UBC Forestry’s new “Notes from the Field” series highlights the work of different community forests in collaboration with the British Columbia Community Forests Association.
If your community forest wishes to be featured in this publication series, please contact Deborah DeLong at deborah.delong@ubc.ca
By Sarah Ripplinger, Faculty of Forestry Dean’s Office writer
Meet Yemi Adeyeye. The City Forester/Manager of Forestry and Natural Areas with the City of Windsor, Yemi has extensive experience in many facets of forestry and across different institutional settings.
The multifaceted nature of Dr. Yemi Adeyeye’s (PhD(Forestry)’20) academic and career pursuits have helped him secure opportunities ranging from research and faculty roles in Nigeria to program coordination, management and directorial roles with the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF), Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), World Agroforestry (ICRAF) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. For his current role as the City Forester and Manager of Forestry and Natural Areas with the City of Windsor, Yemi has led the development of the city’s first urban forest management plan — within one year of being hired. On top of travelling around the world to study and work, Yemi has given back through extensive volunteerism in support of youth/young professionals and other often marginalized or underrepresented communities.
Yemi holds a National Diploma in Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology from the Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan; a B.Tech in Agricultural Technology from the Federal University of Technology Akure; an MSc in Environmental Forestry from Bangor University; an MSc in Agricultural Development, Forests and Livelihoods from the University of Copenhagen; and a PhD in International Forestry with a focus on global spaces, communities and natural resources from UBC. Yemi’s PhD dissertation examined intersections of power, people and spaces in resource governance, part of which includes issues within the development of an Indigenous-driven environmental intervention in Bolivia and knowledge politics in global environmental forums.
I first learned about the opportunity from my dad, who met with one of his friends and discussed educational options for high school graduates. He returned home and showed me a piece of paper on which he/his friend had written “wood and paper technology” along with “forestry technology.” He asked me which interested me the most. I chose the one that looked the strangest to me, which was wood and paper technology. Ultimately, it was a sense of curiosity that initiated me into the forestry profession.
One of the main reasons is that I love to travel. I am someone who seeks adventure and new challenges. There was a period of time when I was going between Europe, North America, Africa and Asia for different reasons, and other times when I had multiple residences in different countries. It was exciting, but also meant that I had to leave a lot of things behind me as I moved from place to place.
I lead strategic and operational activities for urban forestry management within the Department of Forestry and Natural Areas, which includes the Ojibway Prairie Complex, Peche Island and Spring Garden ANSI. While I’m accountable to fulfilling the city’s mandate, I need to listen closely to community needs and incorporate the sometimes competing interests of community members. It is crucial to engage in conversations and consensus-building to balance the need for green space with other city infrastructure, such as utilities and sidewalks.
I have been heavily involved in community-level, equity-focused forestry throughout my academic and professional career. My volunteer work is an opportunity to advocate for or translate complicated policy, practices and processes to community members, working alongside them to further forest management, utilization and protection. The communities that I work with are First Nations; young people/professionals; people who are limited by resources, access and/or power; students; young women in agricultural sciences or forestry; among others. I often see a bit of myself in them. And I recognize that access is required to negotiate power.
For example, almost everything I’ve been able to achieve academically and professionally was made possible because a gatekeeper chose to open the gate to me. Even with the right qualifications for a role, you still need someone to let you through the gate. For example, Dr. Shannon Hagerman with UBC Forestry gave me access to a PhD program at UBC by agreeing to be my supervisor. Now I try to be that person for others whenever I find myself in the position of a gatekeeper. For example, I support, advocate for and provide information to students from Nigeria who are seeking admission to UBC.
Black History Month encapsulates some of the fundamentals of what we have discussed. It is a time in which people from the Black races are recognized for what they’ve achieved, as well as the limitations and oppressions they have faced. It celebrates Black people who have succeeded and those who are seeking success. It is also a month in which to focus on how people in power have the ability to shape the existence of others.
The fluidity with which I have transitioned from different roles and the range of disciplines I have covered throughout my career are sources of pride. I started teaching forestry at a young age and have conducted forestry research. I’ve held managerial roles in the agricultural sector and worked with international organizations, as well as with governments and organizations at all levels and across continents. I’m always open for new challenges, and often take on roles that involve making sense out of what might seem like chaos.
