On September 11, 2025, UBC’s Faculty of Forestry welcomed British Columbia’s Minister of Forests, Ravi Parmar, to the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest (MKRF) to witness the critical work being done to advance sustainable forest management and educate the next generation of foresters.
The tour, led by Dr. Dominik Roeser, Associate Dean of Research Forests and Community Outreach, and joined by Dr. Robert Kozak, Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and Hélène Marcoux, Malcolm Knapp Research Forest Manager, provided an important opportunity to showcase MKRF’s role in bridging scientific research, education and practical forest management.
Minister Parmar’s visit included important conversations focused on forest stewardship and the role research plays, not just in understanding forests, but also in driving innovation, education, and creating future opportunities. Minister Parmar was able to see firsthand the vital research taking place to support both industry and government, and the advancement of sustainable forest management practices in British Columbia.
“The work of the research forest gets right into the relationship between forestry and sustainable forest management, with the two being inextricable,” says Minister Parmar, “the work being done on partial harvesting, not only as a means to support Old Growth management and forest carbon but wildfire risk reduction too, speaks to our current moment.”
Minister Parmar also spoke to the forest’s educational importance, particularly in its role in shaping the province’s long-term conservation goals. “When it comes to our forests, we must look generations ahead. The mentorship and relationship building between students and faculty, is how we set up our forestry future. Training a generation of researchers, whose work is key to sustainable forests.”
He further acknowledged the long-standing partnership between UBC’s Faculty of Forestry and the provincial government. “Our Ministry’s Research Program has long relied on collaboration with UBC’s Faculty of Forestry. The relationship between UBC and our BCTS operational staff, providing insight into partial cutting as a tool of forest management and guidance on mitigating the loss of high-elevation stands via climate change, is pivotal to ensuring our forests are not just sustainable but resilient. Resilient to the increasing threat of wildfire, the impact of drought, and other challenges posed by our changing climate.”
About Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
The Malcolm Knapp Research Forest is respectively located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Katzie (q̓ic̓əy̓) First Nation.
Located in Maple Ridge, BC, the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest was established in 1949 by a Crown Grant to the University of British Columbia. This “working” forest of 5,157 hectares was designed to be a facility for research, demonstration, and education in the field of forestry and allied sciences. With over 200km of trails and roads, MKRF staff maintain access to the forest for researchers as well as the public for recreation purposes. To date, more than 1,000 research projects have been conducted with 100 active projects happening at any given time.
MKRF’s lands are managed to conserve and protect fish, water, soil, biodiversity, community values and traditional indigenous uses. MKRF focuses on the responsible use of resources to ensure sustainability. In order to fund operations and create new research opportunities, sections of the forest are harvested and replanted annually. Staff at MKRF also manage a small 250 hectare woodlot license in accordance with the Forest and Range Practices Act of BC.
