Faculty of Forestry

Canadian Immigration Updates

Review details about the recently announced changes to study and work permits that apply to master’s and doctoral degree students. Read more

Notice: Canadian Immigration Updates

Forests go far beyond British Columbia; they cover 1/3 of the Earth’s land surface. Forestry graduate students learn from a dynamic and diverse group of researchers who educate and communicate how forests and forest products contribute to the well-being of all living things. The health and sustainability of forests and the people who depend on them underlies everything we do.

The Faculty of Forestry is one of the top institutions globally in forest-related education and research. The unique breadth of expertise we possess allows us to integrate new knowledge across many disciplines. Offering both master’s and doctoral programs, our graduate students learn from a dynamic and diverse group of researchers from around the world.

Faculty Website

Fact Sheet

214

Master's Students

(2023)
157

Doctoral Students

(2023)
100

Graduate Degrees Awarded

(2022)
84

Full-Time Faculty

(2023)
14.4

million in Research Awards

(2023/2024)

Research Facilities

Research Highlights

Schools / Departments

Graduate Degree Programs

Research Supervisors in Faculty

or browse the list of faculty members in various academic units. You may click each unit to view faculty members appointed in that unit. View the full faculty member directory for more search and filter options.

Name	Academic Unit(s)	Research Interests
Grayston, Susan	Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences	Climate change, microbiology, soil science
Grenz, Jennifer	Department of Forest Resources Management	Forestry sciences
Hagerman, Shannon Marie	Department of Forest Resources Management	biodiversity, climate change, communities and livelihoods, conservation, forest policy, social science
Hamelin, Richard	Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences
Hinch, Scott	Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences	salmon migrations, salmon ecology, salmon fisheries, fish conservation, land use impacts (e.g. forestry) on fish and habitat, Salmon, conservation, ecology, fish ecology, fisheries management, stream, and riperian ecology
Innes, John	Department of Forest Resources Management	Other natural sciences; Forestry; Ecology
Jiang, Feng	Department of Wood Science	bio-based nanomaterials, carbohydrate chemistry, chemistry, sustainability, wood science
Joshi, Jaya	Department of Wood Science	Biofoundries; biomass; Carbon; Engineering; Enzyme Design; sustainability; Synthetic biology
Kim, Kwang Ho	Department of Wood Science	Other engineering and technologies; Forest Bioproduction and the BioeconomyTechnology and Innovation; Biomass conversion engineering
Kozak, Robert Antal	Department of Wood Science	Forest-dependent communities in transition, international development & poverty alleviation, value-added strategies, forest certification & corporate social responsibility, forest sector sustainability & competitiveness, marketing, management & consumer behaviour
Lam, Frank	Department of Wood Science	timber engineering; structural use of wood products, Engineered wood systems
Lam, Tzeng Yih	Department of Forest Resources Management	Quantitiative methods in forestry; Forestry management and environment; Statistical theory and modeling; Survey methodology and analysis; Bayesian Filtering; Forest Inventory; Growth and Yield; Sampling Theory; silviculture; Timber; Tree Measurement
Li, Minghao	Department of Wood Science	Earthquake engineering; Structural engineering; Building construction engineering; Concrete, cementitious materials and other architectural and construction materials
Loss, Cristiano	Department of Wood Science	Forestry sciences; Wood; Engineered Wood Solutions; Engineering Wood Design; Hybrid Wood-Based Systems; Industrialised Wood Systems; Seismic Design and Analysis of Timber Structures; Timber Engineering; Wood Building Systems; Wood as Structural Material
LU, JULIET	Department of Forest Resources Management, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs	Forest ecology; Economic geography; Environmental sociology; conflicts and governance issues around resource extraction and intensive land use; transnational land investments; promotion of monoculture plantations at the expense of more biodiverse systems; private sector sustainable governance initiatives
Mansfield, Shawn	Department of Wood Science, Department of Botany	plant metabolism, cellulose biosynthesis, lignin biosynthesis, wood formation, wood quality, cell wall biochemistry, tree biotechnology, transgenics, Tree biotechnology
Martin, Tara	Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences	biodiversity, climate change, climate models, conservation, ecological monitoring, ecology, land-use change, landscape ecology, landscape planning, modelling
Mchale, Melissa	Department of Forest Resources Management	Trans-disciplinary approaches to studying complex socio-ecological systems, social drivers of ecosystem processes, cities as sustainable ecosystems, carbon dynamics in urban systems, urbanization effects on nutrient cycling, ecosystem services and dis services, consumption culture, urban metabolism, urbanization in the developing world
Meitner, Michael	Department of Forest Resources Management	forest aesthetics and scenic beauty, outdoor recreation, environmental visualization, geographic information systems, visual perception, agent-based modeling, Public involment in planning, sustainability leadership
Montwe, David	Department of Forest Resources Management	Forestry sciences; climate change; Drought and climate change; Evaluating silvicultural treatments on timber quality and value; Forest management; Increasing forest resilience to climatic extremes using silvicultural interventions; Long-term resilience; Reducing impacts from forest disturbance agents under climate change; Regeneration; silviculture; Species selection
Moore, Alex	Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences, Department of Botany	Community ecology (except invasive species ecology); Plant-animal interactions; Global change biology; Ecological restoration (except bioremediation); Applied community and ecosystem ecology; impact of predator-prey interactions on the health and functioning of coastal wetland ecosystems; role of cultural values and knowledge in ecosystem restoration conservation; Global change impacts on coastal environments
Myers-Smith, Isla	Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences	Ecology (except applications); Arctic; biodiversity; climate change; Community Building; Ecosystems; Environmental communication; tundra ecosystems
Nelson, Harry William	Department of Forest Resources Management	analyzing natural and environmental resource policy with an emphasis on forestry and in developing new policy options that can help enhance the long run sustainability of Canadian forests and the communities and businesses that rely upon them
Nesbitt, Lorien	Department of Forest Resources Management	Land use and environmental planning; Environmental justice; urban forestry; Liveable and equitable urban environments; Socio-ecological interactions in cities; climate change; Ecosystem services; Cities
Nikolakis, William	Department of Forest Resources Management	Aboriginal Forestry, Forest Management, Land-use Change

