Growing Into Urban Forestry: Su Qing’s Journey from Linguistics to Leadership

Growing Into Urban Forestry: Su Qing’s Journey from Linguistics to Leadership

November 26, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry

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.

Learn more about MUFL at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship.

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First Nations House of Learning Tour & Cedar Weaving Workshop

November 25, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry

When: Thursday, December 11, 2025 | 1:45-3:45 PM
Where: First Nations House of Learning | 1985 West Mall

Register Here

Take part in a tour of the First Nations House of Learning and cedar weaving workshop. This event is open to all UBC faculty, staff, and students.

While the event is primarily aimed at STEM faculties as part of regular EDI.I programming, anyone interested, especially those enrolled in the IDEAL or Cascades of Change programs, is welcome to attend. This experiential opportunity fulfills the Stage 2 requirements for both programs and offers a unique chance to learn directly from Indigenous knowledge and practice.

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Dr. Lori Daniels wins Faculty Community Service Award

November 21, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry

We are proud to congratulate Dr. Lori Daniels, MSc’94, on receiving this year’s Faculty Community Service Award at the Alumni Achievement Awards. A leading expert in wildfire resilience, Dr. Daniels has made an extraordinary impact through her commitment to community engagement and knowledge sharing.

As a co-founder and the inaugural Koerner Chair of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence, she works closely with Indigenous and rural communities to co-develop science-based, culturally grounded solutions that support wildfire preparedness and long-term forest health. Her dedication to public education, spanning hundreds of media interviews, speaking events, and national forums, has helped shape policy, strengthen stewardship, and deepen understanding of how we can coexist with wildfire.

Awarded the 2023 Association of Fire Ecology Distinguished Leader in Research Award and 2020 Killam Teaching Prize in Forestry, she is a proven public educator, having given over 250 presentations, workshops and field tours to forest professionals and community and school groups. Since 2015, she has conducted close to 300 media interviews as a specialist. In 2022, Dr. Daniels was a panelist on the “Expert Roundtable on Wildfire and Forest Resilience” held in conjunction with the UN General Assembly (UNGA77) release of their report on climate tipping points.

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Daniels’ outstanding contributions to people, place, and the future of wildfire resilience.

Learn more about the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence at UBC.

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Study Finds Indigenous-led Hunting Most Effective for Tackling Deer Overabundance on B.C. Islands

November 20, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry

Camera trap image of black-tailed deer grazing. Credit: Tara Martin

As ecosystems in coastal British Columbia disappear due to long-term browsing pressures from overabundant black-tailed deer, a new study led by UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship with Coast Salish Nations and regional research partners identifies the most effective solutions to address deer overabundance on the Southern Gulf Islands.

The research, published in People and Nature, finds Indigenous-led hunting to be the most successful and cost-effective strategy for managing hyperabundant deer when considering ecological and cultural needs. Drawing on both Indigenous and Western knowledge systems, the study also highlights the importance of honoring distinct knowledge and value systems equitably in wildlife management.

Sidney Island impacted by deer grazing. Credit: Tara Martin

A growing ecological crisis

Following almost two decades of research led by Dr. Tara Martin from UBC’s Forestry, black-tailed deer populations on the Southern Gulf Islands are now estimated to be up to 10 times higher than they were a century ago, due to a combination of human-altered landscapes, restrictions on hunting, and the eradication of predators.

As deer populations grow unchecked, they overbrowse vegetation, prevent forests from regenerating, reduce biodiversity, and disrupt cultural connections to the land.

“For most people these islands look beautiful and natural, but they are entirely degraded,” says Dr. Martin. “The change has been so slow, most people don’t recognize this shift. We’ve found hyperabundant deer are one of the major drivers of this change.” The consequences are stark. One of B.C.’s most endangered ecosystems, the Garry Oak meadow, is now at risk of irreversible collapse due to overgrazing. Other regions across Canada and the globe are facing similar threats from hyperabundant herbivores including Haida Gwaii, Ontario, Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia.

Ecosystems thriving on the Channel Islands where there is no deer. Credit: Tara Martin

Inclusive approach to decision-making

Developing deer management strategies that address overpopulation and also support the well-being of people and the land—rather than focusing solely on ecology—is inherently complex.

“This study offers a roadmap to help unpack complicated problems where many values and goals compete, often leading to decision paralysis and inaction” says lead author and doctoral student Sofie McComb. “Hyperabundant deer are damaging ecosystems around the world, and we’re offering a framework that gives decision-makers practical, inclusive solutions.”

