Paul Hessburg is a Senior Research Ecologist with USDA-Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, and affiliate Full Professor at UW, OSU, WSU, UBC. He is the 2022-2026 President of the International Association for Fire Ecology (AFE) and Distinguished Scientist USDA, International Association for Landscape Ecology-North America, and AFE. His research explores wildfire and climate change effects on landscape and wildfire dynamics, and the structure and organization of historical, current, and future landscape resilience.
How attribution science can explain the rising number and intensity of floods in BC
Prof. Younes Alila
Devastating floods have become an increasingly common part of life in British Columbia. In the late 1990s, BC’s Cariboo region experienced numerous floods and landslides. The ‘flood of the century’ happened in fall 2003 when hundreds of Squamish and Paradise Valley residents were forced to evacuate their homes. Later, a 2018 flood event in Grand Forks caused extensive damage, impacting more than 400 homes, farms and businesses. In 2021, successive atmospheric rivers in BC’s Pacific north-west caused billions of dollars in damage from catastrophic flooding and triggered landslides that killed five people.
Urban encroachment on floodplains and climate change are partly to blame. However, they cannot fully account for a trend that has many researchers, including UBC Forestry Prof. Younes Alila, ringing alarm bells. Through scientific inquiry and the application of a framework known as attribution science, Younes’s investigations have revealed important data on the root causes of more frequent and severe flooding in the province.
The science of attribution
Attribution science has traditionally been applied to climate change research to analyze whether or not extreme weather events can be traced back to a single cause.
Climate change attribution has made significant advances in recent years, but has rarely been applied to extreme events, such as major floods. These events often involve complex interactions that make it hard to identify a single cause.
Using historical data, Younes and his team have been able to link more frequent and severe flooding to areas with substantial forest cover loss at their headwaters — highlands from which tributaries flow.
“People living in these areas consistently find themselves on flood watch, indicating that certain regions of the province are regularly at risk of flooding,” says Younes. “It appears as if these compromised watersheds have exceeded their resilience threshold, making them unable to withstand flooding events any longer.”
Land use changes often associated with urbanization, agricultural practices, mining and various other activities also contribute to soil instability and displacement that can increase the risk of severe flooding. Similarly, landscape hydrology can be altered by changes to forest cover from clearcut logging, beetle infestations or wildfires, as can flood management policies that heavily rely on downstream infrastructure to hold back rising water levels, such as dykes, bridges and culverts, Younes concludes.
“It is important to consider the causes behind why some areas have become community flooding hotspots,” states Younes. “While government agencies and the public often attribute these events to global warming, other equally significant, or potentially more impactful, factors are exacerbating the risk of these extremes.”
Attribution Science Defined
According to Certified Consulting Meteorologist, Jim Foerster, the emerging study of attribution science involves the analysis of causal links between climate change and extreme weather events, such as heat domes, forest fires, floods and atmospheric rivers. To date, several published research papers have drawn connections between extreme weather events and the effects of human-caused climate change from the emission of greenhouse gasses from such things as the burning of fossil fuels, states Jim in a 2023 Forbes article. For example, research found that climate change-related stressors significantly increased the amount of rainfall during the Category 4 Hurricane Harvey that hit southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana in 2017.
A flood of legal action
When it comes to flooding and the application of attribution science, the public, including legal authorities and insurance companies, is taking notice.
In 2015, Younes served as an expert witness in a case involving a BC rancher who successfully secured a settlement against a forestry company that had clear-cut logged near the rancher’s home. The prosecution argued that the logging had significantly and detrimentally altered the water flow in a nearby creek, leading to flooding that decimated 35 hectares of the rancher’s lands. For a 2022 provincial court case, Younes drafted a 70-page report that outlined how clear-cut logging and other activities had likely contributed to two instances of flooding within six years at a couple’s acreage south of Smithers, BC. The $300,000 settlement that the couple received from the province made headline news across the country and in other parts of the world.
Younes is currently working on providing expert testimony for another ongoing court case in BC where clear-cut logging is in question.
