The Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is pleased to announce the launch of its Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL) Program. With the recent approval from the Province of British Columbia, applications will commence in October 2020 with classes beginning in July 2021.
The first of its kind, both in Canada and worldwide, the Master of Urban Forestry Leadership Program addresses an ever-increasing global demand. “As the population of urban centres continues to grow, cities worldwide are increasingly faced with the challenge of creating and maintaining urban forests and green spaces that mitigate social, health and well-being and climate change issues,” remarks Faculty of Forestry Dean, Dr John Innes.
The program takes a multi-disciplinary approach as the courses will be offered by UBC’s Faculty of Forestry, the Sauder School of Business, and School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Graduates from this program will therefore have a combination of skills rarely offered by a single degree program. “Graduates from this program will be well-positioned to navigate complex ‘green’ decision making in urban areas. They will be able to lead teams of experts from a wide range of backgrounds in designing and delivering urban forestry programs,” notes Dr Cecil Konijnendijk, Professor and Program Director.
Designed primarily for mid-career professionals, the approval and launch of MUFL was highly anticipated by many in the field. “Urban Forestry is coming into its own as a full profession at that same time that many urban forestry leaders are retiring. The timing of the Master of Urban Forestry Leadership program is ideal, in that it will help to prepare people who already have good technical skills for the more advanced management and leadership roles that are crucial to moving the profession forward,” said Owen Croy, Instructor, Municipal Forestry Institute and Adjunct Professor, UBC Forestry.
