On November 20, join our Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management (MGEM) program team in an exclusive online presentation and question-and-answer session to learn more about how the MGEM program can equip you with the skills to advance in your career.
Over 9-months, the MGEM provides essential training in the use and application of geospatial tools used to plan, develop, manage, and evaluate programs to protect and regulate natural habitats and renewable natural resources. This interdisciplinary degree blends landscape ecology training and quantitative spatial skills development to prepare graduates to tackle pressing environmental issues across multiple sectors.
Presenters
Dr. Nicholas Coops MGEM Director
Dr. Coops is the head of the Department of Forest Resources Management. His main research focus is the use of remote sensing technology to assess forest resources, both for conservation and production applications. Dr. Coops is specifically interested in advanced forest inventory techniques using high spatial resolution optical remote sensing imagery and LIDAR, use of remote sensing for the ecosystem and carbon accumulation modelling for biodiversity, production and greenhouse calculations, and detection of damaging agents in forests using spectral forest condition mapping.
Dr. Kathleen Coupland MGEM Program Coordinator
Dr. Coupland is responsible for coordinating the day-to-day activities within the program, as well as providing dedicated support to the students and the MGEM teaching team. Her research focuses on the application and development of novel classification schemas for forests with the aim of trying to quantify non-timber forest values. Specifically, Dr. Coupland centers on trying to quantify educational values present for forestry education in urban forests, using UBC as a case study.
Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Register today for our Master of International Forestry (MIF) online information session. Learn more about program details and how to prepare a strong application in our exclusive online presentation and question-and-answer session.
MIF is a 12-month, course-based master’s program that provides the knowledge, skills, and tools required to address the social, environmental, and economic challenges of global forest and natural resources management.
The program also offers a 4 month placement or guided study working directly with partner organizations upon completion of the program. Previous placements include working with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) and the Asia-Pacific Network For Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation.
Presenter:
Dr. Peter Wood MIF Coordinator
Dr. Wood has worked in the field of international forest policy, human rights and sustainability for over two decades in a variety of roles, including with non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations. He has served on various international expert bodies, such as the Global Expert Panel on International Forest Governance (IUFRO), and has been involved in the development of multilateral agreements on climate change and biodiversity. He completed his PhD in Forestry at the University of Toronto.
Dan Macmaster is honoured with an alumni UBC Builder Award
Over the course of his forestry career, Dan has launched landscape-level projects with sustainability and longevity in mind, exploring multiple facets of sustainable business solutions and community forestry.
An exceptional role model and volunteer with UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, Dan Macmaster (MSFM’13, RPF) was selected as the recipient of a 2024-25 Alumni Builder Award in recognition of his extensive career accomplishments and mentorship of the next generation of foresters. Among his contributions, Dan has regularly volunteered with the Faculty’s Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM) program, serving on the MSFM Advisory Committee, guest lecturing, presenting at field camps and organizing multi-day field activities for MSFM students.
A Registered Professional Forester and the Forestry Manager with the Osoyoos Indian Band on their Nk’Mip First Nations Woodland licence, Dan plays an instrumental role in managing the Band’s six forestry licences, including log extraction, wildfire risk mitigation and habitat and biodiversity management. He is also closely involved in business partnership procurement for the Band with the forest sector, utilities and different levels of government, among others.
A personable and people-focused professional, Dan serves as a Director with the BC First Nations Forestry Council, a Contributing Forester with the Okanagan Nation Alliance, the Executive Director with the Interior Lumber Manufacturers’ Association and a Director of the BC Community Forest Association.
“People really make this industry work. I am always on the lookout for opportunities to build my network, because you never know who you might collaborate with on a project or who might be able to offer some valuable insights to help you meet your objectives.”
— Dan Macmaster
Before switching to forestry, Dan taught environmental science, outdoor education and ecology to high school students for 15 years. He enrolled in UBC Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship MSFM program as a stepping stone to make a positive difference in sustainable land management. His resolve redoubled while completing an MSFM group project on a Vaagen Fibre Canada holding outside of Nelson. The small, family-run mill specialized in value-added fibre and selective cutting with a focus on sustainable forestry and supporting rural communities.
“I collaborated and communicated with First Nations, local community members and stakeholders throughout this project, which helped me understand the land, the neighbouring community members, recreational groups using the land, even sawmills that purchased wood harvested from the land,” Dan recalls. “It broadened my perspective on how the whole system fits together, including the ecological, social and economic components of forest operations.”
Learn about the Alumni Builder Awards and volunteer opportunities with UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship:
Project Assistant – UBC Department of Wood Science
Over the summer, I worked as a Project Assistant in the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship’s Wood Science lab at UBC. My main role has been to support the professors with various projects. Currently, I’m building a bat house for the bats living in Stanley Park – I’ve already finished a prototype and had a meeting with the project team, where they kindly shared some suggestions for improvements. I’m now making updates based on their feedback. Alongside this project, I also help the lab with smaller tasks, like making pushing sticks for safety when using machines, and crafting a plaque for our retired former Dean.
