber modelling.

Zexi has conducted research with Dominik in the Forest Action Lab, which supports sustainable forest management through innovation, research and development initiatives. Zexi worked on a research paper on the use of very-highresolution imagery to calculate the slash pile burning occurrence rate in the province, and is currently validating the quantity measurements and assessing the quality of forest biomass with advanced technologies for his master’s thesis.

“My goal is to optimize forest biomass utilisation in BC by considering the ecological, economic and social interaction,” says Zexi. “The Heller scholarship helps me to better concentrate on my studies.”

“The generosity of the Heller family has inspired me to help others and give back to the community,” adds Rojini. “I hope one day that I will be able to help students achieve their goals just as they have helped me.”

To learn more about how you can give to UBC Forestry, contact Emma Tully, Asst. Dean of Development, Alumni and External Relations, at emma.tully@ubc.ca or 604.822.8716.

Rojini Kathiravel

Zexi Liu

AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE ARCTIC

Award-winning research gives viewers a bird’s eye view of Canada’s thawing north

New UBC Forestry hire, Prof. Isla Myers-Smith, was recently awarded an $8 million Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Global Change Ecology of Northern Ecosystems for her international leadership and research on the impacts of climate change in northern tundra and boreal ecosystems. Her work involves collaborations with Indigenous knowledge holders from the Western Canadian Arctic, along with research institutes and government agencies within the Canadian North and around the globe.

“Receiving the Chair appointment is an amazing opportunity for me to focus on studying the ecology of Northern ecosystems and how they are impacted by climate change over the next eight years,” states Isla. “Through the research program, I will be building up a team of early career researchers, and working more closely with collaborators in the UBC Faculty of Forestry and communities in the Canadian North.”

Isla has spent the past 16 years pursuing innovative research in the Western Arctic. Her awardwinning virtual reality (VR) research project, “Qikiqtaruk: Arctic at Risk,” showcases some of her ongoing work to quantify the impacts of climate change on Arctic landscapes.

Created in collaboration with local community members, the project

takes audiences on a journey to Qikiqtaruk-Herschel Island, Canada, just off the Yukon Arctic Coast. Images from drones and groundbased LiDAR scans are transformed into three-dimensional, immersive experiences using a process called photogrammetry. Audiences travel over breathtaking frozen and tundra landscapes, getting a bird’s eye view of the impacts of climate change. Shrubs encroaching into the surrounding tundra and eroding coastlines from storms and longer ice-free seasons are brought to life through the medium of VR. Soundscapes from Arctic ecosystems and narration by Isla and Richard Gordon, senior park ranger of Herschel Island-Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, further enhance the experience.

“The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, and that is leading to pronounced climate change impacts in the Canadian North,” states Isla. “I hope to document the rates and magnitudes of climate change impacts with my collaborators through the CERC program.”

Isla’s newly established Climate Change Ecology Research Hub brings together experts from Indigenous communities, government agencies and universities in the Western Canadian North to study how the changing climate is impacting vegetation and altering wildlife habitats and migration. The research team will also collect data on how these changes are collectively impacting the livelihoods of Indigenous communities in the Arctic. Indigenous youth interns will participate in field experiences to help accomplish research goals and inspire the pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“It is such a privilege to have the opportunity to work on the lands of the Inuvialuit and First Nations Peoples,” says Isla. “People in the North are observing climate change play out firsthand, and they are feeling the impacts acutely.”

“We are working together with local experts to answer some of the most pressing questions in the region. As a result of this work, our new research will inform ecosystem management and deepen our understanding of wildlife habitat changes over the long-term.”

teamshrub.com

A FLOOD OF TROUBLE

How attribution science can explain the rising number and intensity of floods in BC

Devastating floods have become an increasingly common part of life in British Columbia. In the late 1990s, BC’s Cariboo region experienced numerous floods and landslides. The ‘flood of the century’ happened in fall 2003 when hundreds of Squamish and Paradise Valley residents were forced to evacuate their homes. Later, a 2018 flood event in Grand Forks caused extensive damage, impacting more than 400 homes, farms and businesses. In 2021, successive atmospheric rivers in BC’s Pacific north-west caused billions of dollars in damage from catastrophic flooding and triggered landslides that killed five people.

Urban encroachment on floodplains and climate change are partly to blame. However, they cannot fully account for a trend that has many researchers, including

UBC Forestry Prof. Younes Alila, ringing alarm bells. Through scientific inquiry and the application of a framework known as attribution science (see sidebar), Younes’s investigations have revealed important data on the root causes of more frequent and severe flooding in the province.

