About the Canadian Institute of Forestry Silver Rings
Each year, the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF-IFC) Silver Rings are presented to new graduates to welcome them as forestry professionals. The Silver Ring is a symbol of achievement, presented to those who have completed a CIF-IFC recognized program. The ring signifies a national bond among forestry professionals and a commitment to sustainable forest stewardship.
The first Silver Ring ceremony was hosted in 1953 at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship. It has since become a growing tradition at forestry schools across Canada. The ring is typically worn on the little finger of the recipient’s dominant hand. The maple leaf engraved on the ring is to be pointed towards the tip of the finger, representing a growing professional responsibility.
The Silver Ring unites graduates from forestry programs across Canada in a shared promise to uphold the values and responsibilities of the forestry profession.
CIF Gold Medal
Since 1953, the Gold Medal, a prize and a medal, the gift of the Canadian Institute of Forestry, is awarded to the student in the graduating class who has had the best all-around record in professional forestry in all years at the University, and who has demonstrated a high quality of character, leadership, sportsmanship, and scholarship.
Winner: Benjamin Nixon
As a Bachelor of Urban Forestry student with a minor in Urban Green Space Management, Benjamin Nixon has earned numerous honours, including the Wesbrook Scholar designation and awards such as the Stephen Sheppard Award, HSBC Emerging Leader Scholarship, and H.R. MacMillan Scholarship.
Beyond his academic success, Ben has made substantial contributions to the forestry community through research assistantships with Diamond Head Consulting and the UBC Urban Ecology and Sustainability Lab, where he has supported canopy modelling, climate-adaptive species research, and tree equity and heat mitigation projects.
He has also demonstrated a deep commitment to community building and engagement, as every student who has ever taken a class with him will attest that his ability to elevate classmates through discussion, critical analysis, insightful suggestion, and leadership through action and just being an all-round kind person who makes being in the classroom fun.
Best in Program Winners
Outstanding Forest Sciences Student Award: Hanna Sobkowich
Hanna Sobkowich exemplified an exceptional blend of academic excellence, research achievement, and leadership. An Honours Forest Sciences student, she has ranked in the top 5% of UBC undergraduates for three consecutive years as a Trek Excellence Scholar and earned four Academic All-Canadian designations while competing in varsity athletics. Her research experience includes two NSERC USRAs, with work spanning stream ecology to her honours thesis on modelling wood bison habitat under climate change, alongside her role in the UBC Forest Genetics Lab supporting genomic research in forest health.
As Captain of the UBC Track and Field team, she led the women’s team to six consecutive national championships while advocating for female athlete health, and has contributed to the broader community through the Thunderbird Athletic Council and mentorship with the “I’m Going to UBC” program—making her an outstanding reflection of the faculty’s values of leadership, curiosity, and impact.
Charles Larre Memorial Graduating Prize – Wood Products Processing: Sara Xu
Sara Xu has demonstrated outstanding academic excellence in the Wood Products Processing program, achieving a 94.1% average with A+ grades in nearly all courses. After transferring from Beijing Forestry University in 2023, she earned the Level-1 UBC-UBC Forestry Scholarship and the Wood Products Processing Award.
Sara has shown exceptional dedication to her coursework, refining projects beyond completion, and has actively engaged in research as a Co-op student and Research Assistant in the Surface Science Lab under Philip Evans, where she contributed to the development of plasma-etched super-black wood and co-authored an IRG-WP conference paper.
W. Gerry Burch Award – Forest Operations: Joel Kentel
Joel Kentel began his undergraduate studies at UNBC before transferring to UBC in 2022 to pursue Forest Operations, where he quickly distinguished himself academically, earning the Dave Husby TLA Scholarship after his first year. He now graduates as the top student in the program while completing the rigorous RPF/PEng pathway, reflecting both his academic excellence and dedication to the profession. His strong passion for the outdoors is evident through his extensive experience exploring British Columbia’s backcountry.
Known for his humble and approachable demeanor, Joel brings both authenticity and drive to the forestry and engineering fields. He has gained valuable industry experience through four seasons with Tolko Industries across BC and Alberta, and will begin a full-time role with Onsite Engineering in Salmon Arm this May as he works toward his professional designations. His combination of achievement, work ethic, and community spirit makes him a highly deserving recipient of this award.
Gordon Baskerville Award – Forest Resources Management: Mary Haanen
Mary Haanen has been an exceptional and engaged member of the Faculty since her first year, contributing across academics, athletics, and student life. As an active member of the Loggers Sports team, she competed in international intercollegiate and professional events while also leading fundraising efforts to support the team’s post-COVID resurgence. She served as a Senior Orientation Leader for two years, playing a key role in Imagine Day, and contributed to the faculty through her role as FUS Green Sales Representative, organizing merchandise initiatives and even adding to the UBC Great Trek time capsule.
Beyond Forestry, Mary demonstrated outstanding leadership as head of the UBC Student Environmental Centre, where she supported student-led sustainability initiatives and helped relaunch the Free Store to promote a circular economy on campus. She also gained hands-on research experience as a Wildlife Research Assistant in the Wildlife Coexistence Lab, supporting projects on caribou, grizzly bears, and mule deer across BC. Her involvement is further enriched by her Go Global exchange to Spain, reflecting her curiosity and commitment to global learning.
