This February, the Master of International Forestry program shook up their usual field component with a trip to Costa Rica. Program Lecturer and Coordinator, Peter Wood, shares more about the experience.
The pride in the eyes of the man leading us through the lush tropical forest is evident. Over the past 40 years, Rodriguez Paniagua has restored what was previously degraded pasture into a thriving ecosystem, now alive with the sounds of birds and insects, and he takes great joy in showing it off. The students are enthralled by the story of how he secured the support of the local community to restore the watershed, and in the process, reduce drought and flooding events.
This was but one of several stops featured in the Master of International Forestry (MIF) field trip to Costa Rica this February, hosted by the Center for Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education (CATIE). Costa Rica presents an excellent opportunity to explore many of the questions tackled by the MIF program, including: What makes forests (and forestry) an international issue? How can countries learn from each other’s mistakes and best practices? What exactly is “sustainable forest management,” and what role can this play in achieving Sustainable Development Goals?
Costa Rica offers many conservation success stories, including bringing back its forest cover from 25% in the 1980s, to 60% today, standing in stark contrast to its neighbours.
This is in part due to strict legal protections that were established for primary forests, and payment-for-ecosystem-services schemes, all designed to meet obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity and other international agreements. It was fascinating to hear the MIF students reflect on how tensions between conservation and development are playing out in their own countries, including Canada.
Other highlights of the trip included a boat tour of a mangrove ecosystem, a visit to a teak plantation, a hike through a high-altitude cloud forest, and making chocolate from raw cacao pods. The CATIE campus, a bustling hub of research nestled within a forest southeast of San Jose, provided an excellent base and allowed us to interact with many researchers working on some of these issues.
We are looking forward to returning to Costa Rica with the new cohort of the MIF, which is a one-year course-based master’s program that prepares students for a career in international forestry. Prospective students are encouraged to follow us on LinkedIn and check out the MIF website, which includes a short video about the field trip.
Williams Lake, B.C. – The University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship’s Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Academy, based at the Alex Fraser Research Forest, has successfully wrapped up its June 2025 field training, bringing together participants from Ontario, the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia for an intensive, hands-on learning experience.
Over five days, participants developed the technical skills and strategic knowledge needed to implement biomass energy projects, especially in remote Indigenous communities, while deepening their understanding of forest management, wildfire prevention, and community resilience.
Through training on the CHP system, participants learned to operate and maintain biomass energy equipment, tracing the complete pathway from forest to fuel to community heat and power.
“When people come here, they don’t just learn about a machine,” says Mustafa Onder Ersin, Project Manager of the CHP Academy. “They learn how forests can provide sustainable energy, how to evaluate funding opportunities, and how to turn slash piles from wildfire prevention into clean power. That’s the kind of knowledge that builds long-term community resilience.”
Skills Participants Developed
Forests & Forestry: Understanding how sustainable forestry supports long-term biomass supply and ecosystem health
Biomass Supply Chains: From slash recovery and roadside processing to wood chip preparation
Wildfire Prevention: Converting hazardous fuels from wildfire mitigation projects into CHP feedstock
Fossil Fuel Displacement: Measuring diesel savings and greenhouse gas reductions with biomass systems
Funding & Grants: Identifying Indigenous, provincial, and federal program opportunities
Pre-feasibility Analysis: Assessing local resources, technical needs, and community readiness
Site Planning & Integration: Designing CHP systems to support community infrastructure, such as greenhouses and district heating
Looking Ahead
Future CHP Academy sessions are scheduled for September, October, and December 2025, and January 2026. Tuition-free training, including accommodations, meals, and travel subsidies, is available for Indigenous participants.
By connecting bioenergy technology with forest stewardship and climate resilience, the CHP Academy provides communities with the tools to shape their sustainable energy future. For more information or to register, visit the Alex Fraser Research Forest website or contact chp.academy@ubc.ca.
About the Alex Fraser Research Forest
Part of UBC’s Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, the Alex Fraser Research Forest spans nearly 10,000 hectares of crown forest in British Columbia’s Cariboo region. The forest serves as a living laboratory for education, research, and demonstrations of sustainable forest management practices.
