The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into every facet of academic, professional, and community life. Our EDI.I efforts aim to drive meaningful, lasting change through inclusive policies, thoughtful programming, and active engagement. We invite you to explore our events, courses, and resources to learn more and get involved.
EDI.I News & Events:
Indigenous Storytelling Event
2025 Intergenerational March to Commemorate Orange Shirt Day
On September 30, 2025, members of the UBC community, families, and allies gathered for the Intergenerational March to commemorate Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Watch footage of this event here.
A big thank you to former Master’s student, Si Ming Zheng, for creating this excellent video.
Indigenous Student Lounge
Biological Sciences Building, Room 2032
Open to all Indigenous STEM students (undergrad & grad) Monday–Friday, 7:30 am–8:00 pm. Enjoy free snacks, a microwave, comfy seating, and desks for study or relaxation.
Created by students for students, it’s a space for connection, community, and comfort.
Questions? Indigenous.STEM@ubc.ca
Dana-Lyn Mackenzie Announced as IKB Scholar in Residence
UBC Library’s EDI Scholar-in-Residence hosts equity, diversity, and inclusion experts. Forestry’s Dana-Lyn Mackenzie will serve as Scholar from January to May 2026.
EDI.I Courses:
Weaving Relations
This self-directed course explores Indigenous histories, people, and contexts, as well as settler colonialism in Canada, through the lens of Indigenous-Canadian relationships.
Grounding Anti Oppression
This self-led Canvas course explores systems of power and oppression at individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels.
IDEAL Certificate
Participants will explore learning opportunities such as Speaker Series, guided walks, and engagement activities, followed by reflection through journaling prompts on Canvas and facilitated sharing circles.
Cascades of Change
Cascades of Change: Inclusive Leadership and Respectful Engagement is a self-paced course equipping participants with tools for inclusive leadership through Anti-Oppression and Indigeneity.
EDI.I Resources:
Harassment/ Discrimination Complaints
Our Faculty is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace where harassment and discrimination in any form is not tolerated. View more information on how to disclose or report an incident (whether yourself or as a witness).
EDI Resource List
The Forestry JEDI team invites you to explore the recommended Read/Watch/Listen list for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. These resources have been compiled for people both within and outside the Faculty to engage in self-directed learning related to JEDI issues.
JEDI Team & Initiatives:
Tuning into the Forest
A podcast initiative to share new voices and promote the profiles of diverse scholars within our Faculty. Join JEDI team member Estefanía Milla-Moreno, Mapuche and Latina Scholar, and learn about stories of JEDI in Nature.
Virtual Lunch in the Forest
A series of online webinars, hosted by JEDI team member Estefania Milla-Moreno that discuss forestry topics through the lens of EDI and anti-racism, featuring guests from a range of backgrounds and experiences.
EDI.I Leadership:
Hisham Zerriffi
hisham.zerriffi@ubc.ca
Associate Dean of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship is committed to promoting Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) for all, with a particular focus on the people and communities who have been systemically and historically excluded from academia and the fields of forestry, conservation and resource management.
This commitment extends to the lands and places on which our Faculty has the privilege to work and grow upon, and will require the lived experiences and perspectives of all peoples we aim to serve, work, educate and collaborate with. In making this commitment we recognize that the professions and disciplines taught and promoted within the Faculty have historically and in some cases, continue to this day, to be involved in discriminatory actions and practices.
Continue message
As we move towards a more just and equitable future, meaningful long-term change must come from within ourselves, as well as within our Faculty. Our activities designed to meet our JEDI goals centre around three key actions – fostering systemic change, facilitating difficult conversations and providing opportunities to learn and remove barriers.
We acknowledge that past attempts have been made to address these issues, however much work is still left to be done. As such, we are committed to truly fostering diversity and a culture of inclusion by prioritizing both justice and equity within our Faculty. This work will be ongoing and will serve to create a culture of belonging and respect amongst faculty, staff, students and the greater community. As our efforts span a range of initiatives, please consider joining us in this journey to share your perspectives and make a difference.
Hisham Zerriffi
Associate Dean of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Dana-Lyn Mackenzie
danalyn.mackenzie@ubc.ca
Senior Manager for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigeneity
Dana-Lyn Mackenzie has joined the UBC Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship as Senior Manager for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigeneity—a role she also holds in the Faculties of Applied Science and Land and Food Systems. A lawyer and member of the Hwlitsum First Nation, Dana-Lyn has served as an elected councillor since 2021. She holds both a BA and JD from UBC. In her new role, she will help guide the Faculty in implementing the Indigenous Strategic Plan. In 2024, she received the UBC President’s Staff Award for Advancing Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence.
Dana-Lyn also developed Cascades of Change to Inclusive Leadership and Respectful Engagement, a self-paced training program designed to build foundational understanding of anti-oppression and Indigeneity among faculty and staff. The program combines online modules, experiential learning, workshops, and community-building sessions to support meaningful engagement with EDI.I principles and ongoing personal and professional growth.