Climate change is real. The catastrophic wildfires that tore through Jasper, AB, and many other communities this summer are sobering reminders of the shaky ground we find ourselves on as we come face to face with this reality and the uncertainties that it brings. Among those most affected by wildfires in Canada are Indigenous communities, 80% of which are located in or near remote, wildfire-prone regions.
In response, we — in the academy — need to do a better job of building capacity with and mobilizing knowledge to these communities. Through our newly launched Community Extension Office, we are helping to bridge this gap in knowledge-sharing, opening up a world of possibilities for the codevelopment of forest management interventions, wildfire coexistence initiatives and community resilience projects, to name a few examples. As we cover in our article, “Bringing back community extension,” collaborations with rural and remote communities, particularly Indigenous communities, are fast-becoming an increasingly important aspect of our academic mission at UBC Forestry. This essential work is opening the door to further research and information-sharing to help shape the future direction of forest-dependent communities across BC and beyond.
Dean’s message
But our work on climate action needs to go well beyond these efforts. In order to reach the Canadian government’s target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, industries and operations across the nation will need to decarbonize, moving away from processes and products that emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to those that store it for longer periods of time. We have a major role to play in this transition. In this issue, we focus on bio-based materials made from forest residues and waste materials. These show promise as a means to transition to a circular economy that reduces resource consumption through waste and energy mitigation. This approach prioritizes the creation of products that can, at the end of their lifecycles, breathe new life in the form of repurposed and recycled goods and materials.
Projects ramping up at UBC’s BioProducts Institute and the Department of Wood Science are focused on designing stateof-the-art bioplastics, biofuels, biofoams and more to replace petrochemical-based products. Not only are many of these products fully biodegradable, but their presence on store shelves and in shipping containers could dramatically reduce the amount of plastic waste and carbon dioxide emissions from petroleum-based products and chemicals, aiding in the bid to achieve our decarbonization targets.
The next generation of forestry graduates will, no doubt, play a key role in shaping the profession in various meaningful ways, including decarbonization. And our educational programming needs to keep apace. To that end, UBC Forestry has just launched a streamlined degree program designed to support and enrich the student experience. Our undergraduate students now have two new degrees to choose from: a Bachelor of Science
in Natural Resources and a Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship, along with our pre-existing Bachelor of Urban Forestry. Within the Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources, students can specialize in one of six majors that align with our former, standalone degrees. Within the Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship, students will learn to value and honour holistic forms of land stewardship based on Indigenous ways of knowing, with teachings by knowledge keepers, community leaders and western scientists. Read more about these new programs in our “Forestry streamlines degree options” and our “The BEST program for bioeconomy leaders” stories.
Let me end with a big shout-out to our staff and faculty for their tireless dedication in trying to solve some of the grand challenges of our time, particularly those who have just reached retirement — you can read all about their stories in this issue. But, as forestry teaches us, disruptive change is not an endpoint. It can be the beginning of something beautiful and rejuvenating. To that end, we have also welcomed several new faculty to our ranks, some of whom you will read about here and in the pages of upcoming Branchlines issues.
Get in touch with me anytime with questions, comments or concerns: rob.kozak@ubc.ca
As always, thank you for your interest in our work. Rob Kozak (BSc(Forestry)’88, PhD(Forestry)’96) Professor and Dean
Contents
Main Feature: Bio-based materials – 8
Fact-finding mission to Finland – 3
Forestry’s streamlined degrees – 5
Q&A with FPBC’s Christine Gelowitz – 6
Nanocellulose-based materials research – 12
UBC’s BioProducts Institute – 15
Inside the Bio-Home –17
The BEST program for bioeconomy leaders – 19
Meet BEST graduate Alex Ewashko – 20
The potential of hem-fir glulam in BC – 21
Trees of Campus – 23
Remembering Michael Feller and David Haley – 24
Bringing back community extension – 25
Working with and for Indigenous communities – 27
Essay: Data is plural – 28
2024 Alumni Builder Award winner – 29
Urban sustainability from Vancouver to Honolulu – 31
Celebrating our faculty – 33
Back cover – Winner of the Young Alumni Award
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)
Questions concerning Branchlines or requests for mailing list updates, deletions or additions should be directed to sarah.ripplinger@ubc.ca
FACT-FINDING MISSION TO FINLAND
Finland is a well-known hotbed of developments in sustainable forest operations, the latest of which were showcased on a UBC Forestry-led delegation of 31 representatives from the BC government, forest industry, community forests and forestry associations that took place from September 24 to October 3, 2023. The expedition was organized and led by Faculty members Dominik Roeser, Assoc. Dean of Research Forests and Community Outreach, and Jorma Neuvonen, Asst. Dean of Professional Education and International Collaboration.
“There is a great deal of demand to find new forest management approaches to address some of the challenges facing the forest sector in BC right now,” states Dominik. “Finland is one of the world’s leading jurisdictions when it comes to active, sustainable forest management, which is why we decided to organize this delegation.”
The most densely forested country in Europe, Finland has long relied on a strong forest sector. Besides its traditional forest industry, Finland is known for its broad expertise in machine and equipment construction and exports. Around 60% of the country’s forested land is owned privately by local residents who run small-scale operations — many of which have been passed down over generations. Another 10% is owned by corporations, with the remaining approximate onethird owned by the state.
With around 75% of its total area forested, Finland has been a key player in the forest sector since at least the turn of the 20th Century.
This land ownership arrangement contrasts with BC’s system of public ownership, where forests are parceled into tenures, with tenure holders often focused on maximizing timber access and near-term yields. The arrangement incentivized the buildout of highervalue monoculture tree plantations and fire suppression.
The negative consequences of these dramatically altered forest landscapes has included a reduction in forest resilience to the effects of climate change and pests, such as the mountain pine beetle that decimated over 50% of lodgepole pine forest in the province. BC’s forests have also become more vulnerable to catastrophic mega-fires, which have occurred with greater frequency and intensity. The four worst wildfire seasons on record took place within the past eight years, with the all-time record-breaking 2023 season resulting in 2,245 wildfires and 2,840,545 hectares burned.
“Not everything has gone well in Finland’s forest sector, either,” states
Jorma. “We also wanted to learn from their mistakes so as not to repeat them, including the overly intensive forest management practices in Finland that have led to some biodiversity loss.”
“However, Finland has done an excellent job in many areas, including building up its bioeconomy and training foresters and forestry machine operators through university and college programs,” Jorma adds.
The Finland trip was organized to identify best practices and lessons learned that could be adopted in a BC context in order to seek solutions to some of the present challenges facing the BC forest sector.
Delegates on the Finland trip visited several forest operations in the country, and spoke with industry leaders. One of their first discussions was with representatives from Metsä Group wood supply and forest services, a co-operative owned by more than 90,000 Finnish forest owners, with an annual purchase of 34 million cubic metres of wood.
Selective tree harvesters, such as the one shown here, are able to pluck out one log at a time, preventing unwanted damage to surrounding trees and retaining the forest canopy.
Members of the Metsä Group, along with many other forest operations in Finland, use forest thinning, also called selective harvesting, approaches in which wheeled harvesters and forwarders pluck individual trees, leaving much of the forest canopy and ecosystem untouched. This creates space between trees, improving stand vitality and resilience to pests and diseases.
The BC delegation was guided through the Nuuksio National Park near the capital Helsinki in the south of Finland to discuss park services, such as trails, amenities and visitor services, available there. About a 430-kilometre-drive north-east of Helsinki, delegates visited the Arbonaut company’s head office in Joensuu to learn about its digital timber inventory, analysis and management services — used by over 30 companies around the world.
Also in Joensuu, the delegation toured the Joensuu Biomass District Heating Plant and future site of a biochar production facility. The Finnish government’s National Forest Strategy and Circular Bioeconomy Strategy support bio-based material industries, such as this, while also serving to align both the forest sector and government forestry staff around specific forestry goals and policies.
On the final day of the expedition, delegates visited the Metsä Group’s Bioproduct Mill in Äänekoski, located in central Finland, around a 275-kilometre-drive west of Joensuu. The mill uses 6.5 million cubic metres of wood annually to produce 800 thousand tonnes softwood pulp and 500 thousand tonnes of hardwood pulp per year, which the company transforms into raw materials used in paperboard, tissue, printing papers and speciality products. The mill of around 250 employees is also 240% electricity selfsufficient, producing its own bio-based electrical energy, along with energy for the local community, and using no fossil fuels.
“Finland has solid forest monitoring systems that are helping them collect data and conduct inventory checks to inform decisions about which trees to remove, as well as all aspects of forest management, from timber yields to wildlife habitat, fire risk and biodiversity,” says Dominik. “Good monitoring can help us in BC, too, as we transition our operations to the new climate reality, and the reality that we are looking at more second growth trees over the next while to find value-added opportunities.”
At the close of the trip, several delegates put together the following suggested ideas for implementation in BC:
1. Develop a focused and coherent Forest Strategy that articulates BC’s vision and goals of linking First Nations values, resilient forests and a world-class forest sector.
2. Create and make publicly available detailed forest inventories using remote sensing, data science and forest inventory sources of information.
3. Incentivise investment and innovation in high-value timber objectives with clear, long-term strategies, predictability and cost recognition for a full growth cycle on a subset of forested land to be managed intensively.