Solutions require new ways of thinking
With much of the province’s landscape affected by climate and land-use changes — including forest cover loss — mitigation and management solutions are urgently needed.
“It all starts with a fundamental shift in mindset,” says Younes. “Logging practices within the province’s Timber Supply Areas need to be updated in favour of abandoning clear-cut logging for biodiverse-friendly, restorative practices, including selective, strip-cut and small-patch logging.”
“We must synchronize our flood management strategy in the more populated lowlands with our land use, forest resources and water resources management policies in the uplands.”
A concerted effort among different levels of government, as well as non-governmental leaders and industry, is needed now to make a meaningful contribution to addressing some of the root causes of flood risk, adds Younes.
in the Spring 2024 issue of Branchlines Magazine. View the full issue here.
Here’s a look at UBC Forestry in the media this month
B.C. landslide blocks Chilco sockeye access to spawning ground, threatening the hearty ‘superfish’ Forestry professor Dr. Scott Hinch discussed the impacts of rising water temperatures on Pacific salmon. Globe and Mail (subscription)
Extreme heat is a huge killer — these local approaches can keep people safe Forestry professor Dr. Melissa McHale weighed in on local approaches to keep people safe and cool in extreme heat. Nature
Dry conditions, lightning contributed to Alberta’s record-breaking 2023 wildfire season: study Forestry professor Dr. Lori Daniels said large fires are more likely when weather conditions are hot and dry and when there are extended droughts. CBC News via Yahoo
Dangerous embers from Dunbar fire blew 1.5 km into Pacific Spirit Park Forestry professor Dr. Lori Daniels said there is fire risk in urban forests near heavily populated areas. Postmedia via Vancouver Sun, The Province, Prince George Post
Logging after wildfires is a hot industry in B.C. Could it do more harm than good? Forestry professor Dr. Christopher Gaston commented on B.C.’s logging industry. The Narwhal
The threat of climate change demands something more than thoughts, prayers and excuses Forestry professor Dr. Lori Daniels said local communities need to build up their research and expertise so that they’re better equipped to manage the forests around them. CBC News via Yahoo
‘A huge risk:’ How this longtime B.C. forestry family pivoted from sawmill to meet the growing demand for mass timber construction Forestry professor emeritus Dr. Gary Bull said B.C.’s forest tenure system, which gives individuals rights to harvest timber, needs serious reform. Postmedia via Vancouver Sun, The Province
Canada’s 2023 wildfires released almost 10 years worth of carbon dioxide in one of the world’s worst fire seasons, report finds Media mentioned research by forestry professor Dr. Lori Daniels which found that wildfire emissions can be two to three times larger than that emitted from industry and human activity, provided that the reporting from industry is accurate. The Globe and Mail
Why massive swarms of moths appear in summer in Thompson-Okanagan Forestry professor Dr. Allan Carroll explained why swarms of moths appear in the summer. iNFO News
Effects of landslide on salmon population Forestry professors Drs. Scott Hinch and John Richardson discussed how the Chilcotin River could affect fish populations. Dr. Hinch: CKNW Jas Johal Show, Dr. Richardson: Tri-Cities Dispatch
Climate change could return a stolen lake to Indigenous people, a century later UBC forestry scientists, members of the Sumas First Nation and other partners co-authored a study which recommended allowing B.C.’s Sumas Prairie to revert to a lake. Mongabay UBC News coverage
‘I could feel the heat’: Dunbar fire evacuee recalls massive Vancouver blaze Forestry professor Dr. Felix Wiesner said buildings that are built with wood are at higher risk of fire breaking out during construction. CityNews Vancouver
Metro Van is losing trees. That means a hotter future Forestry professor Dr. Lorien Nesbitt said efforts to expand tree canopies in Vancouver need to pay attention to inequities. The Tyee
Dr. Eduardo Pablo Cappa holds a PhD (2007) in agricultural sciences from the School of Agronomy, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is a quantitative forest geneticist and his main research areas are mixed linear models, statistical methods, and quantitative genetics and genomics for evaluation of forest trees.
