Su Qing’s journey to UBC’s Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL) program began far from a traditional forestry path. With a background in English and a growing passion for nature, she discovered MUFL as the perfect bridge between communication, culture, and urban greening. In this reflection, she shares how the program has shaped her skills, confidence, and vision for more sustainable, caring cities.
Discovering MUFL Through an Unexpected Path
I’m Su Qing, a current student in the Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL) program at UBC’s Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship. Before coming to Vancouver, I completed my BA in English at Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University in China. Thanks to a partnership between my home university and UBC, I first learned about MUFL and realized it was a rare chance to connect my language background with my long-standing love for nature and forests.
Finding the Right Fit: Interdisciplinary Learning and Leadership
My earlier academic focus was linguistics, but during my undergrad, I kept choosing forestry-related electives and spending time outdoors. When I discovered that MUFL welcomes students from diverse disciplines and is built as an interdisciplinary, leadership-oriented professional program that combines urban forestry, planning, governance, and communication, I felt this program was exactly where I could grow into the kind of “all-round” professional I wanted to become.
Growing Through Coursework and Field Experience
So far, MUFL has helped me grow both professionally and personally. Academically, I’ve been introduced to a completely new field: urban forest governance, arboriculture, geomatics, and urban forest benefits assessment. Practically, I’ve joined field trips around Metro Vancouver to observe street trees and parks, practice tree assessment, and discuss tree risk and management decisions on-site with classmates and instructors. There is nothing more powerful than standing under a real tree with people from all over the world and debating how to care for it in a dense city.
Building Skills in Leadership, Communication, and Cultural Understanding
Some of the most valuable skills I’ve gained include thinking about urban forestry from a governance and leadership perspective, communicating across cultures and disciplines, and working with diverse knowledge systems in sustainable natural resource management. These experiences have also made me more confident in speaking up in English in professional settings.
Looking Ahead: Designing Greener, Caring Cities
After graduation, I hope to continue my studies and explore how urban forests can support mental health and human well-being, especially for students, migrants, and other urban residents. My dream is to help design and manage greener, more caring cities in China and beyond.
Advice for Future MUFL Students
For anyone considering MUFL, my advice is: don’t be afraid if you don’t come from a traditional forestry background. If you’re curious, ready to learn in the field (even in the rain!), and want to become someone who can independently lead urban greening projects, MUFL is an incredibly welcoming and inspiring place to start.