4. Create best practices guides and training programs for intensive forest management by ecosystem/stand types.
5. Develop approaches to incentivise the increased utilization of all biomass at the time of primary harvest when it is economically reasonable to do so, e.g., in an intensive forest management zone.
6. Implement community heating systems for communities to create new markets for small diameter logs from thinnings and fuel treatments.
7. Develop a training school for specialized harvesting equipment operators.
Selective harvest logs in a pine forest in Finland rest beside retained trees. This practice can lead to healthier forests that are more resilient to wildfire and pests.
FORESTRY STREAMLINES DEGREE OPTIONS
Transformational changes to enhance the student experience
Starting in fall 2024, the Faculty of Forestry enhanced the student experience and streamlined our degrees, with many former degrees transitioned to majors.
“While the curriculum remains the same, we have reorganized and reimagined our degrees in a more efficient and effective manner,” states UBC Forestry Prof. and Dean Rob Kozak (BSc(Forestry)’88, PhD(Forestry)’96).
The Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources will replace most prior degrees, with six majors to choose from after year one: conservation, forest management, forest operations, forest sciences, wood products or bioeconomy sciences and technology.
The two other degree options available are the Bachelor of Urban Forestry (BUF) — which is the only carryover from the former degrees — and the new Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship (BILS).
“The move to our new three-degree structure better reflects the diversity of disciplines that students are exposed to in our undergraduate degrees,” notes Rob. “This transition also reflects shifts in the forest profession, which is placing a greater emphasis on well-rounded grads with skills in addressing many of the grand challenges, such as climate change, impacting the natural resources sector and communities around the world.”
Current students will remain in their present programs, which will continue to be offered until all have graduated. Accommodations can also be made for current students who wish to transfer to one of the new degrees.
“Some of UBC Forestry’s undergraduate programs have seen unprecedented growth in recent years,” says Prof. and Assoc. Dean of Students, Scott Hinch. “Streamlining many of our degree options and having a common first year experience makes it easier for students to transition into the program, interact with other forestry students and learn about natural resources issues before they have to select a major.”
New Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship
Also in Fall 2024, UBC Forestry was proud to launch the BILS program, which provides students with the knowledge and ability to create culturally appropriate land stewardship systems. Led by Indigenous scholars, well-prepared allies, Elders and knowledge keepers, the program invites students to be part of the global cultural resurgence of Indigenous Peoples as they strengthen their systems of governance, build economic opportunities and reclaim and revitalize their lands.
“Through the BILS program, we unite as knowledge keepers, community leaders, academics and the next generation of land stewards, weaving together the threads of tradition and innovation,” states Garry Merkel (PhD(Honourary)’21), Director of the Centre for Indigenous Land Stewardship, a member of the Tahltan Nation and UBC Doctor of Science, honoris causa . “We embrace the wisdom of our ancestors and the power of collective action as we embark on an educational journey together.”
BILS teaches Indigenous and non-Indigenous students about Indigenous ways of knowing, ecology, law, governance, economics, communication, research, community capacity building and data and business management methods. The program also covers Indigenous-led land healing and actionoriented reconciliation.
“BILS is an important step towards recognizing Indigenous Knowledge, land rights and cultural practices, as well as honouring our commitment to reconciliation,” states Carlos Ormond, Director of Indigenous and Intercultural Initiatives with UBC Forestry.
Embedded within UBC Forestry’s three-degree structure are ample opportunities for students to gain practical knowledge and skills, along with immersive experiences in the field, lab and classroom, including through field schools and co-op opportunities.
“In all of our degree programs, UBC Forestry will continue to offer the highest calibre of education and research opportunities that current and prospective students have come to know and expect,” states Patrick Culbert, Associate Professor of Teaching and Director of Curriculum.
Q&A WITH CHRISTINE GELOWITZ
Forest Professionals of BC Chief Executive Officer
Christine Gelowitz stepped into her current role as CEO of Forest Professionals British Columbia (FPBC), formerly the Association of BC Forest Professionals, with a wealth of forest policy knowledge. She completed a Bachelor of Science in natural resource management, majoring in forestry from the University of Northern BC, and found her career footing managing large, multi-year contracts with Forest Renewal BC. Upon earning a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) designation, Christine worked as a research officer with the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and later held several senior leadership positions with the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, largely in forest policy and planning.
What drew you to this role with FPBC, which you began in Feb 2016?
The ethos of public service brought me here. It also matched what I was looking for and who I am, combining my work experience, education and passions.
What is your greatest accomplishment in this role to-date?
I am most proud of overseeing the shift in the regulation of professional forestry that occurred due to the passage of the Professional Governance Act in 2018, replacing the Foresters Act that was first established in 1947. We only had 14 months to revamp FPBC to legally operate under the Act, which was a monumental task for us as the forest regulator for the province. We went from 30 pages of requirements
to over 100 pages under the new legislation, plus seven regulations and 12 superintendent policies and directives. We also needed to bring our registrants on board with the changes under the Act, which they adopted relatively seamlessly.
What role do Professional Foresters play in the transition to a more sustainable future?
Their knowledge and experience are intertwined with the land where they work and often live. In addition, regulated professionals must conduct themselves following professional standards and a Code of Ethical Conduct. This work often involves consultations with Indigenous Peoples, academics and researchers, and the translation of knowledge to improve forestry practices. In short, Forest Professionals are invested in the areas they serve, including identifying and adapting to changes in the forest and the desires of forest landowners.
What are some of your top priorities for the coming years?
I have three top priorities at the moment. The first is to build communities of practice in professional forestry that include other knowledge experts, such as a community of wildfire experts. Another priority is to support trainees and early career professionals by making the process of registering with FPBC as streamlined as possible, while at the same time ensuring that they are adequately prepared for a career as a Professional Forester. My third and equally important priority is to create a more diverse, inclusive profession through new designations that bring people into the fold. Our new Affiliated Forest Professional
designation is tailored to academics and the research community, while new forest technician designations are creating more entry-level pathways into the profession.
What newsletters regularly land in your inbox?
I really enjoy reading the viewpoints of Lenny Joe in his column in the BC First Nations Forestry Council newsletter. Being in a leadership role, I read the Harvard Business Review management tip of the day. As a regulator, SML law firm’s Grey Areas newsletter keeps me up-to-date on professional regulation best practices. I also like the daily summary of forest sector-related headlines found in the Tree Frog News newsletter.
What do you do to unwind?
I look for moments of peacefulness by walking my dog under a forest canopy, paddling around a lake in the early morning or practicing yin yoga. With family and friends, I enjoy doing activities like skiing, golfing, boating on the lake, playing board games around the campfire and cheering on my daughter at her hockey games.
Change-makers are generating the know-how needed to decarbonize our economy
Prof. Emeritus Jack Saddler spent much of his career studying how forest and mill residues could substitute for fossil derived petrochemicals. Serving as a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Industrial Senior Chair, Jack recognized an opportunity to reimagine the fuels and chemicals sector during the 1980s OPEC oil crisis. He has continued to push for alternatives to decarbonize the global economy, such as using liquid biofuels and biojet fuels derived from forest residues or fast rotation trees, like poplar.
Involved in research and policy discussions surrounding sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), Jack foresaw market openings for alternative, more sustainable fuel sources as governments increasingly clamp down on polluters to curb climate change-related emissions from the aviation sector.
“One of the key drivers for SAF adoption is the emergence of lowcarbon fuel standards (LCFSs),” states Jack.
Under BC’s current LCFS regulation, which includes regulations surrounding the use of renewable fuel sources, suppliers must meet diesel and gasoline carbon intensity reduction targets of 30% by 2030, relative to 2010 levels. Over that same time period, BC’s aviation fuel reduction schedule gradually ratchets up to a 30% reduction in the carbon intensity of jet fuel — a refined, kerosene-based liquid designed primarily to power jet engines and other turbine engines.
Emissions statistics provide insights into this regulatory push. Globally, private and commercial flights release about 2% of the world’s human-derived greenhouse gas emissions. In 2019, approximately 2,065 million litres of jet fuel were used in BC. In 2020, BC’s transportation sector as a whole contributed 36% of total greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021, that figure rose to 41% of BC’s total emissions.
“There is a great deal of demand from the aviation industry for jet fuel with at least some renewable/ biomass content to meet carbon fuel regulations,” states Jack. “The major hurdles we face now are high costs and low availability.”
“Although there has been a significant increase in the amount of sustainable aviation fuel produced and used by the aviation sector over the past few years, this is still less than 1% of all jet fuel used today. However, biofuel and biojet are likely to be a major way in which the aviation sector will be able to decarbonize.”
— Jack Saddler
The push to decarbonize aviation fuels, along with many other product categories and sectors, stems from a need to cut global emissions of greenhouse gases, the primary drivers of climate change. Key among them are hydrocarbons, such
as petroleum, a liquid extracted from layers below the surface of the Earth. Refined fossil-derived fuels, such as oil, gasoline, kerosene or diesel, are finite and are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
When burned, these fuels release carbon dioxide, which retains heat within the Earth’s atmosphere, known as the greenhouse effect.
Conversely, bio-based materials, such as bioplastics and biofuels, are either wholly or partly derived from plant or animal biomass feedstocks. Examples of feedstocks for bio-based materials include forest-and-mill residues; food and beverage waste, such as from restaurants, used cooking oil and spoiled food from grocery stores; or agricultural sources, such as from sugarcane harvest and processing to produce sugar.