Working in collaboration with Coast Salish Nations and local land stewards and knowledge holders, Dr. Martin’s group considered a number of strategies for successful deer management. These included Indigenous-led hunting, improving predator viability, hiring deer reduction specialists, using birth control, increasing licensed hunting, and combining approaches.

Indigenous-led hunting was the only strategy with a high likelihood of being successful and achieving ecological and cultural benefits. Compared to the status quo, Indigenous-led hunting was found to increase the likelihood of maximizing human and ecological wellbeing by almost 60 per cent, and was more than 50 per cent likely to maximize project uptake and implementation goals.

Strategies such as increased licensed hunting were cost-effective from a Western science perspective, as they are low-cost strategies with moderate feasibility, but were less likely to achieve meaningful long-term benefits (less than 30 per cent likelihood).

Researcher Sofie McComb on Yellow Island. Credit: Tara Martin

Cost of inaction

Experts agreed that sticking with the status quo will not improve ecosystem functions and will continue to feed the decision-making paralysis fuelled by a fear of controversy. Researchers warn that delaying action is the most harmful option.

“If we don’t do something soon, the ecosystems will not be recoverable, because there will be nothing left” says Sofie McComb. “The deer are also struggling, and have turned to eating starvation foods. Inaction is action – that is the action that has been chosen and the ecosystem is suffering.”

The study provides an inclusive, transparent framework for communities worldwide facing hyperabundant herbivores. By integrating multiple knowledge systems and weighing feasibility and cost alongside ecological and cultural benefits, decision-makers can chart a path toward recovery that is both effective and socially grounded.

“It’s possible to find solutions to complex environmental issues that are good for people, the land and the deer” says Dr. Martin. “This work shows that restoring cultural sovereignty and ecosystem health can go hand in hand.”

Media contact
Charlotte Fisher
Marketing & Media Relations Strategist
UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship
charlotte.fisher@ubc.ca

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Engineering a Future with Wood Products – Kiana Rowlands

November 19, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry

Kiana Rowlands, BSc (Wd Prod Proc) 2025, didn’t expect to find her perfect fit in Wood Products. After starting her degree in Forest Sciences, she realized she wanted a program that blended her love of environmental science with her interests in math, engineering, and design. Now, after graduating in June of 2025, Kiana reflects on how the program reshaped her understanding of wood, engineering, and the future of low-carbon materials.

From Forest Sciences to Wood Products

Kiana Rowlands began her UBC journey in Forest Sciences. She loved the mix of environmental science and hands-on learning, but something was missing.

“I really enjoyed Forest Sciences because it had the environmental aspect, but I also loved math, engineering, and programming,” she explains. “After a guest lecture from the previous program director, I realized the Wood Products program had everything I liked: science, math, engineering, and the environment.”

Now graduating in 2025, Kiana describes the program in three words: design, engineering, and building.

The Hidden Complexity of Wood

Before joining the program, Kiana saw trees as something simple and familiar, just part of the landscape.

“You see trees everywhere, but no one really knows what it takes for a tree to grow or what’s inside the wood,” she says. “Studying wood showed me how intricate it is and how much care goes into working with it. It’s not just cutting and sanding; you need to understand the material.”

More Than Carpentry

When people hear “wood products,” they often picture carpentry or woodworking, but Kiana is quick to set the record straight.

“We are not just carpenters,” she says. “We do engineering, design, and problem-solving. We build furniture and structures, but we’re also creating materials and systems that make those things possible.”

Engineering New Ideas Through Co-op

One of Kiana’s standout experiences was her co-op with Mercer Mass Timber, where she worked as a Detailer on major construction projects.

“I did all the 2D and 3D modelling for our mass timber projects,” she says. “Some of them I can now go see in person. It’s so exciting to see the time and effort I put into drawings and models come to life.”

Her coursework in AutoCAD, design, and wood mechanics gave her the technical foundation to thrive.

That co-op experience also shaped her future, leading to Kiana having a job lined up after graduation.

“I’m going back to Mercer Mass Timber, this time in Project Management,” she shares. “I love working with mass timber and the people there, so I’m really excited to return.”

Wood’s Role in a Low-Carbon Future

Kiana is passionate about the environmental benefits of building with wood.

“Wood is a carbon sink—it stores carbon even after a tree is harvested,” she explains. “When you use it in buildings, especially as mass timber, that carbon stays locked away for decades.”

She describes mass timber as an innovative material that combines layers of dimensional lumber into large beams, columns, and panels.

“Yes, it uses a lot of wood, but it also stores a lot of carbon,” she says. “It’s a great way to remove carbon from the atmosphere and keep it stored for up to 50 years.”

At UBC, Kiana has also seen how research in wood-based products and biofuels can contribute to climate solutions.

