Dean’s Message
Welcome to the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Our main building is on UBC’s Point Grey campus, located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Territory. For millennia, this has been a place of learning for the Musqueam people, who continue to pass on their culture, history, and traditions from one generation to the next. It is in this spirit that we aspire to teach and learn about the multiple, dynamic facets of forestry, first and foremost, by acknowledging the traditional, ancestral, and oftentimes unceded lands of the many Indigenous territories that we work in throughout the world.
We believe that forests – and the ways in which society interacts and coexists with forested ecosystems – are critical to ensuring a sustainable future for all. To that end, our Faculty’s goal is to develop future leaders and global citizens who are able to think critically about many of the challenges facing our planet and provide bold, imaginative, and courageous ideas for moving us forward in positive ways.
Our Faculty is known for its award-winning teaching programs and leading-edge research on a wide range of subjects. We focus on experiential learning opportunities, near and far – in our state-of-the-art learning spaces, strolling through nearby Pacific Spirit Regional Park, at our research forests in Maple Ridge and Williams Lake, in forest ecosystems and communities throughout the world, or at our newly established Haida Gwaii Institute. Our research continually strives to redefine and broaden our conception of forestry by addressing a wide variety of issues from biodiversity conservation, environmental justice, and climate change mitigation to sustainable forest management, urban forestry, and bioproducts development, to name a few.
At the foundation of our Faculty’s academic activities is a warm and welcoming community, with a strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples across Canada. Whether you are a returning student, prospective student, alumni, friend, colleague, or someone who is interested in learning more about this exciting field of study, we invite you to explore our Faculty and connect with us.
Robert Kozak
Dean of the Faculty of Forestry
What is Forestry
Forestry is the discipline of managing our forests and forest lands for the countless values that they provide. Our forests offer ecological, economic, social, cultural, and recreational benefits, making them one of the most valuable natural resources on the planet.
Strategic Plan
The Faculty of Forestry Strategic Plan 2019-2029 covers four main pillars: People and Places, Excellence in Research, Transformative Learning, and Local and Global Engagement. Each of these core aspects is interconnected and reflects the values of the Faculty of Forestry.
Initiatives
Our vision is clear, “To strive to be a global exemplar in supporting the health and well being of our planet’s forested eco-systems and all who interact with them. In all that we do, we aim to create a better world.” The Faculty of Forestry has spearheaded many initiatives to get closer to achieve this vision.
Forest Sciences Centre
The Forest Sciences Centre was designed to highlight the best of Canadian forest products and wood construction. The architectural icon houses the Faculty of Forestry’s three departments, along with classrooms, lecture halls, labs, and dedicated study areas featuring breathtaking wood design.
Research Forests
UBC is proud to manage two educational working forests that provide students with the means for cutting-edge research, interactive education, and the opportunity for an incomparable hands-on learning experience.
Haida Gwaii
The Haida Gwaii Institute (HGI) offers a range of programs to cultivate the next generation of leaders in natural resource management, sustainable economies, and reconciliation.