Some bio-based materials can be fully decomposed by bacteria, fungi or other living organisms before being reabsorbed into the natural environment. However, not all are created equal. For example, some bioplastics may be no more biodegradable than traditional, petroleum-based plastics. Legislation exists in parts of the world with respect to labelling products as biodegradable, but much of the onus is placed on the consumer to decide which products meet their standard for carbon emissions and biodegradability.
Turning trash into treasure
Transforming products from the forest sector into renewable alternatives to fossil fuels and chemicals is a focus of several UBC Forestry faculty members. Prof. Shawn Mansfield’s lab researches the use of biotechnology to engineer trees for biochemicals, which is complemented by the work of
Department of Wood Science
Profs. Emily Cranston, Assoc. Prof. Feng Jiang , Prof. Scott Renneckar and Prof. Orlando Rojas, who are investigating the conversion of wood into new innovative biobased materials.
Also in the Department of Wood Science, UBC Forestry Asst. Prof. Jaya Joshi is researching novel methods for converting biomassderived feedstocks from waste products into value-added products — “turning trash into treasure,” as Jaya puts it.
By harnessing the power of synthetic biology — which combines DNA technology, engineering principles and computational tools — her research investigates methods to design and repurpose natural processes for the upcycling of waste products. Jaya and her team utilize microbes as green factories, rewiring their internal metabolisms to produce bioproducts. The team in her BioCycle Lab combines machine learning — a form of artificial intelligence (AI) — approaches with custom-designed biocatalysts and
Plastic Problem
industrial chemicals, with potential implications for optimizing and greening the biomanufacturing processes of a wide range of additional products yet to be identified.
“We are putting forest products in a petri dish. The principles used here can be applied to feedstocks from food processing waste, agricultural residues and municipal waste, the repurposing of which is needed as part of a unified effort to realize Canada’s goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
— Jaya Joshi
Each year, around 400 million tonnes of non-biodegradable plastic waste are added to the global tally, with much of it gradually ending up in landfills or breaking apart into the microscopic plastic bits now found throughout the food chain. The sheer volume of plastic accumulating in landfills and ecosystems is wreaking havoc on water quality, aquatic species and communities. This fact prompted 175 nations at the March 2022 UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi to agree to an international resolution to end plastic pollution through better waste management and reduction throughout its lifecycle: from production to use and disposal.
microbial engineering to speed up chemical reactions, enabling the production of bioproducts on an industrial scale.
Jaya’s sustainable chemistry approach can be used to make everything from food preservatives to pharmaceuticals, biofuels and
The lure of lignin
Building on the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle, a frequent target of bio-based materials is the transformation of underutilized materials into useful, everyday items, states UBC Forestry Asst. Prof. Kwang Ho Kim. With a background in chemistry using
lignin — a complex organic polymer containing oxygen that is one of the most abundant compounds found in plant matter — Kwang Ho’s research is attempting to unlock the potential of the notoriously headacheinducing material. “Lignin has a lot of potential, but its structure varies greatly depending on the source, such as the type of plant, and the method used to extract it,” he says. “Even in cases in which we extract lignin from the same species of tree, its structure may vary widely.”
The lead of the Biorefinery and Biomass Conversion Lab, Kwang Ho and his team explore sustainable biorefinery approaches to convert biomass into value-added products, for example, extracting lignin from recycled cardboard boxes to use in high-value products, such as platform chemicals utilized to create other chemicals.
Their investigations into green solvents, extraction processes and structural modification of lignin aim to establish a more uniform product for downstream use in, for example, pharmaceuticals, advanced plastics, lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors and packaging materials.
“Greater uniformity of lignin feedstocks will help make this bio-based material more feasible, viable, economical and scalable as a replacement for petrochemicals in commercial operations.”
— Kwang Ho Kim
“In BC, we are uniquely positioned because of our vast forest resources and residues that can be sourced to build up Canada’s bioeconomy,” says Kwang Ho.
Using waste products from the forest sector as feedstocks for renewable alternatives to fossil fuels is also a focus of UBC Forestry Prof. and Canada Research Chair in Advanced Renewable Materials, Scott Renneckar. His research examines the molecular components of lignin and cellulose extracted from plant biomass, particularly from pulp, to identify new pathways for biobased, high-performance fibres and coatings with applications in the automotive, aerospace and construction industries.
Modelling sustainable bioeconomy processes
Once new technologies pass the initial testing phase and are ready for manufacturing, the essential work of process simulation begins. UBC Forestry Asst. Prof. of Industrial Ecology, Qingshi Tu, draws from chemical engineering, computer programming and statistical methods to model outcomes of industrial processes. For example, Qingshi could simulate each stage of the life cycle to manufacture a cellulosebased biofilm with potential applications in packaging and fruit
preservation, modeling energy consumption, environmental impacts, raw material acquisition and end-of-life treatment.
“As we scale up this work, we can support government and business decision-making on, for example, how much wood is needed in Canada to support our national bio-economy targets.”
— Qingshi Tu
The models generated by Qingshi and his Sustainable Bioeconomy Research Group can pinpoint economies of scale in manufacturing, such as how adjustments to the configuration of a chemical plant can influence heat integration and, by extension, energy savings.
“At a very high level, this type of modelling helps with decisionmaking,” states Qingshi. “We may know that one chemical manufacturing approach has benefits, but by how much? How do those benefits compare to other approaches? Answering these questions is useful towards making technological and process improvements.”
AI is offering additional scaling opportunities for Qingshi’s team, with a goal to make their insights more accessible to companies that want to track their greenhouse gas emissions and additional sustainable bioeconomy yardsticks. The databases and models developed by Qingshi and his team are also open-source, meaning that anyone can access them to evaluate the environmental, economic and social impacts of their operations.
Non-biodegradable plastics can travel many kilometres on waterways, ending up on beaches or trapped in ocean currents where they can harm aquatic life and prey animals.
On the hunt for alternatives to petroleumderived polymers, UBC Forestry Prof. Scott Renneckar and his team use a process called electrospinning to convert wood fibre or other plant fibre, including lignin from flax shives, into materials, such as aerogels. Known for being the world’s lightest solid material, aerogels also have exceptional thermal insulating properties.
A decarbonization endgame
The Canadian Government launched a Forest Innovation Program in 2012 to spur advances in forest sector decarbonization and sustainability innovations, such as the identification of value-added forest products. A program objective is to put Canada on the map as a hotbed for innovative solutions that move forward emerging sustainable forest management practices and the global bioeconomy.
Commodities, such lumber, plywood, oriented strand board and pulp and paper are biomaterials that could contribute to the bioeconomy, notes UBC Forestry Assoc. Prof. Christopher Gaston (PhD’97, Forestry), who specializes in markets and economics.
The goal of net-zero emissions
Decarbonizing global economies through reduced carbon emissions — a key contributor to climate change — is now a global movement. The 196 government signatories to the Paris Agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference in 2015 committed to a 45% reduction in emissions from 2010 levels by 2030, or reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. However, the path to achieving this goal is uncertain. Carbon emissions from energy production and industrial activities have increased by 60% since 1992 . And most nations around the world continue to fall far short on achieving their carbon reduction commitments, making it virtually impossible to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius and stem catastrophic climate change.
“While these products have been — and still are — dominating the sector, many form the building blocks of higher-value products and/ or systems. Conversely, many of the more high-value-adding products cannot economically be manufactured without the simultaneous manufacture of commodities.”
“This is particularly evident in the evolution of pulp and paper mills, which are slowly re-defining themselves as biorefineries,” Chris adds.
Identified in a recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on the future of forestry and wood-based industries as an important contributor towards achieving net-zero
carbon emissions, forest products can sequester carbon and act as a natural carbon sink. They can additionally substitute more carbonintensive materials, such as petrochemicals, cement and metals.
With government regulations, such as the Government of Canada’s Pan-Canadian Approach to Pricing Carbon Pollution, becoming more common, carbon pricing, fuel taxes and restrictions on carbon emissions will likely continue to influence changes in the forest sector and global markets.
“There is a strong environmental, social and governance component to work in the space of biobased materials,” says Scott. “Many companies need to report on their environmental impacts, including their carbon emissions, with these numbers effecting their bottom line.”
“Bio-based materials are still in their nascency,” adds Scott. “We need a great deal of research to delve into the molecular structures of waste materials from forestry, agriculture and chemical production to move the needle on closing the product life cycle and cutting emissions.”
“The coming years will likely see a huge push in this arena, with ample opportunities to contribute to the development and mass-distribution of bio-based materials that are essential if we hope to achieve decarbonization, and reach our sustainability goals and government mandates.”
BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS
Canadian
innovations are leading the way in the commercialization and industrial production of nanocellulose
In the race to develop products that can either be fully reused or that can biodegrade reasonably quickly, the work of Emily Cranston, a UBC Forestry Prof. in the Department of Wood Science, is accelerating breakthroughs in biodegradable alternatives to petrochemical-based materials, such as plastics.
The President’s Excellence Chair in Forest BioProducts and a member of the UBC BioProducts Institute, Emily is among the leading thinkers in novel methods to produce and use nanocellulose from wood pulp. Her research has the potential to support the development of environmentally friendly plastics, biomedical devices, adhesives and electronic components, among others, with a goal to reduce waste and global carbon emissions that are contributing to climate change.