“There’s so much innovation happening in the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, especially in programs like BEST and Wood Products. It’s all about finding new ways to use wood to create sustainable materials and energy.”

A Community That Feels Like Home

What stands out most to Kiana about her time in the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship is the sense of community.

“The program is small, about 30 students per class, so you get to know your professors and classmates really well,” she says. “It feels like a college-sized community within a big university.”

As part of the Forestry Undergraduate Society (FUS), Kiana also connected with students across other programs.

“I loved that I could walk into any building and always find someone I know. Being part of FUS helped me meet people from all over Forestry, not just my program.”

Advice for Future Engineers

For students interested in engineering and sustainability, Kiana believes the Wood Products Processing program offers the best of both worlds.

“It may not be the typical path to engineering, but it’s still all about designing and building with structural materials,” she says. “If you care about the environment and want to help solve climate change by creating beautiful, sustainable buildings, this program is perfect for you.”

Learn more about a major in Wood Products at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship.

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Branchlines: Agroforestry Food Production

November 17, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry

Nearly four billion people around the world rely on agricultural food systems for their livelihoods, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Rows of cassava plants, like the ones pictured here, are commonplace throughout Guyana.

Plants sustain the daily nutritional needs of people around the world, many of whom are also engaged in the cultivation and distribution of these agricultural goods. As the climate changes, so too are the rules of the game to succeed in bringing crops to harvest. Several UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship faculty members are actively engaged in research with communities in BC and abroad to investigate how to support, introduce or adapt food crops to shifting local and environmental landscapes.

Around 30-35% of global food production transpires on fewer than two hectares of land, called smallholder farms. “Smallholders who claim ownership of this land may have worked its soils for generations, carrying with them rich, place-based knowledge of the cultivation of a suite of plants, including agroforestry crops,” says Janette Bulkan, Assoc. Prof. in the Department of Forest Resources Management at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship.

For decades, Janette has led research with Indigenous peoples in Guyana on the production of food crops, among them varieties of bitter cassava (Manihot esculenta) selectively propagated by Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon Basin long before the arrival of Europeans in the 1500s. The naturally occurring cyanide in the bitter cassava enables the plants to thrive despite myriad fungal pathogens and insects in their habitat.

“Amazonian Indigenous Peoples developed a sophisticated method for separating the cyanide from the rasped and mashed cassava tubers before baking the soft white flour,” notes Janette. “The denatured cyanide is used as a meat tenderiser. Nothing is wasted from this versatile plant.”

Among the Makushi People in southern Guyana, 140-170 varieties of cassava are recognised by women farmers for their distinct plant morphologies, soil suitablilities, flood tolerance, drought resistance and nutritional properties. Cassava plant stem cuttings are actively exchanged between friends and extended families, enabling their swift and wide distribution.

“For people living in parts of Peru to French Guiana, it is common knowledge that, when you have a cassava farm, you won’t starve.” — Janette Bulkan

“Farmers know which cassava varietals are best-suited to different environmental conditions, such as flooding and drought, as well as for different uses,” adds Janette. “Grown on the Guyana shield — among the most nutrient-poor soils in the world — this knowledge could be applied to growing crops elsewhere.”

Shea nuts, like the one pictured here, are primarily exported from West African countries. Dramatic declines in shea forest cover in recent times, amounting to approximately eight million trees per year, are putting pressure on local communities to protect this valuable resource.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean in the northern part of the Sub-Saharan African country of Ghana, Terry Sunderland, UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship Prof. in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, is leading a project on pressing food sovereignty and economic livelihood barriers facing women smallholders who are unable to gain legal title over the shea parklands that they harvest. The project is being undertaken with UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship graduate students and Ghana’s University for Development Studies, with support from the Peter Gilgan Foundation.

“Women are the guardians of food security in the region,” says Terry. “Empowering women smallholders with shea agroforestry operations can have ripple effects throughout their communities in terms of increased economic opportunities, food security and ecological resilience.”

Native shea predominantly grows along a narrow, semi-arid Sahelian geographic zone that stretches across parts of northern Ghana, Burkina Faso and northern Nigeria. A staple, edible fruit with the consistency of avocado and the flavour of mango, the kernel inside the nut of the shea fruit contains shea butter, which is used locally as a cooking oil and body oil.

Shea butter is also a key ingredient in creams and other commercial products sold on international markets, including in North America. However, most of the profits from shea butter production occur following manufacturing. Women smallholders, who almost solely sell the raw product, realize a miniscule fraction of the gains from their labour.