Here’s a look at UBC Forestry in the media this month
More opportunities for Williams Lake to get Wild & Immersive
Mark Gill, Alex Fraser Research Forest | The Williams Lake Tribune | February 29, 2024
This company makes wood products without trees
Shawn Mansfield | MIT Technology Review | February 28, 2024
Alternate links: Techno Blender
Get ready: This spring will see the biggest cicada emergence since the 1800s
Alan Carroll | The Weather Network | February 28, 2024
Was that the last of the snow for Vancouver this winter?
Elizabeth Wolkovich | Daily Hive | February 28, 2024
Opinion: Climate change denial bullying declining – but not fast enough
Opinion piece by Suzanne Simard, Mentions Lori Daniels, Younes Alila | Vancouver Sun | February 27, 2024
After a warm winter, Canada may see more drought, wildfires in the spring
John Richardson | Global News | February 27, 2024
Inside the NWT’s 2023 wildfire decision-making
Kira Hoffman | Cabin Radio | February 22, 2024
Sustainability of Okomu National Park: SCERA holds participatory management workshop
Terry Sunderland | The Nigerian Observer | February 21, 2024
‘Fortress’ conservation policies threaten the food security of rural populations
Terry Sunderland | The Conversation | February 13, 2024
UBC competition asks citizen scientists to predict when cherry blossoms will bloom
Elizabeth Wolkovich | Global News | February 8, 2024
Alternate links: Daily Hive; Glacier Media via Vancouver is Awesome, Burnaby Now, Richmond News, North Shore News, Tri-City News, New Westminster Record, Bowen Island Undercurrent; Black Press via Today in BC, Surrey Now-Leader, Kelowna Capital News, Langley Advance Times, Chilliwack Progress, Campbell River Mirror, Mission City Record, Aldergrove Star, Abbotsford News, Victoria News
UBC News coverage
Missing Russian data in the Arctic is causing gaps in research
Isla Myers-Smith | CBC The Early Edition | February 7, 2024
NGWSD: Christina Howard is an Ironwoman
Christina Howard | The Ubyssey | February 7, 2024
Atira supports Winters Hotel coroner’s inquest recommendations
Felix Wiesner | City News | February 6, 2024
New housing rules in B.C. trigger fears of ‘catastrophic’ loss of urban trees
Stephen Sheppard | The Narwhal | February 6, 2024
Softwood lumber tariffs and 7 World Cup matches in Vancouver (FR)
Gregory Paradis | Radio Canada | February 5, 2024
B.C. Climate News: ‘Historic’ drought forcing hydro-rich B.C., Manitoba to import electricity
Younes Alila | Vancouver Sun | February 3, 2024
Production Coordinator Co-op; Builders Door and Window Supply Ltd
Working for Builder Door & Window is a valuable experience. As a production coordinator, I must be at the forefront of processing and distributing orders to the production staff. Meanwhile, I was the person who maintained and updated the production software system and design library. I found myself coordinating various complicated tasks to achieve a smoothie manufacturing process. Although never perfect, solving every problem in the production lines, manufacturing implementing systems and design libraries, assisted by my supervisors, gave me a better understanding of the big picture of manufacturing systems, which can be a real booster of my career.
Additionally, I found that almost every course with “WOOD” has been applied to this coop term. I used knowledge from WOOD 245 (Programming for Wood Products Manufacturing Applications) to write and check the VBA codes of the product calculator, I used the design skills from WOOD 485(Furniture Construction) to generate the shop drawings of products and the industrial engineering knowledge learnt from WOOD 330 (Industrial Engineering) gives me a big picture of process improvement and manufacturing systems. Therefore, this valuable co-op term wasn’t just about acquiring technical skills-it was a holistic learning experience that blurred the lines between theory and practice. I really enjoyed it!
Providing clean electricity to 4 million customers takes a diverse workforce and that’s where you come in. We need your talent to help us build major projects to meet growing demand. To help our customers find clean energy solutions for their homes and businesses and to be ready to respond during storms and outages to keep our system reliable.