Graduate Student Stories

Recent Publications

Recent Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.

Year	Citation	Program
2023	Dr. Ahmadvand developed a robust optimization model that minimizes the costs and GHGs of forest biomass supply chain for production of syngas to replace natural gas at BC Kraft pulp mills. She also presented an optimal pricing scheme to make the investment in renewable fuels such as syngas more appealing to the pulp and paper industry.	Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023	Dr. Johnson produced functional particles and biodegradable packaging from a polymer called xylan (pronounced as XY-lan) from grass cell walls. She showed that the structure and composition of xylans influences their performance in bio-based materials. Her work represents a step towards a more sustainable, resource-efficient world.	Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023	Dr. Van der Merwe investigated the impact of Pinus patula plantation growing environments on wood properties, product recovery and quality. This work will assist forest growers to match forests to specific plywood and lumber production facilities to improve product recovery and quality.	Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023	Dr. Arora developed mathematical models for scheduling of forest harvesting activities. These models can be used by forest companies.	Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023	Dr. Degner showed how natural hybrids between spruce species are closely adapted to climate. He also modeled how hybrids might have differed in the past and how they may need to change in the future. This research helps us understand how hybridization influences evolution, and will help land managers better match planted forests to future climates.	Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023	Dr. Nitoslawski's research explored the role of technology in urban forestry, and tested new ways to collect data on urban ecosystems. This work revealed nuanced relationships between people, nature, and technology, informing both research and practice as we tackle critical environmental issues in this digital age.	Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023	Dr. Nepal's work provides unique information on overstory spatial patterns of tree vigor and regeneration in reference conditions, and highlights differences in spatial patterns of overstory conditions between reference and contemporary forests.	Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023	Dr. Curtis examined the history of agriculture in the Alberni-Clayoquot region and provincial legislation related to supporting food production in British Columbia. Her work highlights the importance of farmer-government relations and the consequences of underlying values within our food system.	Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023	Dr. Super studied soil refugia, experimental warming and nitrogen deposition, and pH and climate effects on ecosystem plant and microbial biodiversity. Tree seedling microbiome predictability changed with refugia, warming increased plant growth, clear-cutting impacted biodiversity predictability, and community diversity increased with higher pH.	Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023	Dr. Sutherland researched historical changes in the ecosystem services provided by forests of BC. His work advanced theory and methods for studying coupled social-ecological systems and moves forward an understanding of ecosystem services as part of dynamic systems. His work also leaves a legacy of data showing ecosystem services change in BC.	Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)