I believe Co-op has been an invaluable experience beyond the classroom. It’s helped me develop practical problem-solving skills and hands-on abilities that textbooks simply can’t teach. More importantly, working in a Co-op placement not only deepens my understanding of wood materials and wood product manufacturing, but also greatly improves my interpersonal and communication skills.
I have been working at West Fraser’s Blue Ridge Lumber mill as a Summer Student, assisting with a variety of tasks including spark watch, clean-up, painting, and providing support to different crews. Through this experience, I have learned valuable technical and safety skills such as lockout procedures, completing safety forms, using basic tools like grinders, and understanding mill operations. I have also gained insight into yard processes, including how to measure and identify log lengths, and have developed stronger communication skills.
Co-op has been an incredible opportunity for me to explore a different side of forest operations, expand my professional skills, and connect in-class learning to real-world applications. I would highly recommend the co-op program to other students. It does not only provide hands-on experience but also helps us clarify our career goals while building a strong professional network.
I have been working as a Marketing Co-op at a custom home renovation company, where my main responsibilities include identifying potential clients, coordinating communication between designers and customers, and promoting the company brand through both online and offline channels. As a student in the Wood Products and Processing program, I also have a strong understanding of different panel materials and their processing methods, which allows me to introduce their benefits to clients during our conversations.
This co-op has deepened my understanding of business operations and the importance of aligning design with client expectations and budget – a key factor for success in the interior design market. I’ve also had the chance to support the design team with tasks such as on-site measuring, double-checking dimensions, and drafting CAD drawings. While my role is entry-level, I’ve found it incredibly rewarding and educational. Entering a real-world work environment for the first time, I’ve not only applied what I learned at school in new ways but also developed essential professional communication skills with clients, supervisors, and colleagues. The Co-op program has offered me a valuable opportunity to bridge academic learning with practical experience, making it a meaningful and fulfilling part of my personal and professional growth.
I’m working on an exciting research project transforming wood veneers into transparent films. My work focuses on developing innovative methods to impregnate these bio-based materials with functional additives, creating next-generation composites with specialized properties like fire retardancy.
Through daily lab work, I’ve gained hands-on experience with material processing techniques, performance testing, and data analysis. This opportunity has allowed me to bridge my academic knowledge in forestry materials with practical applications in sustainable technology. Beyond the technical skills, this co-op has shown me the real-world potential of green materials research.
For students passionate about sustainable materials science, I highly recommend pursuing co-op opportunities, there’s no better way to turn classroom theories into tangible innovations.
Junior Counselor – Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association
I’m a junior counselor for the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association. I’ve been working with children ages 5-10 and taking them on a week-long day camps where they get to do crafts, adventures, and foster a love of nature. Some camp activities include pond peering, aquatic ecosystem paintings, and tag games that complement the camp theme of the week.
Working in this position has helped me better understand how to navigate the interdisciplinary nature of Urban Forestry. I got to see first-hand how different stakeholders value urban nature differently depending on their preexisting background and end goals. Additionally, I also learned how these differences in opinion on how urban greenspace is managed and utilized can be reconciled between parties in a way that is satisfactory and fair to both sides.
This job can be extremely demanding at times as working with children can be very energy intensive and fast paced, especially when plans don’t pan out. However, it can also be very rewarding with the memories and friendships that can be made in such a friendly and supportive working environment.
Polymer Materials Testing Co-op – Jiangsu United Testing Services
I am a Wood Products Processing student working as a testing assistant at United Testing Service, a materials testing company in China. During my Co-op placement, I worked on both the physical and chemical testing of metal and plastic materials, focusing on their mechanical properties and compliance with international safety standards.
Specifically, my tasks involve conducting tensile, impact, and compression tests on metal samples, as well as using advanced instruments to analyze the presence of harmful substances in plastics and coatings. Since this was my first experience in a professional lab environment, I actively studied technical manuals and industry standards to familiarize myself with the testing procedures and quality control requirements.
This co-op not only strengthened my understanding of material mechanics and analytical chemistry but also gave me first-hand experience in how a professional lab operates, including task management, data reporting, and collaborative troubleshooting. One important lesson I learned was the value of precision and responsibility, especially after making mistakes in report preparation, which taught me the importance of double-checking and staying composed under pressure.
For the first half of the co-op term, I have been working as part of the Silvicultural surveying crew at Lil’wat Forestry Ventures. We have been focusing on the type of surveys that monitor the health and growing condition of forest blocks that have been treated in some way, including through burnings, logging, plantings, brushing, etc. I have learned a lot about this process from start to finish: how to plan out the surveys, evaluate the history and current state of a forest block, assess problems of access, vegetation health, stocking standards and species competition, use the technical side to collect the necessary data to accurately process it and finally to make silvicultural recommendations. This has been particularly rewarding as LFV carries out these tasks with a mixed communal, ecological and business approach that holds long-term, sustainable forest management as a goal.
How Co-op has been of great importance to me is that as an international student new to the Canadian forest industry, the program helped me get a sense of the career trajectories I can take and has been supporting me along the process of acquiring and succeeding at this position. I would recommend joining Co-op especially towards other international students such as myself. An unfamiliar country and industry are daunting enough; the Forestry Co-op program can offer guidance and a network of support at any point of your journey.