Clark S. Binkley Award, Natural Resources Conservation – Science and Management Major: Vanessa Duthie
Vanessa Duthie has combined outstanding academic achievements with contributions to research in conversation. She has maintained a very high academic average while gaining extensive research experience. She helped with a growth chamber experiment in the Team Shrub Lab, volunteered in the xʷc ̓ ic ̓ əsəm Indigenous Garden at UBC, and at the Mossom Creek Hatchery in Port Moody. Last summer she won an NSERC Undergraduate Research Award and helped collect camera trap data across BC with the Wildlife Coexistence Lab. She is currently working on a directed studies research project examining the spatial ecology of pumas in Peru and Ecuador.
Clark S. Binkley Award, Natural Resources Conservation – Global Perspectives Major: Gracie Brade
Gracie Brade has combined outstanding academic achievements with a commitment to inclusive conservation that engages with Indigenous worldviews. She has maintained a very high academic average while working as a teaching assistant in Biometrics, Forest Plant Biology, and Conservation Science & Sustainability. She completed a semester of study in Haida Gwaii, and currently works with the Mother Tree Project, coordinating events, doing science communication, and fieldwork in Haida Gwaii. On top of all that, she volunteers at Agora Café and the Environmental Youth Alliance, inspiring the next generation of conservationists.
Outstanding Student in the Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology Program: Lizzie Woodley
Lizzie Woodley is an outstanding student and a highly deserving recipient of the Best in Program certificate, having excelled academically with a 92.6% GPA while contributing extensively to undergraduate research. Her experience spans multiple labs, including the Conservation Decisions Lab, the Advanced Renewable Materials Laboratory, and Civil and Environmental Engineering, where her work on life cycle analysis of critical mineral recovery will lead to a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentation. Alongside her research, she supported fellow students as a PASS leader and collaborated with UBC SEEDS on a project examining the impacts of disposable nitrile gloves in labs, all while balancing part-time work in retail and agriculture.
Faculty consistently praise Lizzie’s exceptional intellect, attention to detail, and research excellence, noting her top performance across courses and her ability to produce work at an extraordinary level, including one of the best undergraduate papers they have encountered. Inspired by her off-grid upbringing and early exposure to renewable energy systems, Lizzie has developed a strong passion for sustainable innovation and will continue her academic journey as an MSc student in FES. Her achievements, curiosity, and commitment to advancing the bioeconomy make her truly deserving of this recognition.
Outstanding Urban Forestry Student Award: Evan Shea
Evan Shea is an exceptional graduate of the Urban Forestry program, recognized for his outstanding technical expertise, leadership, and research impact. As part of Dr. McHale’s GIS technical team, he quickly mastered advanced analytical tools and applied them across diverse urban ecology projects. He also led his capstone team in developing an innovative method to downscale land surface temperature for climate resilience planning at UBC. Building on this work, Evan earned an NSERC USRA, applying these methods in Kelowna to support a major initiative optimizing urban tree planting for long-term success and ecological benefit, with presentations to professional audiences and partner cities.
In addition to leading a scientific publication as an undergraduate, Evan is known for his collaborative spirit, resilience, and positive leadership. He consistently brings enthusiasm, curiosity, and kindness to his work, earning deep respect from peers and mentors alike. His combination of academic excellence, innovation, and character makes him a truly deserving recognition as one of the best in the program, with an exceptionally bright future ahead.
Forest Professionals BC Sustainable Forest Management Prize: Hanno Southam
Hanno Southam is a registered Allied Science Forester-in-Training with FPBC and is actively working towards obtaining his RPF designation. His long-term aspirations are to manager a community forest in BC. In alignment with that goal, Erik Leslie (Harrop-Procter Community Forest Manager) is his RPF sponsor. After job shadowing Erik, he quickly realized the importance of diverse forestry experiences as a community forest Manager. After completing the MSFM program, Hanno will be moving to Smithers to work as a Forest Technician in timber development for a Silvicon Services to enhance his field experience. Prior to MSFM, Hanno completed an MSc (2025, UBC FES) looking at hemlock dwarf mistletoe persistence in different silvicultural systems. Hanno conducts himself in a professional and inclusive manner within the MSFM program. He brings a lot to the MSFM cohort including his witty riddles of the day.
Binkley Family Award, Master of Sustainable Forest Management: Joshua Quaite
Joshua Quaite, originally from Ontario, has called Northern Alberta home for many years. Despite 20 years of experience within the forestry sector, he remains notably humble about his accomplishments and extensive expertise, recognizing there is something to learn from everyone you meet. Throughout the program, Joshua played a key role in fostering a positive and inclusive environment for this year’s cohort. He consistently recognized and valued the contributions of his classmates, contributing to a strong sense of community. His calm, confident leadership style, paired with a high level of professionalism, was evident at every stage of the program. He placed a great deal of dedication and effort into his coursework, all while continuing to work part-time as the Operations Manager for Spectrum Resources.
Congratulations to all award winners and Silver Ring recipients!