Pages

Katie Zinn awarded P.E.O Scholar Award

Congratulations to Katie Zinn on winning The Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Scholar award! The post Katie Zinn awarded P.E.O Scholar Award appeared first on UBC Faculty of Forestry.

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New Indigenous land stewardship degree will prepare the next generation of land protectors to restore ecosystems and take action on climate change

Partnership between the University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry and the Mastercard Foundation will expand opportunity for Indigenous students in environmental management. The post New Indigenous land stewardship degree will prepare the next generation of land protectors to restore...

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Engaging & Inclusive Learning with Generative AI: Classroom Tools and Ideas

In this presentation, Neil Leveridge and Qingshi Tu share practical ways Generative AI enhances classroom engagement, inclusivity, and creative learning through real-world tools. The post Engaging & Inclusive Learning with Generative AI: Classroom Tools and Ideas appeared first on UBC Faculty...

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Q&A with Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship Student Emma Charles

We sat down with BILS student Emma Charles as she shares her future career aspirations, her experiences in the program, and how it has deepened her connection to land and community. The post Q&A with Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship Student Emma Charles appeared first on UBC Faculty of...

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Q&A with Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship Student Drew Brown

We sit down with BILS student, Drew Brown, about what inspired him to pursue this program, the impact of blending traditional ecological knowledge with current land management practices, and how the program is preparing him to support Indigenous-led land stewardship and governance. The post Q&A...

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Job Posting: Farmer Educator at Gibsons Farm

The post Job Posting: Farmer Educator at Gibsons Farm appeared first on UBC Faculty of Forestry.

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Faculty of Forestry

Canadian Immigration Updates

Research Facilities

Research Highlights

Schools / Departments

Department

Graduate Degree Programs

Research Supervisors in Faculty

Pages

Graduate Student Stories

Dane Pedersen

Gracie Crafts

Shiva Zargar

Winy Vasquez

Kaitlyn Zinn

Jen Baron

Christina Howard

Debbie Pierce

Recent Publications

Pages

Recent Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

Pages

Katie Zinn awarded P.E.O Scholar Award

New Indigenous land stewardship degree will prepare the next generation of land protectors to restore ecosystems and take action on climate change

Engaging & Inclusive Learning with Generative AI: Classroom Tools and Ideas

Q&A with Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship Student Emma Charles

Q&A with Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship Student Drew Brown

Job Posting: Farmer Educator at Gibsons Farm

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Faculty of Forestry

Canadian Immigration Updates

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Research Facilities

Research Highlights

Schools / Departments

Department

Graduate Degree Programs

Research Supervisors in Faculty

Pages

Graduate Student Stories

Dane Pedersen

Gracie Crafts

Shiva Zargar

Winy Vasquez

Kaitlyn Zinn

Jen Baron

Christina Howard

Debbie Pierce

Recent Publications

Pages

Recent Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

Pages

Katie Zinn awarded P.E.O Scholar Award

New Indigenous land stewardship degree will prepare the next generation of land protectors to restore ecosystems and take action on climate change

Engaging & Inclusive Learning with Generative AI: Classroom Tools and Ideas

Q&A with Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship Student Emma Charles

Q&A with Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship Student Drew Brown

Job Posting: Farmer Educator at Gibsons Farm

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