
When: June 25, 2024 | 12-1 PM (PST)
Where: Online via Zoom
Open to everyone. Registration is required.
Questions? Please contact alumni.events@ubc.ca
Urban foresters managing green spaces in our communities respond to public demand for this vital infrastructure in settings under increased pressure from the effects of climate change and population growth. Vancouver’s iconic Stanley Park recently captured headlines following plans to remove looper moth-killed trees from the forest. Water scarcity and extreme heat are adding layers of complexity to urban landscape management. What can urban foresters tell us about this valuable community resource, along with present and emerging best practices in the field? What role do residents play in decisions surrounding living infrastructure in their neighbourhoods? Join us for an engaging expert panel discussion to answer these questions and more, including audience-generated queries.
Moderator
Dr. Richard Hamelin — Professor and Department Head, Forest Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, University of British Columbia
Dr. Richard Hamelin is a professor at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship and is Head of the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences. His over 30 years of experience in forest health research includes publishing nearly 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers covering forest pathology, forest health, mycology, entomology and genomics, training 60 graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and research staff. Richard’s work aims to leverage genomics to design better pest and pathogen detection and monitoring methods to protect forests from these threats.
Speakers
Bruce Blackwell, BSF’84, MSF’89, RPF, RPBio. — Principal of B.A. Blackwell & Associates Ltd.
Bruce has over 36 years of experience as a Professional Forester and Biologist. He founded B.A. Blackwell and Associates in 1988, which specializes in integrated forestry and environmental consulting, before completing his master’s degree at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship. His extensive experience encompasses fire and forest ecology, silviculture, vegetation management, wildland/urban interface planning, forest management policy, and more. Bruce has contributed to strategic planning for Vancouver’s urban forests and the restoration of Stanley Park.
Joe McLeod, BSF’01 — ISA Certified Arborist, Associate Director, Urban Forestry / Specialty Parks at City of Vancouver
Since graduating from UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, Joe has amassed over 20 years of professional expertise in silviculture, arboriculture, wildlife habitat enhancement, woodlot management planning, and landscape architecture. He is now a landscape architect, arborist, and urban forestry manager, with a focus on risk management, at the City of Vancouver. In this role, Joe oversees decision-making related to sustainable urban forest management balancing priorities such as risk management, ecological restoration, political commitments, and implementation of bylaws and policies.