About FPInnovations
FPInnovations is a not-for-profit organization that develops solutions to support the Canadian forest sector’s global competitiveness. With research facilities in Québec City, Montréal, and Vancouver, and technology transfer centres across Canada, FPInnovations delivers applied research, advanced technologies, and innovative solutions for all areas of the forest sector’s value chain.
UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship congratulates Dr. Melissa McHale on receiving one of two prestigious Wall Fellowships, UBC’s highest-value internal research awards. The fellowships will fund innovative research to help B.C. communities adapt to climate change and address rising housing demands.
Project Title: Rising Heat, Roaring Flames, and Waning Waters: Building a Climate-Resilient Research Hub for British Columbia
The Okanagan Valley is feeling the effects of climate change more than ever with hotter summers, more frequent wildfires and growing pressure on water supplies. On top of this, rapid growth and urban development are adding new challenges for local communities.
Melissa’s research is tackling these issues head-on in partnership with the City of Kelowna, Indigenous communities and local organizations. The project is exploring how cities can:
Use trees and vegetation to cool neighbourhoods while saving water
Design greener spaces that also reduce wildfire risk
Build healthier, more inclusive communities through nature-based solutions
This work is also laying the foundation for Canada’s first Long-Term Social-Ecological Research (LTSER) site, part of a worldwide network studying how people and nature can thrive together. What makes this site unique is that it’s guided by Indigenous knowledge and leadership from the very beginning, helping to shape a more sustainable future for the Okanagan and beyond.
About the Wall Fellowships Award
Each year, the Wall Fellowships provide nearly $4 million to support innovative UBC research that tackles major sustainability challenges in B.C. and beyond. Made possible by Dr. Peter Wall’s remarkable gift now exceeding $100 million, the awards advance projects in urban sustainability, coastal protection and sustainable approaches to resource-intensive industries. From climate change and biodiversity loss to cleaner transportation, energy storage and resilient water systems, the Wall Fellowships are driving solutions for a more sustainable future.
View the full list of 2025 Wall Legacy Award recipients, including three UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship faculty members and four graduate students here.
Talia Chen is a rising fourth year in the Natural Resources Conservation program – Global Perspectives major. She is also in the Bachelor’s + Master of Management (B+MM) program with the Sauder School of Business.
This summer, Talia has been working as a Research Assistant at the Dragon Lab studying under Associate Professor Dr. Harry Nelson. This position is a WorkLearn position.
The Dragon Lab focuses on community resilience and works with Indigenous and forest communities globally to support their governance of natural resources.
In this Q&A, Talia describes what she has been working on, how her degree has helped her be successful in this role and the skills she has developed.
What are your responsibilities at this job?
I’m working on a research project with Dr. William Nikolakis, Dr. Harry Nelson, and Haitao Li, studying voluntary prescribed burn associations across the US. I’ve been gathering information on these organizations (who, where, how old, acres burned, org structure, etc) and looking through existing literature to understand why/how these groups form. We’re putting together a paper on our findings to advise policy on prescribed burns (and potentially cultural burns) in Canada.
How has your degree prepared you for this role?
My degree has always promoted the intersection between environmental science, social science, and policy, and understanding how those fields interact has been very helpful in approaching my work in this position. In analyzing the circumstances under which these prescribed burn associations exist, we have to look at factors like social capital and other contextual information in addition to factors like wildfire risk and topography. It feels very broad sometimes because there are so many angles to look at this topic from.
What skills have you developed from this role?
Since we started working on this at the start of the summer, it’s been interesting seeing how this team tackles all the unknowns involved. I’ve also never worked with a spatial analyst or written a research paper so it’s been great learning how to incorporate those elements into a research project.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
I go into the Dragon Lab around noon and stay there working until the evening. My work can be done remotely so if the team doesn’t have a meeting scheduled I don’t always come in, but there are usually a couple people in the lab and being around them helps me focus better. Sometimes I’ll take a break to chat with some of the other undergrads working in the forestry building this summer.
