Forest carbon is a core component of GHG accounting assessed at a range of scales, ranging from institutions, cities, and countries to the global community. Including both compliance and voluntary markets, domestic and international forest carbon projects are becoming increasingly commonplace. To comply with legislative requirements and certifications, sustainable forest management necessitates detailed carbon assessments. There is an ongoing surge in demand for working professionals within natural resource sectors who understand forest carbon.
The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship offers two distinct micro-certificate programs (FCM and FCMo) to professionals and practitioners interested in developing their understanding of how to assess, monitor, contextualize, and apply forest carbon calculations to GHG accounting and reporting, forest carbon projects, and forest management requirements.
Forest Carbon Management (FCM)
This micro-certificate provides natural resource managers with a broad understanding of all aspects related to forest carbon management including forest carbon accounting, related data sources and analysis, the architecture of forest carbon projects, associated markets, and related domestic and international policy.
FCM offers a comprehensive, science-based, and practical foundation for professionals, including those currently working and those seeking to gain additional skills to diversify employment opportunities and roles. This program offers a unique perspective based on an ongoing collaboration between University researchers and practitioners from government, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and industry.
Forest Carbon Modeling (FCMo)
This micro-certificate builds on the foundational concepts explored through the FCM Program and provides hands-on training in forest carbon modeling within the application areas of forest carbon offset projects, GHG inventory and reporting, and sustainable forest management.
Through a mixture of lectures and hands-on labs: the FCMo program guides learners through forest carbon modeling workflows – from input data assessment, to defining and running models, and interpreting results – encompassing a variety of forest carbon accounting scenarios.
Why choose the FCM Micro-Certificate?
Including both compliance and voluntary markets, domestic and international forest carbon projects are becoming increasingly commonplace. This has resulted in a surge in demand for working professionals, within natural resource sectors, who understand and know how to assess and monitor forest carbon, establish and administer carbon projects, and navigate the evolving landscape of relevant markets.
FCM offers a comprehensive, science-based, and practical foundation for professionals, including those currently working and those seeking to gain additional skills to diversify employment opportunities and roles. This program offers a unique perspective based on an ongoing collaboration between University researchers and practitioners from government, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and industry.
Testimonials
What will you learn?
This 8-week flexible online program is rooted in real-world applications, focusing on domestic and international forest carbon project case studies, and making strong cross-sectoral linkages.
By the end of the program, students will have a thorough understanding of:
- the role that forests play in greenhouse gas inventories and the carbon cycle and how this is accounted for at different spatial and temporal scales
- where data related to forest carbon comes from and how it can be used to quantify, monitor and model carbon stocks and emissions
- the range of different forest carbon projects, how they compare, and which types are relevant to particular areas of interest
- the current state of both domestic and internationally applicable markets, changes on the horizon, and key resources to stay informed
Who should apply?
This program is applicable to a wide range of potential applicants who are working in or will go on to work in natural resource management positions in government, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, industry, and combinations thereof. This program is applicable to those working in BC, across Canada, and in an international context.
Applications are open to natural resource professionals and practitioners across all sectors who have demonstrated an interest in and a need to further their understanding of how to assess and monitor forest carbon, establish and administer carbon projects, and navigate the evolving landscape of relevant markets.
Employment Opportunities
- Natural Resources (e.g. forestry, mining, energy, parks and other land management, fisheries, aquatic and terrestrial management)
- Engineering (e.g. infrastructure, mining, energy)
- Urban planners
- Non-governmental organizations (e.g. conservation, heritage, cultural, preservation, and environmental groups)
- Industry – many different organizations across sectors are being required to report on climate-related financial accounting (TCFD reporting) and Environmental, Social, and Governance reporting (ESGs) across the globe, which includes carbon-related knowledge and practices
- Government departments – municipal, provincial/federal
Why choose the FCMo Micro-Certificate?
Understanding and managing the role that forests play in climate change mitigation is increasingly important for environmental professionals. The foundation of this process is the accurate quantification of forest carbon. There is an unmet demand for expertise in forest carbon modeling within industry, government, academia, and NGOs spanning North America and the globe.
The program is designed to provide practical, hands-on learning experiences in forest carbon modeling with a curriculum developed in collaboration with partners across forest carbon sectors. Throughout the program, learners will interact with a variety of experts through guest presentations, live “Coffee Hours” and online discussion forums. The asynchronous delivery of the program provides the flexibility to watch content that fits your schedule, while still fostering networking opportunities with fellow learners and industry partners. The FCMo program is the second program in the UBC Forest Carbon Management series, including the Forest Carbon Management Micro-Certificate, which includes a growing community of professionals, industry partners, and access to ongoing guest lecture sessions.
What will you learn?
By the end of the program, learners will be able to:
- Understand the science behind the forest carbon cycle, the role that forests play in climate change mitigation, and key forest carbon accounting concepts.
- Identify appropriate modeling pathways for application areas in forest carbon offset projects, multi-scale GHG inventory and reporting, and sustainable forest management.
- Identify and assess appropriate model input data.
- Translate forest management scenarios into modeling assumptions and parameters.
- Run modeling scenarios using CBM-CFS3 modeling software.
- Interpret, assess, and communicate modeling results and levels of uncertainty.
Who should apply?
The program is suitable for a diverse range of learners who are interested in forest carbon accounting and quantification including foresters, natural resource managers, remote-sensing and GIS professionals, and beginner to mid-level forest carbon modelers. This program is considered an advanced program that builds on, and applies, the concepts learned in the Forest Carbon Management Micro-Certificate. This program is well suited to alumni of the FCM program who desired more details and information on the data, analysis, and forest carbon quantification topics.
Employment Opportunities
Micro-certificate holders will be well-placed for work opportunities in forest carbon project development, auditing and verification, forest management companies, environmental consulting, climate-focused government agencies, environmental NGOs, and First Nations land management. The training will make use of tools and case studies that span both the Canadian and international forest carbon accounting contexts.
Program Partnerships
The FCMo program has been developed with the collaboration and in-kind support of many experts from across the forest carbon industry.
Canadian Forest Service
Cornelia’s Climate Corner
Great Bear Carbon Credit Limited Partnership
Nanwakolas Offset Limited Partnership
BC Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch
Tayo Climate Partners