“My research deconstructs wood to get at its building blocks, isolating such things as its strongest components, or extractives with antimicrobial and antioxidant
properties, for use in new structures and materials,” says Emily. “Down the line, we hope to transform these nanocellulose-based materials into high-value commercial bioproducts.”
Cellulose is the most abundant natural polymer on Earth, and constitutes around 50% of the components of wood. Polymers are chains of repeating, smaller chemical units. For example, cellulose consists of repeating units of glucose, made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Polymers have unique characteristics and more versatility than many other compounds.
Emily’s fundamental research uses both cellulose nanocrystals and cellulose nanofibrils to push the boundaries of possibility.
Nanocellulose is derived using chemical or mechanical processes. For example, acid hydrolysis can be used to cleave apart chemical bonds within cellulose to produce rigid, rice-like cellulose nanocrystals. In addition, the process of mechanical disintegration is used to extract pliable, spaghetti-like cellulose nanofibrils.
“The nanocellulose that emerges when biomass is broken down to its simplest parts can be activated and reconstructed to produce virtually any type of material for a broad range of commercial applications, including those where plastics have traditionally been used,” explains Emily.
Dr. Emily Cranston uses tweezers to grab a piece of flexible nanocellulose aerogel designed for medical applications, such as filling defects in bone to promote faster bone healing.
Emily Cranston
UBC Forestry Prof. and President’s Excellence Chair in Forest BioProducts
Dental varnishes are among the many nanocellulosebased materials that Emily and her graduate students are working on right now. Created from turmeric oil with nanocellulose and tannins — the same as those found in red wine — these varnishes could be painted onto teeth at home to prevent the build-up of plaque that can lead to tooth decay.
Emily and her team are also identifying nanocellulose applications for functional textiles — such as those with antibacterial characteristics, moisture-wicking properties or quick-drying functions. To extend the shelf life of such things as cosmetics and processed foods like dairy substitutes, Emily is investigating nanocellulose applications that encapsulate the essential oils and food oils that are prone to spoilage in these products.
“ We are on the precipice of moving the building blocks of this fundamental research into applications and commercial products,” states Emily. “So far, we’ve only discovered the tip of the iceberg in terms of new uses for nanocellulose.”
(left to right) Dr. Eupidio Scopel holds a vial of nanocellulose hydrogel to be spun into filaments for biomedical applications. Dr. Gwendoline Delepierre looks at the iridescence and unique optical properties of nanocellulose that forms liquid crystals, detailed in the image to the far right.
Cynthia Pham, Dr. Blair Morgan and Dr. Oriana Vanderfleet look at nanocellulose dispersions in water.
THE BIOPRODUCTS INSTITUTE AT UBC
Interdisciplinary collaborations are transforming forestry resources into the next generation of sustainable bioproducts.
Single-use plastic shopping bags may have been banned in BC since 2023, but petrochemical-based products continue to accumulate in landfills and almost every part of the food chain. Materials made from renewable resources, such as those being investigated at UBC’s BioProducts Institute (BPI), form part of the vision for a circular bioeconomy that closes the loop in the product lifecycle.
Bio-based materials are made from compounds found in biological matter, such as wood fibres. All vascular plants naturally contain cellulose and lignin, the most abundant biopolymers in the biosphere. In the lab, these compounds can be isolated and fractionated to create products with some of the highest mechanical strength or impact-absorbing properties, including foams comparable to their polystyrene and polyurethane counterparts.
Established in 2016 as a UBC Global Research Centre, BPI brings together expertise in the natural sciences, engineering, forestry, economic analysis, policy and social sciences to find solutions to address the challenges of waste and greenhouse gas emissions, both of which are contributing to the climate and environmental emergencies.
“BPI’s collaborative research is discovering how to transform the by-products of forestry and agriculture — along with ocean residues and food waste — into market-ready materials, chemicals and fuels,” says BPI Scientific Director and UBC Forestry Prof. Orlando Rojas, who is also the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Bioproducts.
“The research consortium streamlines the process of translating discoveries made in the lab into commercial opportunities to de-fossilize the supply chain.”
Reducing harms from plastic pollution
Petroleum-based foams and plastics are difficult to recycle and persist in the environment for anywhere from 20 to 500 years. Micro- and nano-plastics are now found throughout the environment, including in the food chain, where they can enter the bloodstream.
Unlike plastics, which break apart into smaller microplastics and nanoplastics, the particles generated by biobased foams can rapidly biodegrade back into the environment.
A solution spearheaded by BPI is designed to help remove microplastics from water using a combination of the natural plant compound, tannins and forestry byproducts, such as sawdust and bark. Called the bioCap filter, testing of the system has shown that it can remove almost all micro- and nano-plastic particles from water. Researchers are now investigating possible applications in wastewater treatment or household water filtration.
Another product being explored is a collaboration between the BPI team and Apple Inc. The companies are in the ideation phase of a new line of bio-based foams to
Orlando Rojas
UBC Forestry Prof. and BPI Scientific Director
be used as cushioning packaging for Apple’s electronics. Orlando anticipates a steady growth in demand for sustainable product solutions such as this among other electronics companies and any other industry in need of product packaging.
“Society at large, policymakers and industry are becoming aware that non-renewable, non-recyclable and non-biodegradable products are creating pollution and waste accumulation in nature that cannot be allowed to persist,” says Orlando.
“Together with the government and industry partners, BPI is working to expand the availability of marketable bio-based materials, including those from plant fibres.”
Both Canada and the US are rich in fibre resources from forests, along with biomass waste from forestry and agricultural operations: all of which are prime sources of carbon, says Orlando. When left to decompose or burned in fields or slash piles, this plant matter releases carbon dioxide — a greenhouse gas that is driving climate change — into the atmosphere.
Forestry presents an opportunity to sustainably utilize cellulose, lignin and other biomolecules extracted from slash and forest operations waste to make biodegradable, renewable and less-carbon-intensive products. Agricultural feedstocks and built-up organic matter on forest floors can also be transformed into bio-based materials used for everyday purposes, including biofuels, such as the ones being developed through a collaboration between UBC and the BC-SMART Biofuels Consortium.
Dr. Ran Bi, BPI Senior Researcher, pours a liquid wood-derived foam onto a drainage unit. The foaming process suspends wood fibres by replacing about 70% of water with air bubbles. Applications of the foam are being explored towards the development of light-weight materials used in such things as biobased packaging and insulation materials.
“ Wood-fibre bio-based materials can open new markets within the forest sector and generate new value-added products.”
Among the many research and development projects underway at BPI are cellulose-based electrodes for batteries, textile filaments, carbon capture materials and smart and flexible packaging, notes Orlando.
“BPI is leveraging the capabilities of nature as a means to achieve our goal to reduce the production of waste and pollution,” Orlando says. “Using science and insights from biological processes, the knowledge base we are building is accelerating collaborations and spurring bioinnovation for a greener, more sustainable world.”
Learn more: https://bit.ly/forestry-bpi
A BPI researcher showcases a novel ‘non-animal leather’ derived from wood. This material combines the flexibility of traditional leather, or synthetic alternatives, with exceptional strength, surpassing counterparts made from agricultural waste, mycelium or other sustainable biomaterials.
Bio-Home
The future of biodegradable products
Transforming plant matter into biodegradable and ecologically friendly materials is a growing area of research at UBC Forestry. Faculty members are tapping into components of wood and non-woody plant biomass such as cellulose nanofibres and nanocrystals, along with hemicelluloses, lignin and bark extractives to develop innovative,
compostable and robust bioplastics, insulation materials, textiles and more. Their efforts answer a resounding call for low-carbon footprint products that are long-lasting but won’t take hundreds of years to decompose or clog up oceans and waterways. The products shown below form part of their vision for the ‘Bio-Homes’ of the future.
Thank you to the following UBC Forestry faculty members, whose research inspired these wood and bamboo-based biomaterials:
Prof. Orlando Rojas
1. Cellulose-based eco super glue in glulam wood beams
2. Lignin micro- and nano-particle UV-shield coating on a window
4. Cellulose-based, biodegradable transparent film around a bouquet of flowers
5. Lignin micro- and nano-particle antimicrobial-coated floor
6. Glass windowpane made out of transparent wood
7. Cellulose-based air purifier filter
8. Bamboo fabric T-shirt
9. Couch with cellulose-based superelastic, thermal-insulating aerogel padding
10. Wood-fibre face mask
11. Cellulose-based plastic cup, cell phone packaging, sponge and water filter
12. Bamboo-bundle laminated veneer lumber beams
13. Health-monitoring smartwatch with cellulose-based conductive materials and cellulose-based, biodegradable hydrogel
14. Cellulose nanocrystal wood colouration art
15. Cellulose-based 3D printed material for dehumidifier
16. Wood- or bamboo-based electromagnetic shielding for electronics packaging
17. Cellulose and carbon nanotube micro-fibre electro-thermal heating fibres in mitts
16 18 17 19 20 21 22 23 11
18. Jacket made with cellulose nanofibre fabric
19. Cellulose extracts in creams and makeup
20. Bark-based composite cladding
21. Low-density bark insulation
22. Lignin/cellulose-based magnetic fibre for battery charging
23. Bamboo slats for latticework
Assoc. Prof. Feng Jiang
Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Functional Biomaterials and Principal Investigator of the Sustainable Functional Biomaterials Lab. nanocellulose.forestry.ubc.ca bamboo.forestry.ubc.ca
Assoc. Prof. Chunping Dai (PhD(Forestry)’94) Principal Investigator with the Bamboo Applications and Manufacturing Lab.