Working for BC Hydro is meaningful. And now, the stakes have been raised as we work towards a solution to climate change while safely providing clean, affordable electricity to our customers.
We offer a healthy work life balance, training opportunities and career progression. We’re proud to be ranked as one of B.C.’s Top Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers. Join us as we build an even cleaner B.C.
Please see the link below for more information about the position and how to apply.
First Resource Management Group (FRMG) is a growth-oriented firm situated in northeast and southeastern Ontario and Quebec. Our goal is to provide sustainable resource management services to our clients throughout Ontario and Quebec. Our multidiscipline team provides management services on 10 million hectares of Crown Forest in Ontario and Quebec. The scale of our operations creates a diversity of forestry challenges and a unique opportunity for new team members to learn from other professionals. Our core competency in forest program planning and implementation allows our forest industry, government and Indigenous clients to focus on their own core businesses, that is tenure and supply chain management.
We are active in developing nature-based solutions for our environment and climate. Our SkyForestTM remote sensing technology is being used on forests across Canada. Come grow with FRMG. FRMG rewards entrepreneurial leadership, innovation, continual improvement, a focus on customer satisfaction, and dedication to collaborative teamwork within our organization.
For more information about this job posting and how to apply see the link below.
In response to the urgent need for sustainable forest management practices, the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry is embarking on a series of field-based experiments to explore the benefits of variable retention and cutting-edge equipment. Led by esteemed forestry experts Dr. Suzanne Simard and Dr. Dominik Roeser, The Kantelberg Trials represent a step forward in addressing biodiversity and carbon deficits in industrialized conifer plantations.
With the aim of restoring ecological balance and enhancing carbon sequestration, these trials explore innovative variable retention alternatives to traditional clearcut logging helping to diversify forest management practices in BC.
At the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest (MKRF), the research project is taking place across more than 30 hectares of coastal Douglas-fir plantations established in the 1960s and early 1970s. During this era, the silvicultural practices, including seed collections, seedling nurseries, and tree planting, were not like today. Availability of seedlings, other than Douglas-fir were limited, and researchers and foresters envisioned more intensive silviculture practices intended to maximize volume yield and economic returns. “This led to monocultures of Douglas-fir in ecosystems and site conditions that historically included mixtures of species, such as western redcedar, big leaf maple, and western hemlock,” says Hélène Marcoux, Registered Professional Foresters Manager at MKRF. “The research project aims to help transition these stands to future healthier forests with greater species, age, and size class diversity.” It will test a range of tree retention levels and patters, as well as and different forest operational approaches – a combination of whole-tree harvesting systems and cut-to-length harvesting systems, more commonly used in Europe.
One of the key objectives of the research project is to investigate the integration of innovative equipment and operational practices, to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of alternative logging techniques that prioritize forest health and ecological resilience. This will contribute to setting a new standard for sustainable forestry practices and will represent one of the first attempts to restore biodiversity and carbon stocks in industrial plantations in BC.
“The forest sector in BC is undergoing a rapid transformation and new holistic solutions are needed to address the many challenges forest managers are faced with today,” says Dominik Roeser, Associate Dean, Research Forests & Community Outreach.” This research project is critical to help us expand our forest management and silviculture approaches to further enhance all the different values our forest ecosystems are providing to society in terms of carbon storage, biodiversity, recreation and economic benefits.
At the heart of the research project lies the preservation of large trees and the revitalization of understory plant communities. Using equipment originally developed in Europe, the trials aim to minimize forest floor disturbance and safeguard critical habitat for diverse flora and fauna while maintaining economic sustainability.
The research project builds upon the foundational insights of Dr. Suzanne Simard’s Mother Tree Project, which highlighted the ecological significance of overstory tree retention. Through fine-tuning variable retention silviculture systems tailored to local conditions, the trials aim to achieve multiple objectives.
Drawing upon past research successes, the research project represents a crucial step forward in reconciling forestry practices with ecological imperatives.