I am a molecular ecologist working as a Research Scientist at the Hakai Institute. My research focus is on ecological, environmental, and ancient genomics. I am passionate about science and education and I have worked in the field of ecological genetics and wildlife conservation for over 15 years.
I work with partners in academia, government, and non-governmental organizations in Canada and the United States to understand how environmental factors, including human influences, shape ecosystems and the evolutionary trajectory of wildlife. My primary interest is in applying genomics tools, in combination with traditional ecological approaches and community knowledge, to answer questions that will help inform and shape conservation policy.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry have made an extraordinary discovery: a new super-black material that absorbs almost all light, named Nxylon. This accidental breakthrough holds promising applications in fields such as fine jewelry, solar cells, and precision optical devices.
UBC Forestry researchers have created a new super-black material that absorbs almost all light. From left, Dengcheng Feng, Kenny Cheng, Dr. Philip Evans and Sara Xu
The Accidental Breakthrough
Dr. Philip Evans and PhD student Kenny Cheng initially aimed to make wood more water-repellent using high-energy plasma, mimicking the lotus leaf effect. However, when they applied this technique to the cut ends of wood cells, the surfaces turned extremely black.
Collaborations with Texas A&M University’s astronomy and physics department confirmed that this new material reflected less than one percent of visible light, absorbing almost all the light that struck it.
Rather than overlooking this unexpected result, the UBC team pivoted their research focus to developing super-black materials, contributing a novel approach to the ongoing search for the darkest materials on Earth.
What Makes Nxylon Unique
“Ultra-black or super-black material can absorb more than 99 percent of the light that strikes it – significantly more than normal black paint, which absorbs about 97.5 percent of light,” explained Dr. Evans, a professor in the Faculty of Forestry and BC Leadership Chair in Advanced Forest Products Manufacturing Technology.
Super-black materials have significant demand in astronomy, where ultra-black coatings on devices help reduce stray light and improve image clarity. These materials also have the potential to enhance the efficiency of solar cells and are used in art pieces, luxury consumer items like watches, and in coating solar cells.
The researchers have developed prototype commercial products using Nxylon, initially focusing on watches and jewelry, with plans to explore other commercial applications in the future.
The UBC Forestry-developed super-black wood inherently prevents light from escaping rather than depending on black pigments.
The Birth of Nxylon
The team named their discovery Nxylon (niks-uh-lon), after Nyx, the Greek goddess of the night, and xylon, the Greek word for wood.
Unlike most super-black materials that rely on coatings or veneers, Nxylon remains black even when coated with an alloy (such as gold-vanadium) due to its structure, which inherently prevents light from escaping rather than depending on black pigments.
Plasma etching creates a low-density surface with large gaps between the wood’s pores, forming a network of hollow fibers and tapered columns. These tiny structures, combined with the wood’s natural composition, absorb and trap light, giving the material its super-black appearance.
“Nxylon’s composition combines the benefits of natural materials with advanced structural features, making it lightweight, stiff, and durable,” adds Dr. Evans. The UBC team envisions Nxylon potentially replacing expensive and rare black woods like ebony and rosewood and being used in jewelry pieces where the black gemstone onyx would typically be used.
Made from basswood, a tree widely found in North America and valued for hand carving, boxes, shutters, and musical instruments, Nxylon can also utilize other types of wood.
The team of researchers at UBC Forestry have developed prototype watches and jewelry using the new super-black wood.
Revitalizing Forestry
Dr. Evans and his colleagues plan to launch a start-up, Nxylon Corporation of Canada, to develop practical applications in collaboration with jewelers, artists, and tech product designers. They also plan to test other low-to-medium density hardwoods for plasma modification to produce larger super-black wood samples suitable for non-reflective ceiling and wall tiles.
“Nxylon can be made from sustainable and renewable materials widely found in B.C. and North America, leading to new applications for wood. The wood industry in B.C. is often seen as a sunset industry focused on commodity products—our research demonstrates its untapped potential,” said Dr. Evans.