Scott Renneckar
UBC Forestry Prof. and BEST Program Director
THE BEST PROGRAM FOR BIOECONOMY LEADERS
Shaping the future of more sustainable societies
BC’s transition to a low-carbon future has triggered significant government and industry interest in the bioeconomy, opening up numerous unique and in-demand job opportunities for forestry and environmental science graduates. In 2020, partly in response to this and a 2017 BC government call for more degree programs that cover skills needed to fill vacancies
What’s the bioeconomy?
The bioeconomy involves the use of renewable biological resources — such as plants and waste products from forestry and agriculture — in the production of more sustainable products and services. Leveraging innovative technologies and circular economy principles, the bioeconomy includes such economic activities as clothing made from food waste, biodegradable plastics, biofuels and ingredients for food additives and medicines sourced from forest waste products. Bioeconomy services are approaches to reduce energy usage, waste or water in the manufacture of goods, including sustainable approaches to forestry and aquaculture.
in the province’s forest sector in the area of innovative and manufactured wood products, UBC Forestry’s Bioeconomy Science and Technology (BEST) interdisciplinary undergraduate program was launched.
BEST trains future leaders and innovators in Canada’s burgeoning bioeconomy. Students study topics — from applied biotechnology to business — related to the application of clean technologies and biological resources as substitutes to fossil fuels and carbon-intensive processes.
Agricultural residues and woodbased materials can offer a natural way to store carbon and prevent its release into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide — a potent greenhouse gas. Wood- and plantmatter-derived materials also have the potential to supplant more carbon-intensive materials, such as petrochemicals used in plastics and concrete used in building construction.
“Greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and regulations have incentivized the development of a number of novel bioeconomy companies across North America,” states Prof. Scott Renneckar, BEST Program Director and Canada Research Chair in Advanced Renewable Materials.
“ BEST graduates may consider pursuing careers in plant genetics, renewable energy production, green building design, bioproducts and other emerging areas in support of climate change mitigation and resilience.”
“Biochemical companies need innovative minds to
develop novel bioplastics and bioadhesives, to name only a few potential opportunities,” says Scott. “Students also have the opportunity to learn quantitative sustainability tools to help measure climate impact and advise on environmental, social and governance reporting.”
“It’s an exciting time to be a forestry and environmental science graduate with sought-after skills within the bioeconomy sector,” Scott adds. “Demand for this expertise will likely continue to accelerate into the future.”
Recent provincial government funding directed to the local bioeconomy includes $3.9 million in CleanBC funding in 2022 to expand the Indigenous Forest Bioeconomy Program towards the development of innovative forest-based products.
The province estimates that there could be up to 10 forest bioeconomy jobs for every 1,000 tonnes of available dry, aboveground biomass feedstock, which includes organic matter from twigs, branches, bark, whole trees and leaves. For example, every 1,000 tonnes of feedstock for engineered wood products — such as laminated strand lumber, highdensity fiberboard, plywood and mass timber replacements for steel or concrete — would create four to nine job openings.
“These emerging industries offer students an exciting opportunity to both grow and shape the bioeconomy sector.”
Learn more about the Best Program: https://bit.ly/ forestry-bst
MEET BEST GRADUATE AXEL EWASHKO
Axel Ewashko (BSc(Forestry)’24) graduated in the first class of UBC Forestry’s Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology (BEST) undergraduate program, which launched in fall 2020. Born and raised in Fort McMurray, AB, Axel spent many hours of his youth in and around his family’s sawmill, started by his grandparents and later run by his father and uncle. Axel came to the BEST program (minoring in commerce) with an interest in chemistry and sustainability, and worked for over four years as a Research Assistant in Prof. Emeritus Jack Saddler ’s Bioconversion Lab while completing his studies. Axel presently works as a CAD Technician with Western Archrib, a premium mass timber construction company.
What drew you to the BEST program?
I was drawn to the BEST program for its mix of sciences, sustainability studies and climate action. I wanted a degree that covered a lot of bases, giving me a good foundation in several areas. Additionally, minoring in Commerce exposed me to other subjects, such as accounting, marketing and management. My goal was ultimately to take my sustainability background into something business-related. I wasn’t 100% sure where I’d end up in my career, so I wanted to ensure that I was well-rounded to keep as many doors open as possible.
What was a challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?
I wanted to get the most out of my experience at UBC Forestry by balancing my training schedule on the varsity rowing team with my academic studies. Taking all of this on filled up my days, but it also resulted in many successes, and taught me how to prioritize tasks in my schedule and master time-management.
What were some of your main responsibilities as a Research Assistant in now Prof. Emeritus Jack Saddler’s Bioconversion Lab?
We were researching mechanical and chemical pretreatments of pulp and different types of wood fibres for the production of biofuels and bioproducts. Our goal was to find a pre-treatment process that increased the recovery of sugars during enzymatic hydrolysis: when water is used together with enzymes to cleave bonds in the cellulose molecules. We used different types of enzyme loadings to test which were best at converting cellulose compounds in wood pulp or fibre into sugars that could be fermented into biofuels. This experience gave me the opportunity to work alongside Prof. Saddler, along with master’s and PhD students, in the lab. I was also able to present the findings of my work to Prof. Saddler and other members of the BioProducts Institute. It gave me a really good sense of what lab-based research entails.
Tell me about your present role as a CAD Technician with Western Archrib.
I’ve had a longstanding interest in sustainable structures, such as those that use mass timber. Through an elective in UBC Forestry’s Wood Products Processing program, I learned computer modeling using AutoCAD and SolidWorks two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) design software, which were prerequisites for my role with Western Archrib. As a CAD Technician, I draw 2D and 3D images of the glulam beams and steel connections that the company supplies. The 2D and 3D images I help generate are then used to create custom beams for the project. I think of the structures we build as architectural masterpieces, some with custom beams in excess of 100 feet long and six feet wide.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working remotely for Western Archrib from Duncan, BC, as I transition onto Canada’s national rowing team. I plan to continue working in the mass timber industry and with Western Archrib as I pursue racing for Canada at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
A former member of the UBC men’s rowing team, Axel now competes with the Canadian men’s rowing team. Photo courtesy of Kevin Light.
Opportunities are opening up for BC to lead in the global hem-fir glue-laminated timber market and value-added manufacturing
The global market for mass timber is growing and, with it, BC’s potential to be a leading source of this more sustainable building material. An emerging opportunity for made-inCanada engineered wood products may be glulam beams and gluelaminated timber panels composed of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) and amabilis fir ( Abies amabilis), known as hem-fir.
“In Coastal BC, dense stands of mixed western hemlock and amabilis fir dominate almost one million hectares of forest land,” states UBC Forestry Prof. Frank Lam (PhD(Forestry)’92), Senior Chair of Wood Building Design and Construction, who is conducting research on the design strength properties of hem-fir glulam. “However, the obstacle to the use of glulam made from BC/Canadian hem-fir comes from both the lack of technical evidence on the strength properties of hem-fir glulam and limitations stemming from current CSA Group standards.”
Canadian CSA Group — formerly known as the Canadian Standards Association — stipulates that hem-fir can only be used in the inner parts of beams and in combination with Douglas-fir and larch. Alternatively, western hemlock can be used in glulam beams in limited capacities, but not in combination with amabilis fir.
EXPANDING THE GLULAM SECTOR IN BC
Glulam is an engineered structural wood product made from a process of gluing together multiple individual layers of dimension lumber — solid sawn wood of 1.5 inches or less in thickness. Commonly used to make beams, girders, columns and heavy trusses, among others, glulam is a popular alternative to steel and concrete in post and beam construction, along with in mass timber structures and wood bridges.
Room to grow
According to the BC government, global demand for engineered-wood, including mass timber, is expected to grow by 40% by 2027 — from a value of $285 billion in 2019 to $400 billion by 2027 — with the province forecasting the BC mass timber market ramping up to $403 million by 2035.
If approved for use in Canadian builds, BC-sourced western hemlock and hem-fir glulam can position the province as a world leader in sustainable and innovative wood-based products and building systems.
“Hem-fir can strengthen BC’s capacity to create and respond to market demand,” says Frank. “It is also important for value-added timber manufacturing, changing the business model from one of exporting lumber to exporting engineered wood products, which can translate into more jobs and revenues created and kept in BC.”
Industry investment
Western Forest Products (WFP) is collaborating with Frank on his research to test novel applications for hem-fir, particularly in key growth product categories, such as glulam. With the 2022 purchase of Washington-based company Calvert — one of the longest-standing manufacturers of glulam in the US — WFP broadcasted its intent to enter into the expanding mass timber market.
“The tree species mix and age profiles are changing in BC for several reasons, which will result in a larger proportion of available stands of western hemlock,” states Mark DuboisPhillips, Director of Marketing and Product Management with WFP.
“Hemlock is part of our long-term thinking in our engineered wood products division,” adds Mark. “We believe that one of our differentiators will be the vertical integration of hemlock literally from the forest floor to the glulam plant.”