Many of these 50–70-year-old coastal Douglas-fir plantations at the MKRF were part of cutting-edge forestry work at the time. Every student enrolled at the faculty of forestry in the 1970s and 80s were familiar with Jack Walters (Director of the MKRF from 1968-1985) planting machines – automated planting systems that used planting “bullets” that contained seedling roots which were deployed in the soil with “planting guns” mounted on tractors and mechanized planting machines. Although Jack Walter’s vision of mechanized tree planting never garnered commercial success, his concept of containerized “bullets” was adopted by the silviculture industry – and led to the birth of today’s seedlings “plugs” used in annual planting of over 300 million seedlings in BC.
As the research project unfolds, the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest invites the public to join in witnessing the future of forestry. A public tour titled From No Growth to Old Growth will be held at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest on April 6. Led by forestry experts, this tour promises an immersive experience into the world of sustainable forest management, offering participants the opportunity to gain insights into the techniques being employed and the ecological significance of the trials. The public can register for the From No Growth to Old Growth tour here.
The research project represents a pivotal moment in the journey towards sustainable forest management. By embracing innovation, collaboration, and ecological stewardship, these trials exemplify the University of British Columbia’s commitment to shaping the future of forestry for generations to come. As we explore new frontiers in forestry, the Kantelberg Trials offer hope for a more resilient and vibrant forest ecosystem, where ecological health and human well-being are intricately intertwined. Join us on this journey as we pave the way for a sustainable and thriving forest ecosystem.
Since starting at UBC in 2018, Dominik has built a forest operations research program at UBC focusing on supply chain design, forest technology implementation, steep slope harvesting, and biomass operations. Before coming to UBC, he was working at FPInnovations where, as Senior Director, he managed a multidisciplinary team focused on improving the competitiveness of the forest sector and developing practical solutions to improve efficiency of forest operations and reduce the impact of wildfires in Western Canada. Dominik has more than 21 years of experience in forest research and innovation and has been working with industry to develop solutions that support the emerging bioeconomy both in Europe and in Canada.
Suzanne Simard, a Professor of Forest Ecology at the University of British Columbia and author of “Finding the Mother Tree,” is recognized for her pioneering work in plant communication. Her research on below-ground fungal networks has shed light on the role of Mother Trees in forest ecosystems. With over 200 peer-reviewed articles and a widely viewed TED talk, she effectively communicates complex scientific concepts. Her insights offer valuable considerations for forest management amidst challenges such as climate change.
GIS Business Analyst; Korotu Technology
I have been working as a GIS Business Analyst in Korotu Technology, a startup that seeks to provide stakeholders with technologies to fund, protect, and grow Nature-based solutions.
For the last 4 out of 8 months in this internship, I was tasked to create a windthrow prediction model for Nova Scotia after being hit by a post-tropical storm. The remote position involved integrating data sources and literature review in my work, but in-person forestry workshops.
This coop position let me understand how natural solutions are implemented on a provincial scale, as well as being adaptable under different project constraints.
Climate Action Technician; Wildsight’s Youth Climate Corps
During my third Co-op Term, I have been working with Wildsight’s Youth Climate Corps as a Climate Action Technician.
This term I have been working on a Wildfire Risk Reduction Project in the Kimberley Nature park In Kimberley, BC. This project entails the thinning and clearing of fir, spruce and larch regeneration. The goal is to reduce the risk of having a high intensity fire in city limits.
The site we are working on is also an important habitat area of the endangered Williamson’s sapsucker, so we are also trying to reduce the risk of a fire destroying the important habitat for this bird.
This Co-op term has taught me many new skills like how to properly and safely operate a chainsaw, something I never thought I would learn!
Halalt First Nation (HFN)’s Lands and Resources Department is seeking 2 full-time Environmental Technicians to assist with the Nation’s participation in the Salish Sea Initiative, freshwater stock assessment and related projects within its traditional territory. HFN is a small indigenous community located near Chemainus, BC, with a traditional territory encompassing mid-Vancouver Island, the Salish Sea, and the Fraser River area. HFN and its staff work closely with other Quw’utsun Nation communities, including Cowichan Tribes, Penelakut Tribe, Lyackson First Nation, and Stz’uminus First Nation to develop, coordinate, and implement regionally important environmental monitoring and stewardship programs.
Please see the link below for more information and how to apply.