“Shea parklands present a significant, ongoing opportunity for women smallholders to achieve economic independence, particularly in a region where wider income opportunities and food availability are scarce.” — Terry Sunderland

“Shea is a longer-term, sustainable source of income for Ghanaians,” says Terry. “One approach that we are investigating with women smallholders is identifying opportunities to create value-added shea products locally that can be sold on local and international markets, retaining more of the profits of the production of shea among women smallholders.”

Another challenge facing the region is the decline in shea trees in northern Ghana agroforestry parklands from an estimated average of 230 trees per hectare in the 1940s to fewer than 11 trees per hectare in 2011. The reasons for this decline range from climate change to urban expansion, subsistence farming for annual crops and tree removal for fuelwood or charcoal.

Shea butter and shea oil, which is extracted from shea butter, are used in a variety of commercial plants, including creams, cosmetics and hair treatments.

“Within the past 10 years, the region has experienced significantly more extreme weather in the form of severe storms, droughts and floods that have put increased stress on food and commercial crop production,” says Terry.

Importantly, active cultivation is a necessary ingredient in improved shea tree survival rates. “Without human oversight and husbandry, less than 25% of trees survive long enough to produce commercially viable shea fruit,” Terry explains. “Women smallholders play an integral role in increasing shea tree survival through active cultivation, contributing to a stable source of income for them and their families, as well as addressing issues surrounding food security and ecological degradation.”

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In the spotlight: Kimberly Yazzie

November 14, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry

Kimberly Yazzie

Meet Dr. Kimberly Yazzie.

Dr. Yazzie joins the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Forests & Conservation Sciences. Kim conducts research across a number of areas: freshwater ecology, climate solutions and Indigenous land and water governance.

Kim earned her Ph.D. in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences from the University of Washington. Prior to joining UBC, Kim was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University at the Woods Institute for the Environment where she worked on climate mitigation and energy transformation in Tribal communities in the U.S. At UBC, she will lead research on ecosystem resilience in freshwater systems and Indigenous land stewardship.

Kim is Diné from the Navajo Nation and grew up in Arizona, Southwestern United States. She enjoys hiking, paddleboarding, experiencing art, meditation and going on long urban walks. Dr. Yazzie also finds joy in baking and painting in watercolour.

What inspired you to pursue your area of research?

Early on, I developed a keen awareness of the urgent risks that climate change poses to humanity and biodiversity, most notably the access to and availability of freshwater resources in the Southwest. As a child, I spent time locating seeps and springs on the tabletop mesa I grew up on and spent a fair amount of time cooling off in the San Juan River in Utah, a tributary to the Colorado River.

Water issues have always been dear to me from water rights, access to water, to water quality. One of my earliest memories of capturing environmental issues on paper was drawing a diagram of an acid rain pathway in grade school. I drew elements of industrial pollution, cars, rain, and plants. I still have this drawing. Since grade school, my career trajectory has intersected with research that informs decision-making for water and energy security.

What do you hope to achieve through your work at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship?

I plan to employ a water-energy-food-climate nexus approach to understand the present and future impacts of different levels of water and land stewardship and governance, on biodiversity and climate resilience. My research has grown to be interdisciplinary, and I am thrilled to form new collaborations and partnerships to explore scalable projects.

What motivated you to join the Faculty?

There were countless attractions that drew me to UBC, I will share three. One, to be a part of the first-of-its-kind Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship Program in Forestry. Two, the various levels of support at UBC for innovative research at the local and global scales in management, conservation, and policy. Three, the unmatched and immediate access to British Columbia’s stunning natural environment that provides exceptional opportunities for research and teaching.

What are you most looking forward to as a faculty member of UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship?

I look forward to supporting the BILS program and growing new collaborations with colleagues in Forestry and with researchers across campus and internationally.

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MUFL Students Explore Innovative Approaches to Urban Forestry in Global Green Cities

November 13, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry

UBC Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL) students recently took their learning global, traveling to Australia and New Zealand to see how cities like Melbourne and Christchurch are reimagining urban spaces through sustainability, design, and community leadership.

Students explored how local governments, researchers, and city planners are tackling real-world challenges like climate resilience, water management, and biodiversity in dense urban areas.

This immersive learning experience is a defining feature of the MUFL program, which welcomes both recent graduates and professionals ready to apply their knowledge to tackle complex urban forestry challenges. With UBC’s campus as a living lab, students combine arboricultural science, urban design, and leadership training to prepare for dynamic careers in sustainability and city planning.

Each year, the program’s field trips offer students the chance to connect classroom learning with global practice. We spoke to students Hincent Ng, Bill Ralston, Gerard Fournier, Bryan Moffatt and Francesca Yep about their experience in Australasia and how it fostered networking and collaboration efforts with global urban forestry leaders.