Standards hurdles
“There is a lot of interest in the use of wood in mass timber construction and as a means to store carbon in building materials,” states Frank. “However, we need more options for certain structural components in buildings, such as alternatives to concrete and steel columns and beams. Hemlock and hemfir glulam could fill this market niche.”
With support from BC-based Forestry Innovation Investment funding, Frank and his team are developing technical data on hemlock and hem-fir glulam — currently approved for use in the US — in hopes of securing CSA Group approval of the products in Canadian public and private builds.
“Glulam made from hem-fir has competitive cost/performance advantage compared to the Douglas-fir–larch and spruce–pine glulam currently available in North America,” says Frank. “The outcome of our work will help to promote the value-added timber manufacturing industry in BC, and ensure BC’s future leadership in mass timber production.”
UBC Forestry Prof. and Senior Chair of Wood Building Design and Construction
Frank Lam
Master of Science student, Xiangrong Luo (BSc(Wood Products Processing)’23), helps move a hem-fir glulam beam after being tested for its weak axis bending strength at UBC Forestry’s Timber Engineering and Applied Mechanics Laboratory. The data from this research can support changes to building design codes and standards.
THE LINDEN TREE
TREES OF CAMPUS
The UBC tradition of planting trees in honour of graduating classes began more than a century ago — and continues today. The first tree recognized the graduating class of 1919, which mostly comprised students from the Faculty of Arts, with a smattering of students from Agriculture or Applied Science. The tree selected was a linden (genus Tilia), which is known and prized for its ornamental and shade properties, having heart-shaped leaves and cream-coloured flowers. The original planting was at UBC’s temporary Fairview campus, located between Laurel and Willow streets, south of 10th Ave., at what is now the site of the Vancouver General Hospital. During the ceremony, then UBC President Leonard Klinck and his wife, Elizabeth Klinck , turned the sod, and Anne Wesbrook — wife of UBC’s inaugural President, Dr. Frank Wesbrook — filled in the soil and declared the tree officially planted. One year after UBC’s Point Grey campus in Vancouver opened in 1925, the linden tree was moved to the north end of a row of lindens between the Applied Science and Arts buildings, which are now the Geography and Mathematics buildings, respectively.
Read a UBC Magazine article on the topic: https://bit.ly/forestry-linden
The first linden tree was planted 105 years ago in 1919.
REMEMBERING MICHAEL FELLER AND DAVID HALEY
Michael Feller
The influence of Assoc. Prof. Emeritus Michael Feller (PhD(Forestry)’75) on our understanding of actions that affect water quality in streams in BC is hard to overstate. With a legendary presence at Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, the accomplished forest ecologist and forest fire scientist spent over four decades meticulously taking stream quality measurements that would later support policy changes around forest activities near waterways to mitigate contamination.
“At Malcolm Knapp, his stream water chemistry measurements painted a clear picture of sediments and chemicals introduced into surface waters from wildfire, forestry operations and other sources,” recalls friend and former colleague Prof. Scott Hinch, Associate Dean, Students. Afterwards, Michael would often sit fireside at Malcolm Knapp with a group of students eager to hear stories of his wilderness adventures, research and hiking expeditions — routinely embarked upon with his wife, Evelyn.
Prof. Emeritus John Richardson was a close friend who coauthored several research papers with Michael: “His work on riparian management and small forest streams was formative and groundbreaking on a global scale, playing a pivotal role in preventing logging near headwaters. He was also a gentle soul, who was always supportive and encouraging.”
Michael made many notable contributions to the Faculty throughout his career, including being part of the team that re-envisioned the now Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences and launched the popular capstone field school course. Prof. of Teaching Suzie Lavallee (PhD(Forestry)’06) co-taught the capstone course with Michael in 2005.
“His passion for the wilderness was palpable,” recalls Suzie. “Not only did his quiet, yet commanding, way of leading students through the wilderness during field school teach them about local ecology and conservation principles, it taught them how to be self-reliant, self-sufficient and safe in the wilderness.”
“He had a huge impact on the student experience, and taught fire ecology and fuels management before they were such a popular topic,” Suzie adds.
A member of both the BC Mountaineering Club and the Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC, Michael served as an avid volunteer, historian and outdoor enthusiast for
over 50 years. In 2014, Michael received a BC Achievement Community Award for his community work and academic success.
Michael retired to Australia with Evelyn, where they were both renowned for their wilderness expeditions. He passed away peacefully on January 20, 2024.
David Haley
Prof. Emeritus David Haley (MF’64, PhD(Forestry)’66) was a forest economist with an interest in forest tenure arrangements, particularly community forestry, in BC, and an enduring passion for lifelong learning.
“My dad believed in making a difference and giving back,” says his daughter, Susannah Grady. “His legacy lives on in his support of community forestry and tireless volunteerism, including with the Galiano Trails Society and Galiano Museum Society after retiring to Galiano Island.”
Born in Hull, East Yorkshire in 1939, David completed a bachelor’s degree in forestry from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland before traveling to Canada with his wife, Catherine, in 1961 in search of adventure and nature. David got into his stride after receiving a master’s in forestry at UBC Forestry in 1964, finishing a PhD in forestry in 1966 and securing a professorship with the Faculty one year after.
“David was a wonderful, giving person who truly embodied the meaning of collegiality and passion,” recalls UBC Forestry Prof. and Dean Rob Kozak, who mentored under David early on in his own career. “A very well-liked and respected instructor of forest economics and policy to countless students, David was also a key figure in the BC forest governance landscape, responsible for moving the needle forward on meaningful forest policy change.”
David’s scholarship explored the innerworkings of forest management institutions, particularly with respect to tenure and fiscal arrangements. Part of the Faculty’s forest economics ‘powerhouse,’ David balanced his teaching and research responsibilities with key administrative roles, including as the Head of Forest Resources Management, playing a pivotal role in the transition to four-year undergraduate degrees and overseeing the creation and launch of the Natural Resources Conservation Program. An RPF, David also served on the Forest Professionals BC Council from 1992 to 1994.
David passed away peacefully on December 8, 2023 surrounded by his family.
UBC Forestry’s initiative is strengthening lines of communication between communities, academics and policymakers
Forestry community extension is making a comeback in British Columbia. The approach clears a path for open lines of communication between academics and broader society to facilitate forest and natural resources initiatives in and with communities.
BRINGING BACK COMMUNITY EXTENSION
The concept of community extension originated in the United States in 1862 with the creation of land grant universities. Linking agricultural universities and research stations, by the second decade of the 20th Century, it had grown into a Cooperative Extension System partnership between state land grant universities and local governments. Extension work benefitted farmers, communities and environmental management through greater information sharing, educational pathways and collaboration. It also helped build a network of community forests in the US, kickstarting community-grown solutions and innovations in forest management.
UBC Forestry is looking to establish a similar system here in BC, reinvigorating the extension work spearheaded in the province by the FORREX Forest Research Extension Partnership in the late 1990s. In
2023, UBC Forestry launched the Community Knowledge Extension Office to build closer connections to community forests, says Deb DeLong (BSF’85; MSc(Forestry)’05), Community Extension Officer: “facilitating community engagement, knowledge exchange and the translation of research into practice.”
“Forest practitioners in BC are excited to see the return of a dedicated Extension Office to open up communication pathways and opportunities to engage in forestry, as was the case with FORREX.”
Made possible thanks to a generous donation to UBC Forestry, the Community Knowledge Extension Office’s first year of operations
Established in April 2009, the Cheakamus Community Forest near Whistler, BC, borders the northern portion of Daisy Lake, shown here. A joint partnership of the Lil’wat and Squamish First Nations, and the Resort Municipality of Whistler, this over-33,000-hectare community forest takes an eco-based and holistic approach to forest management and operations.
UBC Forestry Community Extension Officer
Deb DeLong
laid the groundwork for ratcheting up programming and community outreach. UBC Forestry graduate students were introduced to opportunities to engage in community forestry, with 10 students participating in the BC Community Forest Association’s annual general meeting in Kamloops, BC, in June 2023.
“A big win from our first year was establishing a UBC Forestry presence in communities,” notes Dominik Roeser, Assoc. Dean of Research Forests and Community Outreach. “From here, we will build out our knowledge extension networks.”
There are presently 61 Community Forest Agreements in BC, according to the BC Community Forest Association, many of which are located on First Nations lands. The Extension Office has co-signed cooperation agreements with several community forests and First Nations so far, including the Osoyoos Indian Band, West Boundary Community Forest, Westbank First Nation (Ntityix) and Cheakamus Community Forest. These agreements build a two-way knowledge exchange bridge between communities, community forests and UBC Forestry.
Work through the Extension Office will amplify the landscape-level plans that UBC Forestry Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM) students completed with the Osoyoos Indian Band. Work through the Extension Office connected the Cheakamus Community Forest with MSFM student Anna Zarina, who investigated additional valueadded opportunities to expand forest revenues. Additionally, the Extension Office co-launched a comprehensive prescribed fire monitoring program with the Westbank Community Forest (Ntityix), with the potential to inform future practises.
“The Extension Office is a hub for communities to access resources and information that might otherwise be out of reach due to budgetary and staffing constraints,” states Deb. “The challenge is that it can take years to build critical mass.”