The science of attribution

Attribution science has traditionally been applied to climate change research to analyze whether or not extreme weather events can be traced back to a single cause.

Climate change attribution has made significant advances in recent years, but has rarely been applied to extreme events, such as major floods. These events often involve complex interactions that make it hard to identify a single cause.

Using historical data, Younes and his team have been able to link more frequent and severe

ATTRIBUTION SCIENCE DEFINED

flooding to areas with substantial forest cover loss at their headwaters — highlands from which tributaries flow.

“People living in these areas consistently find themselves on flood watch, indicating that certain regions of the province are regularly at risk of flooding,” says Younes. “It appears as if these compromised watersheds have exceeded their resilience threshold, making them unable to withstand flooding events any longer.”

Land use changes often associated with urbanization, agricultural practices, mining and various other activities also contribute to soil instability and displacement that can increase the risk of severe flooding. Similarly, landscape hydrology can be altered by changes to forest cover from clearcut logging, beetle infestations or wildfires, as can flood management policies that heavily rely on downstream infrastructure to hold back rising water levels, such as dykes, bridges and culverts, Younes concludes.

According to Certified Consulting Meteorologist, Jim Foerster, the emerging study of attribution science involves the analysis of causal links between climate change and extreme weather events, such as heat domes, forest fires, floods and atmospheric rivers. To date, several published research papers have drawn connections between extreme weather events and the effects of human-caused climate change from the emission of greenhouse gasses from such things as the burning of fossil fuels, states Jim in a 2023 Forbes article. For example, research found that climate change-related stressors significantly increased the amount of rainfall during the Category 4 Hurricane Harvey that hit southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana in 2017.

“It is important to consider the causes behind why some areas have become community flooding hotspots,” states Younes. “While government agencies and the public often attribute these events to global warming, other equally significant, or potentially more impactful, factors are exacerbating the risk of these extremes.”

A flood of legal action

When it comes to flooding and the application of attribution science, the public, including legal authorities and insurance companies, is taking notice.

In 2015, Younes served as an expert witness in a case involving a BC rancher who successfully secured a settlement against a forestry company that had clear-cut logged near the rancher’s home. The prosecution argued that the logging had significantly and detrimentally altered the water flow in a nearby creek, leading to flooding that decimated 35 hectares of the rancher’s lands.

For a 2022 provincial court case, Younes drafted a 70-page report that outlined how clear-cut logging

and other activities had likely contributed to two instances of flooding within six years at a couple’s acreage south of Smithers, BC. The $300,000 settlement that the couple received from the province made headline news across the country and in other parts of the world.

Younes is currently working on providing expert testimony for another ongoing court case in BC where clear-cut logging is in question.

Solutions require new ways of thinking

With much of the province’s landscape affected by climate and land-use changes — including forest cover loss — mitigation and management solutions are urgently needed.

“It all starts with a fundamental shift in mindset,” says Younes. “Logging practices within the province’s Timber Supply Areas need to be updated in favour of abandoning clear-cut logging for biodiverse-friendly, restorative practices, including selective, strip-cut and small-patch logging.”

“We must synchronize our flood management strategy in the more populated lowlands with our land use, forest resources and water resources management policies in the uplands.”

A concerted effort among different levels of government, as well as non-governmental leaders and industry, is needed now to make a meaningful contribution to addressing some of the root causes of flood risk, adds Younes.

forestry.ubc.ca/faculty-profile/ younes-alila

RECENT RETIREMENTS

Assoc. Prof. Emeritus Simon Ellis (MSc’86 in Forestry, PhD’89 in Forestry)

1989 — Hired at UBC Forestry

1997 — UBC Killam Teaching Prize

2013 — 3M National Teaching Fellow

Simon came to UBC in 1983 for his master’s degree, after completing his BSc in Wood Science at Bangor University. After finishing his MSc in 1986, he completed his PhD at UBC in 1989 and joined UBC Forestry as a faculty member in the Department of Wood Science in September 1989. Simon’s passions were teaching and education leadership activities (even before they were given that name!) to support the learning of countless students. Simon taught WOOD 280 (Wood Anatomy and Identification) for 34 years and WOOD 120 (Introduction to Wood Products and Global Trade) for half of that time. He also taught a variety of other courses in the old Wood Science and Industry program and the newer Wood Products Processing program, and the fundamentals of wood properties and wood products for students in most other programs in the Faculty. Simon was appointed as the first Program Director of the Wood Products Processing program in 1996 and served almost continuously in the role until shortly before his retirement. Simon received the Forestry UBC Killam Teaching Prize in 1997 (the youngest recipient of the award in the Faculty). In 2013, Simon was awarded a 3M National Teaching Fellowship — Canada’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in educational leadership and teaching at the post-secondary level.