Why was it valuable to experience other global urban forest environments?

BR: The opportunity to exchange information first-hand and receive exposure to innovative practices in urban forestry provides immense value to students. Understanding the challenges we face on a more a global scale broadens the depth of our knowledge acquisition in the urban forestry discipline and places like Melbourne are an excellent canvas to learn more about how cities can address contemporary urban forestry challenges.

HN: Melbourne is one of the leading green cities in the world. Visiting provided us with valuable insights, inspiring me to contribute meaningfully to the development and betterment of my own city of Hong Kong.  

GF: I think it was particularly valuable to learn first-hand about Melbourne’s challenges and greater experiences as they relate to climate change, global heating, and urban forestry. For example, Melbourne’s intensive efforts to preserve trees and green space for public temperature control and human health in the city by utilizing and recycling every available drop of stormwater and runoff.

FY: Being from Vancouver, Melbourne’s history has many parallels to us regarding colonization and the unjust treatment of their Indigenous Peoples. Therefore, experiencing Melbourne’s urban forests can aid in creating more than just new ideas for the future regarding climate change, but also how to reconcile the past.

How do trips like this benefit MUFL students academically and professionally?

BM: Trips such as this provide students with the opportunity to observe and understand how urban forestry practitioners in different regions approach decision-making and management of urban forests. These experiences are invaluable for both academic and professional growth, offering insights that can be directly integrated into my own scholarly work and professional practice.

GF: Academically, it was very valuable to make new connections and meet face to face with respected and award-winning journal authors and researchers including recent graduates of the MUFL program. Professionally, I feel like it literally broadened my horizons and made me realize that urban forestry is facing similar challenges in every corner of our planet, and we can all and should all be learning from our collective experiences.

FY: Academically, I think the trip helps retain a large combination of things learned throughout the MUFL program. Hearing lectures, or reading papers you are constantly learning. Comparatively, going to the place you are still learning but also retaining and connecting lessons to real world experiences. For instance, the Woody Meadow Planting site in Melbourne is a study that I had previously read about, but seeing the work in person really leaves a larger influence on what you remember. I think the MUFL trip benefited my professional development the most. It was an amazing and fun experience to get to meet your cohort in person. The connections formed on the trips are ones I know will continue even after we complete the program.

In 2026, the next MUFL cohort will explore urban greening in Montreal, Canada.

Whether you’re a recent graduate that can bring your acquired knowledge and apply it to tackle urban forestry challenges, or a professional ready to elevate your career, MUFL offers the skills, practitioners and community to lead the change.

To learn more about the MUFL program, its requirements, eligibility and admissions, an exclusive info session is taking place on November 28, 2025.

Register here.

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Yazzie, Kimberly

November 12, 2025 | Author: UBC FES

Kimberly Yazzie

Yazzie, Kimberly

Assistant Professor

Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences

Forest Sciences Centre 3024
2424 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
Canada

kimberly.yazzie@ubc.ca

@kimberlyazzie.bsky.social

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Dr. Yazzie’s research areas are in freshwater ecology, climate solutions, and Indigenous land and water governance. Kim earned her Ph.D. in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences from the University of Washington. Prior to joining UBC, Kim was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University at the Woods Institute for the Environment where she worked on climate mitigation and energy transformation in Tribal communities in the U.S. At UBC, she will lead research on ecosystem resilience in freshwater systems and Indigenous land stewardship.

Posted in: Applied Aquatic Science, Applied Conservation Science, Assistant Professors, Communities and Indigenous Knowledge, Ecosystems and Climate Change, Faculty Profiles, FCS Faculty, Human Dimensions of the Environment
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Izquierdo-Tort, Santiago

November 12, 2025 | Author: UBC Forestry

Santiago Izquierdo-Tort

Izquierdo-Tort, Santiago

Assistant Professor, David Brand Professorship in Sustainable Forestry and Conservation Finance

Department of Forest Resources Management

Forest Sciences Centre
2424 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
Canada

santiago.izquierdotort@ubc.ca

Personal website

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My research explores how economic incentives and market-based approaches to forest governance contribute to livelihood, biodiversity, and climate goals. Much of my work focuses on the effectiveness and equity of public payment-for-conservation policies in tropical regions, and the emergence of global markets for carbon and biodiversity. I collaborate across disciplines and engage with policymakers, communities, and local organisations to inform the design and implementation of interventions.

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Posted in: Applied Conservation Science, Assistant Professors, Communities and Indigenous Knowledge, Faculty Profiles, FRM Faculty, Sustainable Forest Management
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