An added advantage of working with the Extension Office is the access it affords to a variety of academic institutions, grassroots organizations, levels of government and other community and research forests, such as UBC Forestry’s Malcolm Knapp and Alex Fraser research forests. The knowledge exchange lines of communication opened up through community extension are integral to spurring innovation and expanding expertise throughout the province, notes Dominik.
“We have initiated conversations with the provincial government on key issues, and continue to provide valuable input to such groups as the commercial thinning steering and research groups, and to members of the Silviculture Innovation Program at the Bulkley Valley Research Centre,” says Dominik.
“Through these connections and our community extension partners, we can share knowledge from the field and academia to inform decision-making and shape forestry in the province.”
The next phase of the program will involve further ramping up awareness of extension work and filling Community Extension Officer positions. Planned Community Extension Officers with the newly created UBC Centre for Wildfire Coexistence will connect with wildfire-prone communities, responding to community needs and co-creating wildfire resilience strategies. The program will also continue attracting UBC Forestry students, and co-signing agreements with First Nations and community forests. Coming soon will be a suite of Micro-Certificates on community forestry and community knowledge extension offered through UBC Forestry.
See examples of Community Knowledge Exchange Office activities: https://bit.ly/ forestry-fieldnotes
Dominik Roeser, UBC Forestry Assoc. Dean of Research Forests and Community Outreach
WORKING WITH AND FOR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
Andrea Lyall’s leadership abilities have made her an asset in co-developing economic opportunities with First Nations
Andrea Lyall (BSF’01, PhD(Forestry)’23) is a Natural Resources Consultant with her own company, Dzunukwa Resources Management, in North Vancouver, BC. Andrea grew up in Victoria, often spending summers in northern Vancouver Island and the adjacent mainland on the mid-coast of BC.
“We went up there to visit with my mom’s family, for ceremony and for potlaches,” recalls Andrea, who is of mixed heritage and a Kwakwa ka ’wakw Nation member.
The lush greenery of the area captivated Andrea’s imagination. After high school, she joined her brother tree planting, traveling by truck and helicopter in Kingcome Inlet, about a 1.5-hour motorboat ride from Port McNeill. Still deciding on her career path, Andrea happened upon a flyer advertising UBC Forestry’s academic streams. The science component of the programs caught her eye, along with the opportunity to become a Registered Professional Forester, which she received in 2006 following the successful completion of a Bachelor of Science in Forestry in Forest Resources Management.
Andrea’s early career covered the gamut, from forest industry positions to roles in economic development and with First Nations Governments.
“After gaining experience in forestry on the First Nations side, I realized that there was a disconnect between what community members wanted and what was happening in industrial forestry. I heard recurring questions from Indigenous communities that I wanted to answer.”
Andrea Lyall
“The challenges can be binary and diametrically opposed,” she adds. “While forestry practices can bring a lot of wealth to Indigenous communities, they too often come with negative impacts on traditional food sources, such as fewer salmon in rivers, and too few economic advantages to outweigh the costs to communities and the environment.”
Finding answers to these questions drew Andrea back to UBC Forestry, where she completed a PhD and worked for a time as a First Nations Coordinator/Sessional Lecturer. Her PhD thesis, “Kwakwa ka ’wakw People, Forests Relationships: The Forests are Our Cupboards, the Ocean is Our Refrigerator,” received a UBC Forestry Best Doctoral Dissertation award and the prestigious UBC Dissertation Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities.
This work explored Indigenous People’s relationship with the forest, taking Andrea to Indigenous communities where she spoke with community members about their traditional and contemporary uses of the land and waters.
As an inaugural UBC Public Scholar, Andrea also received additional support to share findings from her research with Indigenous communities. A milestone from this time is the two-day conference, Awakening the Spirit: Indigenous Culture and Language Revitalization through Land, Water and Sky, that Andrea and three other Indigenous women — Jo-ann Archibald, Shelly Johnson and Corrina Sparrow — co-launched in 2017. Hosting 200 participants from across Canada, the United States, Europe and New Zealand, the conference featured engaging talks on culture and language revitalization, as well as opportunities to forge provincial, national, international and academic partnerships.
“Part of my work is trying to increase the benefits of forests for the people who live in them,” says Andrea, whose present consulting role harnesses her leadership and relationship-building strengths.
“Working alongside First Nations communities on economic development and negotiations, we’re creating wealth and job opportunities, as well as protecting valuable forest areas from being logged,” Andrea notes. “It’s about building self-determination through decision-making with and for First Nations communities.”
DATA IS PLURAL: A LESSON FROM MY SOPRON MENTOR
by UBC Forestry Prof. and Assoc. Dean Scott Hinch
When I was in the second year of my undergraduate degree at the University of Western Ontario, I took an introduction to statistics course taught by a short, bespectacled man wearing a tie and a suit jacket. Dr. László Orlóci (BSF’58) had a strong, lyrical accent and was passionate when lecturing. I found him irresistible to listen to and learn from. This experience motivated
students, which included several women — they were way ahead of Canada in terms of inclusiveness — I saw a familiar face. It was a young László Orlóci, no tie, but his face was immediately recognizable.
School in Sopron, Hungary. I knew nothing of their incredible story. As Soviet tanks rolled into Hungary in 1957, approximately 200 students and 14 faculty from Sopron made a remarkable escape and were welcomed at UBC to complete their studies. Many remained in Canada and had a strong influence on forest management and education. As I carefully looked at all of the young faces of the Sopron
When I was his student, László never mentioned his past. At that moment, my awe and respect for him became unimaginable. While I learned a lot about ordination and spatial analyses from him, what I recalled at that moment was something he told me on several occasions in a strong Hungarian accent: “Scott, ‘data’ is plural, ‘datum’ is singular!”
Today, every time I hear or see reporting on science in lectures, news reports or presentations, or even in casual conversations where someone states “the data is,” I recoil and think of Dr. Orlóci. In fairness, when ‘data’ is used in everyday language as a synonym for ‘information’, it can be treated as a mass noun in singular form. However, when using it in the context of natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences and computer sciences, it should be treated as a plural. In fact, the 2019 seventh edition of the APA style manual requires ‘data’ to be treated as a plural form.
UBC Forestry, and Canadian forestry in general, owes a lot to the Sopron graduates. I am especially grateful to the one who taught me among so many things that ‘data’ is plural. Let’s all start to get this right. I’m sure that Dr. Orlóci would be proud!
Dr. László Orlóci
2024 ALUMNI BUILDER AWARD WINNER, GRAEME DICK
An accomplished professional in wood products development and quality control, Graeme is also an exceptional mentor to future foresters
Born in Nanaimo, BC, in the 1980s, Graeme Dick (BSc(Wood Products Processing)’06; MSc(Forestry)’08) grew up during a time when the forestry profession was in the midst of a production and sustainability transition that continues today. The son of a mill contractor, Graeme witnessed harvested logs being hoisted into the air and transformed into boards and pulp. It was during this time that he also got a glimpse of the many uses of wood products while observing his dad completing construction projects.
As a high-schooler, Graeme was drawn to math, the sciences and woodworking, interests that were thrown into sharp relief during a fieldtrip that took him and his Grade 11 classmates to UBC Forestry’s Centre for Advanced Wood Processing facility at the UBC Point Grey campus.
“After this trip, I knew that a degree from UBC in Wood Products Processing was a unique opportunity to combine my academic abilities and interest in working with wood products,” states Graeme.
Graeme entered the workforce against the backdrop of a global recession in 2008, first as a Technical Director with Weyerhaeuser. Since then, Graeme has held various roles of increasing technical responsibility within the forest products industry.
“I knew that people would always build with wood,” Graeme recalls. “My enduring attraction to the outdoors and nature has remained constant, reminding me of the imperative to find the best utilization of natural resources to maintain a sustainable balance.”
Currently the Director of Product Quality and Technical Services with Tolko Industries, Graeme credits his rapid career advancement and leadership acumen with an ability to forge positive relationships built on trust and shared values, as well as technical expertise.
“I have always prided myself in collaborating effectively with people from all levels of an organization, which involves respecting and listening to everyone equally,” Graeme says.
Graeme extends this approach to his volunteer work with UBC Forestry as a Tri-Mentorship mentor and Co-Op Night delegate. Since the 2010s, Graeme has regularly supported Forestry students with career preparation and industry insights, and presented for UBC Forestry Prof. Emeritus Jack Saddler’s WOOD 249 class from 2018 to 2021.
“It has been inspiring to see how well many of the students have done in their careers,” states Graeme. “I have also had the opportunity to work with several of them after their graduation.”
In 2024, Graeme was awarded a UBC Alumni Builder Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions as a mentor, which has significantly aided many Forestry students in securing relevant work experience, including co-op positions.
Graeme organized practice job interviews with student mentees, and provided ongoing support throughout their studies and transition into the workforce.
“Graeme has been an incredibly supportive mentor for our students,” states Prof. Rob Kozak, Dean of UBC Forestry. “We are truly thankful for his contributions to the Faculty.”
Created in 2017 as part of the 100th year of alumni UBC, the annual Alumni Builder Awards recognize alumni who have contributed to the UBC community and enriched the lives of others.
“ I hope that my insights into the vast and diverse forest products industry will encourage many of the students whom I mentor to see the exciting career opportunities available in this line of work.”