Other researchers who contributed to this work include Vickie Ma, Dengcheng Feng, and Sara Xu.
My name is Tara Atleo, haḥuuła, and I come from the Ahousaht First Nation, house of ƛaqišpiił. The Ahousaht haḥuułii (territories) are on the west coast of Vancouver Island and we speak a dialect of the nuučaan̓uł (Nuu-chah-nulth) language.
Prior to joining the Faculty of Forestry, I was working with the BC Ministry of Lands, Water and Resource Stewardship on the land use planning and stewardship initiatives teams, and as a practitioner and consultant on sustainable development and resource management initiatives in Indigenous territories. I consider myself a stewardship economist and am interested in a more comprehensive approach to economic considerations on the land base and how they can empower Indigenous law and governance.
What drew you to your work?
During my undergraduate degree I worked on an ecotourism community development project in my home community. This allowed me to live in my community and build sustainable and meaningful employment opportunities for others while helping to steward the territories. The business courses I was taking were helpful for this work, but there were consistent gaps between what I was learning at university and the application I was experiencing in the territories.
My interest was piqued when working through my first few economics courses; I felt like there was an opportunity for the economics I was learning to serve what we were working on in the territories, but it needed an enhanced approach that spoke to a cultural mandate and to our Indigenous laws. This interest has guided me through my academic and professional pursuits and is the foundation of what I plan to build on while at UBC.
What do you hope to achieve through your work at UBC?
I believe that to appropriately explore the importance and intricacies of Indigenous-led stewardship it is critical to have that applied on-the-ground practitioner approach, paired with the theoretical understanding necessary to conduct foundational change. Through my work at UBC, I hope to explore and legitimize the empowerment of Indigenous law and governance in economic considerations for land-based decision-making in a way that directly supports communities’ work within their territories.
What attracted you to UBC/UBC Forestry?
It is a privilege to work and learn on the beautiful territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Musqeam people. The partnerships and deep connection to the lands and waters can be felt through this campus and through the significant and innovative work being done here. Within the Faculty of Forestry specifically, people speak about their research and collaborations with infectious passion and it’s clear that there is a culture of supporting people to explore and create tangible and thoughtful change.
What are you most looking forward to in the Faculty of Forestry?
I’m most looking forward to connecting with all of the high-calibre fine folks within the Faculty of Forestry and getting started!
As the world gears up for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, we at UBC Forestry remember our significant role in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games.
In October 2009, the Ministry of Forests and the Vancouver 2010 Olympics Organizing Committee (VANOC) approached our Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) with a unique challenge. They needed us to fabricate and process the wooden pieces required to build 23 Olympic podiums and 100 medal trays.
The journey to creating the iconic Olympic podiums and medal trays was a testament to the dedication, innovation, and collaboration of our faculty.
The Design
An early prototype of the Olympic Podium in the Forest Sciences Centre. The podiums’ design, shaped like Vancouver Island, furthered their representation of British Columbia.
Our cutting-edge machinery and expertise made us the ideal choice for this complex project.
The late Leo Obstbaum designed the podiums to tell the unique story of British Columbia’s mountains and coasts. Each podium was built from one of 18 different wood types, harvested and donated by communities, First Nations, companies and individuals from across B.C. Fourteen were built from wood donated by community forests, two from family-run woodlots, two from cities, six from businesses, and five from First Nations.
Communities as small as the Cheslatta Carrier Nation, with a population of 325 at the time, came together to contribute timber for this enormous project. At that time, B.C.’s forests were severely impacted by the mountain pine beetle infestation. Certain podiums featured the unique blue stain caused by the beetles, illustrating the story of B.C.’s forests.
The podiums ranged from 480cm to 1525 cm in length, 170 to 500 cm in depth and 30 to 60 cm in height. The lightest podium, built of Western Red Cedar, weighed approximately 200 kilograms. Each podium was assembled from more than 200 wooden pieces.
Jason Chiu, current Managing Director of the CAWP, cheering on Team Canada in 2010.
Leung recalls that some of the future podium pieces were still standing while they were processing others.