What is your favorite part of this job?
My favorite part of this job is that I’m working towards something that can help the wildfires in my home state of California. We’re hoping to advise BC policy on prescribed burns but I’m eager to gain a better understanding of the landscape of prescribed burns in the states as well. I like that this project allows me to dive into the landscape of collaborative wildfire mitigation via prescribed burning. It’s also been fascinating seeing the crossover with revitalizing cultural burning in much of the US.
Invasive Species Program Coordinator – The Invasive Species Council of BC
As an Invasive Species Program Coordinator at ISCBC, I have been focused on monitoring Japanese Beetle traps in the lower mainland weekly as part of a bigger survey led by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, using GIS softwares. I have also been working on monthly Box Tree Moth monitoring, invasive species resource development (i.e. factsheets), coordinating outreach events, and assisting in a multitude of other projects where I can.
I have learned a lot about current management techniques used to combat invasive species (i.e. prevention and biocontrol), as well as the dynamics between invasive and native species. This experience has allowed me to explore areas within ecology and conservation I had not considered, which has expanded my understanding of the current conservation situation in BC.
Date: September 30, 2025 | 11:45 am – 3:00 pm PST Location: Various locations around UBC Vancouver Campus, meeting at 1956 Main Mall
Walking Forward: Honouring Youth, Carrying Hope
Join us for an Intergenerational March to commemorate Orange Shirt Day (OSD). The Faculties of Land and Food Systems and Forestry are honoured to host this event. This is one way the Faculties demonstrate their commitment to the UBC Indigenous Strategic Plan. Members of the UBC community, families and those in solidarity are welcome to participate. The March is intergenerational, and aims to be educational and supportive to the Indigenous community on campus and beyond. Educational activities will allow younger participants to connect with the original inhabitants of the land and plant a seed to continue these conversations about a difficult era in Canadian history at home.
We encourage you to stop by the open area outside the UBC Bookstore to purchase educational materials and t-shirts. The UBC Bookstore trailer will be on site from 10:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Food is available for purchase at the AMS Nest, or any of the restaurants along University Boulevard.
T-shirt proceeds are donated to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society. If you would like to donate directly, please visit the IRSSS website.
Pacific Assistance Dogs Society training dogs and handlers will join attendees at the 1956 Main Mall, amphitheatre near the Ladner Clock Tower to provide support during the march.
Participants gather at outdoor ‘amphitheatre’ below the clock tower
1956 Main Mall
12:00-12:05 p.m.
Event starts and students introduce speakers and performers
1956 Main Mall
12:05-12:20 p.m.
Opening by a Musqueam Elder
1956 Main Mall
12:20-12:50 p.m.
Drum group perform
1956 Main Mall
12:50-1:15 p.m.
Speech by a survivor of St. Paul’s Residential School, Sam George of the Squamish Nation
1956 Main Mall
1:15-1:30 p.m.
Aileen Michel (L’il Bear) and Mitchell Tourangeau perform
1956 Main Mall
1:30-1:35 p.m.
MC outlines the route, identifies volunteers, and explains the march map and QR code. Volunteers distribute cards for messages of action towards reconciliation. PADS dogs and UBC counsellors are there for support.
1956 Main Mall
1:35–1:50 p.m.
March begins with placards and informational signage along the way
From 1956 Main Mall down Main Mall, towards Thunderbird Commons Field
1:50-2:00 p.m.
All participants can add written messages of action and support at tables, handprints to the Engineering cairn on Main Mall
Main Mall, Engineering cairn outside of the Kaiser building
2:00-2:20 p.m.
Stephanie Holmes, an activist and son of Alberni Residential School survivor John Jones, speaks
Thunderbird Commons Field
2:20-2:30 p.m.
Closing words from Dana-Lyn Mackenzie, member of the Hwlitsum First Nation and Senior Manager of EDI.I for the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship and Land and Food Systems
Thunderbird Commons Field
2:30–3:00 p.m.
Volunteers available to collect messages of support, solidarity and action towards reconciliation, messages and handprints also can be added to Engineering cairn
Thunderbird Commons Field
3:00 p.m.