Prof. Emeritus Rob Guy

1988 — Hired at UBC Forestry

2005 — UBC Killam Teaching Prize

2012 — David J. Gifford Award in Tree Physiology

2023 — Excellence in Graduate Supervision and Mentorship Award

Teaching was Rob’s principal passion during his 35 years at UBC Forestry, which also included several impressive research accomplishments. Rob initially planned to pursue a career in plant community ecology, but a chance series of events directed him to pursue doctoral and post-doctoral studies in plant physiology, where the inner workings of flora captured his imagination. Hired as an Asst. Prof. with UBC Forestry in 1988, Rob became a pioneer in the use of stable isotopes at natural abundance levels in plant physiology and ecology. His discovery that differential fractionation of oxygen isotopes was associated with different respiratory pathways broke important ground in plant physiology and biochemistry. During the past 15 years or so, working mainly with poplar and together with his students, Rob demonstrated that nitrogen isotopes can provide novel information on nitrogen fluxes and sites of assimilation and allocation in plants. However, Rob’s fondest memories from his time at UBC Forestry reside mostly in the realm of teaching the next generation of foresters and conservation biologists. The type of professor who kept an open-door policy to encourage his students to approach him with their questions, Rob says that he “always believed that any student had the potential to succeed.” Following retirement, Rob plans to continue rediscovering the art of pottery, along with drawing.

UBC Forestry recognizes and gives thanks to several longstanding faculty members who retired recently after many years of scholarship, service and mentorship at the Faculty.

Prof. Emeritus Valerie Lemay (PhD’89 in Forestry), RPF

1989 — Hired at UBC Forestry

2004 — Faculty of Forestry Killam Teaching Award

2011 — Faculty of Graduate Studies Killam Teaching Award

During her more than 34 years as a professor with UBC Forestry, Valerie taught forest measurements and biometrics to thousands of students and contributed to a wide variety of natural resources research world-wide. Her research focused on trees at all levels — from individual trees to extensive forests. She collaborated on research in Canada, the US, Chile, Nigeria, Malaysia, Australia and several European countries. Valerie served on IUFRO committees for more than 25 years, and also served on the UBC Senate for two terms, as an Associate Editor for five journals, as a guest editor for two other journals and on more than 100 graduate student committees. Valerie says that she found her experience at UBC Forestry truly exciting: “It was a wonderful opportunity to feed my curiosity about the natural world and our roles as humans interacting with our environment,” she says. “I have had great fun working around the world on projects related to forests, as well as birds, mammals and other species. Being a research professor is not an easy job — there are long hours and very high expectations — but the rewards of investigating and interacting with others, as well as helping students achieve their goals, are exceptional.” After retirement, Valerie plans to continue on as a UBC Professor Emeritus and a BC RPF.

Lecturer Emeritus Sue Watts (MF’75, PhD’81 in Forestry), RPF (Ret)

1981 — Hired at UBC Forestry 1989-2019 — Founding Editor of Branchlines magazine

Sue arrived at UBC Forestry in the early 1970s to pursue a master’s degree in forestry. She then completed a PhD in 1981, focusing on forest entomology. That same year, Sue was hired as a sessional lecturer in forest biometrics, mostly teaching the FORTRAN computer programming language. In 1982, she received an RPF designation. Sue was a research associate at UBC Forestry for several years prior to becoming a Lecturer and Assistant Dean in 1994, holding her administrative portfolio for 13 years and working under six different Deans. In 2006, Sue took on the responsibility of leading a suite of graduate courses in the areas of communications and technical writing skills. Many graduate students will remember Forestry 544 — Oral Communication and Forestry 545 — Scientific Writing. Her most popular course was Forestry 547 — Forestry in BC, which was designed to introduce incoming graduate and international students to forestry in the province through a variety of approaches, including field trips. Mentoring was a major focus of Sue’s communications work with graduate students, and is an aspect of her career at UBC that Sue says she will miss the most. Sue plans to remain active in her retirement and keep in touch with many of her former students.