“Throughout my career, there have been people who have helped mentor me along the way as I advanced, or who aided me in tailoring my career to align with my passions,” notes Graeme. “I know how difficult it can be for students to see beyond the day-to-day challenges of university studies and I felt a responsibility when I was presented with the opportunity to work with students as they began navigating this same path.”
Learn more about UBC Forestry’s tri-mentorship program: https://bit.ly/forestry-mentoring
SUPPORTING URBAN SUSTAINABILITY FROM VANCOUVER TO HONOLULU
Growing up in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, Chanel Yee (BUF’23) learned about how climate change was impacting the natural environment around her — from ocean acidification to sea level rise and biodiversity loss. While still in elementary school, she saw some of these impacts first-hand.
“I remember flipping through a brochure with beautiful pictures of the colourful coral and fish that lived in the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve near my home,” recalls Chanel. “But, when my family and I went snorkeling there, all I saw was bleached, pale coral. It was nothing like the pictures.”
Concerned about the future of her homeland, Chanel envisioned studying the environmental sciences and pursuing a career that would enable her to be part of the solution. She later picked UBC Forestry’s Bachelor of Urban Forestry (BUF) program because of its interdisciplinarity approach to practical nature-based solutions, graduating in 2023 on the Dean’s Honour Roll.
On top of receiving numerous awards during her studies, Chanel was a 2022 recipient of the Sheppard Award in Urban Forestry. The award was made possible through the generosity of Prof. Emeritus Stephen Sheppard (MSc(Forestry)’78) — who instituted BUF and was its inaugural Program Director — and his wife, Cecilia Achiam (Dip(Urb Lnd Econ)’94, BLArch’99, MA(Planning)’22).
Cecilia and Stephen met while at UBC, and established the award to give back to their alma mater, which had given them and their children so much. “We wanted to create a scholarship, and then established an endowment as a way to contribute to and develop the next generations of urban forestry students well into the future,” says Cecilia.
The Sheppard Award recognizes outstanding fourthyear BUF students who have demonstrated community involvement and leadership skills, with a particular emphasis on climate change solutions. So far, four BUF students have received the award, including Chanel.
Throughout her undergraduate studies at UBC Forestry, Chanel conducted research on street tree policies and urban wildfire mitigation strategies. She held positions as a Research Assistant with then UBC Forestry Prof. Susan Day’s Street Tree Futures research project, as a Wildfire Science Field Research Assistant in Prof. Lori Daniels’ Tree Ring Lab and as a Research Fellow with the Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program in Honolulu, among others.
“When I found out about Chanel’s research background, I approached her to work as an intern with the Oak Bay Coolkit project, engaging citizens in building community resilience to climate impacts in Oak Bay, BC, before she returned home to take a job with the USDA Forest Service,” says Stephen.
Now back in Honolulu, Chanel’s work as an Urban and Community Forestry Resource Assistant with the USDA Forest Service is helping to rethink fire risk mitigation across agencies and disciplines in the Hawaiian Islands.
Are you interested in setting up your own student award?
Contact our Development team to find out how: forestry.ubc.ca/giving/contact
Prof. Emeritus Stephen Sheppard and Cecilia Achiam
“It’s a dream job and a responsibility in that I get to work on strategies to address some of the challenges facing Hawaiʻi, such as urban wildfire,” says Chanel.
“Being back home, I can see how some environmental conditions have gotten worse, but some things are better. It gives me hope to be on a team that supports more sustainable and livable development rooted in community values.”
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CELEBRATING FORESTRY FACULTY RETIRING IN 2024
Recognizing over 140 years combined of
excellence Congratulations!
Cindy Prescott
Prof. Emeritus Cindy Prescott is a forest ecologist and preeminent authority on forest soils and nutrient cycling. A faculty member with UBC Forestry for over 27 years, starting in 1997, her extensive work on soil organic matter and nitrogen cycling revealed how forestry practices can promote soil carbon storage and forest productivity. Her recent research has revealed connections between forest harvesting and fertilization approaches, and the abundance and diversity of life belowground. During her career at UBC, Cindy served as Assoc. Dean of Graduate Studies and Research in the Faculty of Forestry, and Assoc. Dean in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Cindy also served as Editor of the Canadian Journal of Forest Research (2000-2008) and Editor of Forest Ecology and Management (2012 –2022). Among her many awards, Cindy is the recipient of a 2023 Scientific Achievement Award from the International Union of Forest Research Organizations and a 2005 Canadian Forestry Scientific Achievement Award. In 2014, Cindy was bestowed an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Helsinki for her outstanding scientific achievements. In 2024, Cindy received the highest honour in the Arts, Social Sciences, Humanities and Sciences as an elected member to the Royal Society of Canada.
Jack Saddler
Dean Emeritus Jack Saddler was a member of the Department of Wood Science, appointed in 1990 as an NSERC Industrial Senior Chair with financial support from companies working in the biotechnology and forest products sectors. Originally from Scotland, Jack applied his biomedical PhD training to a National Research Council of Canada Research Associate project using enzymes to make cellulosic ethanol. During his time with UBC Forestry, Jack mentored over 100 graduate students, and served as Head of the Department of Wood Science from 1998 to 2000 and the Faculty’s Dean from 2000 to 2010. Jack is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a regular reviewer/advisor for agencies such as the US Department of Energy, US Department of Agriculture, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and World Bank. He has advised policymakers at national and international levels, and is a former member of the Markus Wallenberg Prize selection committee, one of forestry’s preeminent research prizes. Jack continues to be actively involved in decarbonising the economy, particularly the “hard-to-(green)electrify” long-distance transport sector, such as aviation, by using forest residue-derived biojet fuel rather than petroleum-derived jet fuel.
Paul Lawson
Born and raised in BC, Paul Lawson (BSF’77), RPF (Ret), worked with Malcolm Knapp Research Forest (MKRF) for almost 25 years, including serving as the Director of both MKRF and Alex Fraser Research Forest. Paul began his forestry career in harvesting, silviculture systems and road design, planning and implementation. He worked with several forest companies throughout BC before launching his own business as a forestry consultant in 1988, later graduating with an MBA from UBC in 1990. Paul joined MKRF in March 1999 to make a difference on the land. In the ensuing years, he oversaw a period of vast expansion and innovation that was quintessential to the success of both research forests. Among his many accomplishments, Paul oversaw the rejuvenation of the Loon Lake facilities at MKRF, built a joint-business venture with Gallant Enterprises for the Gallant Mill and launched and expanded Wild & Immersive children and youth programming.
Gary Bull
With a background in commerce and forestry, Prof. Emeritus Gary Bull (BSF’88, MF’91) gained expertise in many facets of forest conservation economics, finance and policy throughout his career. Beginning as a management consultant for forest products companies, resource-based communities, non-governmental organizations and government agencies both in Canada and abroad, Gary’s main focus was on the economics of timber supply, forest products trade and the valuation of ecosystem services, especially carbon. Gary joined UBC Forestry in 1999, serving for over 25 years in the Department of Forest Resources Management. A strong advocate for interdisciplinary research, Gary’s work often touched on sustainable forestry and business development opportunities with First Nations communities. In 2013, Gary was recognized, along with his colleague Dr. John Nelson, with a Dené ilhuna hooz leh award for their partnership with the Maiyoo Keyoh Society.
David Aquino
David Aquino (MF’86) retired from UBC Forestry after serving as a Forest Operations Technician in the Department of Forest Resources Management for over 31 years, from 1992 to 2023. A former Assoc. Prof. at the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in Peru, where he taught forestry for over 11 years, David later continued his education at UBC Forestry, completing a master’s specializing in forest harvesting. A few years after graduating, David joined the Faculty, where he worked alongside UBC Forestry Prof. Emeritus Dennis Bendickson (BSF’71) for 17 years, delivering courses on forest harvesting and operations. “David was a key ingredient, keeping everything running smoothly, whether it was equipment, technology or transportation arrangements for field expeditions,” recalls Dennis. Highly qualified in areas of forest surveying and technology, David also supervised teaching assistants. “He was very well-liked by students,” notes Dennis. “In course evaluation surveys, students regularly wrote lines that can be summarized in terms of: ‘David is awesome, outstanding and absolutely great’.”
Marina Melanidis
YOUNG
ALUMNI AWARD WINNER AND FORESTRY GRAD
A trailblazer in the emerging field of Nature-based Solutions (NbS), activist-scholar Marina Melanidis (BSc(Natural Resources Conservation)’18; MSc(Forestry)’22) is a leader in the international climate action movement among youth and marginalized communities. Marina launched the global non-profit Youth4Nature, as well as the Climate Guides mentorship program. She also led youth delegations and initiatives at high-level climate conferences, and has served on the Global Witness board.
The alumni UBC Achievement Awards honour inspiring members of the UBC community.
One of eight 2024 awards, the UBC Young Alumni Award recognizes the exceptional achievements and leadership of a UBC alum 35 years of age or younger whose career or community service accomplishments are an inspiration to others.
“This UBC-wide award is highly competitive and prestigious,” says Shannon Hagerman, Associate Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
“This is a truly phenomenal and well-deserved achievement.”
Nominations for the 2025 alumni UBC Achievement Awards open in November 2024. Anyone can submit a nomination! Find out more: alumni.ubc.ca/events/awards/awards-criteria
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
Faculty of Forestry
University of British Columbia Forest Sciences Centre