Intergenerational March concludes
n/a
4:00 p.m.
Women of the Fur Trade Written by Frances Končan | Directed by Renae Morrisseau A sharp, witty satire that re-imagines fur-trade history through the bold voices of three women. More details & tickets: touchstonetheatre.com
Frederic Wood Theatre
More Information
The Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre provides OSD resources and events throughout September.
Take Weaving Relations, a self-directed Canvas course which provides Indigenous awareness training. Available to UBC students, staff, and faculty.
Check out media from years past to learn more about the Intergenerational March to commemorate OSD.
Wellness Resources
Engaging with Indian Residential School histories and legacies can lead to emotional reactions and (unexpectedly) difficult thoughts and feelings. Sometimes these can surface hours, days, or weeks later. This is perfectly normal. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, it is important to respect your needs and to be kind to yourself.
Junior Modelling and Drafting Technician – StructureCraft
While working for Structure Craft in the drawing office, I have had the pleasure of working on several different projects. Structure Craft is primarily an engineering firm that also works with consultation and supply and install for the mass timber products. We produce a unique mass timber product called DLT (Dowel laminated timber).
My primary tasks have consisted of working on data gathering from old projects to be able to better estimate production costs. Working on new projects, whether that be during the modeling process of fabrication process or producing production drawings, this co-op semester has been exceptional in the way of generating practical skills in the area I wish to focus on after I graduate. Developing Connections and skills that I can take to the future no matter where I go. I would love to thank the management at Structure Craft for this amazing opportunity to learn and work under them.
During my first term as a UBC Co-op student, I have been working as a Forestry Technician for Coastal Natural Resource Management Ltd. I have had the pleasure of working all over Northern British Columbia, spending time in Mackenzie, Prince George, and Quesnel. I have undertaken a wide variety of roles, such as conducting silviculture regen surveys, boundary and road layout, as well as riparian assessment.
In my time with Coastal, I have learned the procedures of block layout, including access planning, slope gauging, as well as timber and riparian evaluation, all the while improving my native tree and shrub identification skills. I have come to appreciate long rewarding days in the field, as I have had countless eye-opening wildlife sightings. The most memorable being a brief, yet breathtaking run in with a wolverine!
I originally joined the UBC Co-op program to gain experience applying learnings from the classroom; however, my time working with Coastal has been so much than that. I have thoroughly enjoyed improving my data collection and analysis, species ID knowhow, and my understanding of forest dynamics. I look forward to continuing to work in remote areas of British Columbia with kind and hardworking people as it has been an extremely rewarding experience.
I have been working as part of a soil processing department at Bureau Veritas in British Columbia for two months during my co-op term. As part of its environmental services, Bureau Veritas provides analytical data to ensure its clients have the values that need to be protected and uphold quality and control. My role involves processing samples provided by clients, weighing them to one gram, and then diluting the samples with chemicals like nitric and hydrochloric acid. I will deliver the work to other departments for further analysis.
With the Co-op program, I have gained a better understanding of the different procedures and purposes of the various positions that are available. This pushes me to be better than I am today, and it still gives me the strength to explore more challenges that the Co-op program offers. I am glad to learn more from my peers and colleagues about the different opportunities that are available to me and encourage future Co-op students to look for many unique opportunities that can lead to various pathways and different objectives.
Wood Science Intern – Structure Monitoring Technology Research
I have been working at SMT Research, where I’ve contributed to a range of projects focused on monitoring systems for mass timber and building envelope performance. My work has included writing blog posts about building crises in different countries, drafting technical articles and project profiles, and supporting outreach to architects, engineers, and mass timber manufacturers. I’ve also been involved in designing 3D models to illustrate how our roof leak detection systems are integrated into building assemblies.
This co-op has allowed me to combine technical knowledge with creative communication, expand my industry awareness, and take part in solutions that support more resilient, sustainable buildings. It’s been a valuable experience, and I encourage others to join co-op to explore real-world applications of their studies and build meaningful industry connections.