“I am immensely proud to have been a part of this incredible project, as the 2010 Winter Olympics were undoubtedly a highlight for Vancouver,” Leung said. “This project allowed us to showcase the cutting-edge machinery and innovative design in the woodworking industry.”
The project was a major undertaking for the CAWP team of less than ten people, but their determination and hours of work made the massive effort possible.
Jason Chiu, current managing director of the CAWP recalls that team members worked through Christmas day, and some stayed working past midnight during production.
Most Canadians remember exactly where they were when Sidney Crosby scored the famous ‘Golden Goal.’ Leung was here at CAWP, fabricating pieces needed for the Paralympic podiums. The TV where he watched the Golden Goal still sits here as a piece of history, 14 years later.
The Lucky Loonie
The CAWP team incorporated Canada’s “Lucky Loonie” into the podium for the Ice Hockey Gold Medal celebrations.
The entire nation celebrated as Canada’s ice hockey teams brought home the gold medals. However, few people knew about the lucky charm that might have made the difference.
In 2002, Canada’s Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey teams brought home the gold from the Salt Lake City Olympic Games. At these games, a legendary Canadian tradition began with a lucky loonie placed under the ice. The CAWP team decided to continue this tradition, placing a loonie in the podium created for the gold medal game.
A Testament of Innovation
Our contribution to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics remains a proud chapter in our history.
The podiums serve as a remarkable testament to the dedication and innovation at CAWP and UBC Forestry. The team’s unwavering commitment was evident as they worked through holidays and long hours to ensure the project’s success.
The inclusion of Canada’s “Lucky Loonie” added a unique and symbolic element to their work. This behind-the-scenes dedication exemplifies the hard work and passion essential to the success of the Olympic Games. It leaves a lasting legacy and sets a high standard for future events.
Centre for Advanced Wood Processing
The Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) is Canada’s national centre for education, training and technical assistance for the wood products manufacturing industry. CAWP offers a wide range of training courses, professional e-learning programs, in-plant training, product development, and manufacturing improvement services. CAWP conducts and coordinates applied research and development while supporting the award-winning B.Sc. in Natural Resources, Wood Products major and its cooperative education program.
UBC Forestry would like to congratulate Marina Melanidis on being awarded UBC’s Young Alumni Award.
“This UBC-wide award is highly competitive and prestigious, and we couldn’t be any prouder. This is a truly phenomenal and well-deserved achievement.” – Shannon Hagerman, Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and Rob Kozak, Dean
About the UBC Young Alumni Award
The Alumni UBC Achievement Awards to be celebrated on November 19, 2024, will honour eight inspiring UBC community members. One of these, the Young Alumni Award, recognizes a young UBC alum (35 or under) whose outstanding achievements and leadership in their career or community service inspire others.
About Marina Melanidis
Marina Melanidis at COP26
Ms. Marina Melanidis is a climate justice activist who has led youth delegations at conferences such as COP 25 and 26. Her research has focused on managing climate change and biodiversity loss using holistic, nature-based approaches. Marina completed a BSc in Natural Resources Conservation and a MSc from UBC Forestry. Her award-winning MSc thesis, titled Big Ideas with Big Potential Impacts: Narratives and Perceptions of Nature-Based Solutions Across Scales of Governance, explores these themes.
Marina is the Founder of Youth4Nature, an international non-profit organization created by youth, for youth. This organization educates, equips, and empowers young people to become leaders in systemic solutions for nature and climate crises, integrating traditional and scientific knowledge and emphasizing intergenerational justice.
Melanidis has been recognized as a Canadian Climate Champion, Top 25 Environmentalist Under 25, and Top 30 Sustainable Leader Under 30.
Starting in September 2024, Marina will be pursuing a PhD in Geography at the University of Cambridge. Her research will build on her experiences fundraising for grassroots and youth-led biodiversity conservation projects with Youth4Nature. She will explore the narratives and power dynamics within biodiversity conservation philanthropy, aiming to identify funding methods that promote just and effective conservation practices.