REMEMBERING DR. JOHN WORRALL

Much-beloved UBC Forestry faculty member, mentor and friend to many, Dr. John Worrall (BSF’63) passed away on August 8, 2023. His legacy, however, lives on in the many people whose lives he touched.

Champion of forest education dies at 85

Worrall

1938 - August 8, 2023

with much sadness we announce that

John G. Worrall has passed away August

2023, after a two week stay at Vancouver

General Hospital.

Worrall was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease almost a decade ago and his health has slowly onset pneumonia, he just couldn’t ffects, and quietly on Tuesday, August 8th at brother Richard Worrall John Davies, by his side. in North America on a whaling on which he was working a chemist (his first degree from Newcastle University) in 1965. Upon disembarking, he

Worrall’s close friend and former student, John.

to Vernon, BC where he had a distant relative. From there, Worrall made his way the University of British Columbia (UBC), where he enrolled in the Faculty of Forestry and eventually graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in forestry before heading to Yale University, to complete Master’s and degrees.

“Worrall was one of the first teachers that UBC Forestry students encountered at the start of their academic journey,” says Worrall’s close friend and hosted Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for students

into his end of life, he still remembered names when they were mentioned to him. Usually, he could recall the years of attendance and very often some story associated with the student. None were safe from his impeccable memory!

2001 Worrall met Chiara Longhi and, “forced” to expand

Worrall became part of Chiara’s family.

who were unable to travel home for the holidays.

“Worrall would stuff a turkey and cover it in bacon, and make a big pot of mashed potatoes and gravy for students, all out of the generosity of his heart,” recalls Chiara Longhi, Director of Student Services with UBC Forestry.

Chiara and Worrall became close friends after meeting at a UBC Forestry event in the early 2000s. “We used to play Boggle and Scrabble,” Chiara says. “He had an extensive vocabulary and a great sense of humour.” Worrall also regularly joined Chiara and her family for holidays and gatherings, becoming “an extension of our family,” she says. “He was loved by his chosen family and will be deeply missed.”

Worrall’s uniqueness and strength of character were his badges of honour. In his quintessentially unconventional way, Worrall was known to take students out of the classroom for tree walks around UBC campus where he would identify different plant species by sight and share anecdotes to help extend students’ learning experience.

“He loved being outside,” recalls Ponch Ocampo, who provided home care for Worrall after Worrall was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Worrall’s students were frequent fixtures at his home — just a short distance from the UBC Forestry building. During his teaching days, he often offered free accommodations to students in exchange for some help with housework.

“He would take students down to see the sequoias in California or on hikes to Mt. Frosty in Manning Park, BC, and never asked for any money,” says Chiara. “He also remembered the names of many of the students who took his classes years after they had left UBC, and would surprise people with this ability.”

Worrall continued to teach years after retiring in 2003, returning to campus to play ping pong with students or to help out with FUS or Faculty events.

Upon his request, Worrall’s ashes were scattered in one of his favourite spots: a golden larch forest at Mt. Frosty, in the company of many of those who loved him.

Donations to the John Worrall Tree Enthusiast Prize or the John Worrall Alumni Bursary Fund in support of student learning can be made here: give.ubc.ca/impactstories/john-worrallawards

“Every day with him, we would go to his garden where he would spend hours with his plants,” notes Ponch. “Whenever we went for a walk, he would teach me how to differentiate the leaves and bark of different trees, and then quiz me about them later. He didn’t forget anything about plants.”

Golden larch forest at Mt. Frosty.

The carbon flux of life WEBINAR

From treetop to belowground, carbon comprises over half of the organic matter in forests. The carbon flux traces carbon’s journey between the many different players in the system: whether they be fallen leaves or hungry mites and microorganisms. It fuels the powerhouse that supports healthy habitats and biodiversity. However, despite its essential role in forest vitality, the full breadth of its complexity remains little-understood. New research led by UBC Forestry Prof. Cindy Prescott is beginning to map the intricacies of the carbon flux, bringing to light a deeper understanding of why some forests flourish while others flounder.

Come along with Cindy as she explores the exciting concept of the carbon flux and its far-reaching implications in the analysis and management of forests and soils.

Featuring UBC Forestry

Prof. Cindy Prescott

Moderator

UBC Forestry

Prof. Sally Aitken (BSF’84)

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:

Faculty of Forestry

University of British Columbia Forest Sciences Centre

2005 – 2424 Main Mall

Vancouver BC CANADA V6T 1Z4