On behalf of UBC Forestry, congratulations to Sylvie Yang, Hollis Kinnard, Brianne Boufford and Kimiya Rahmani Mokarrai on being the 2025 3MT winners!
Sylvie Yang — First Place Presentation: Invisible livelihoods: the women of Guyana’s artisanal fisheries (Janette Bulkan, supervisor)
Hollis Kinnard — Second Place Presentation: Using sensor fish to examine fish friendliness of flood pumps (Scott Hinch, supervisor)
Brianne Boufford — Third Place Presentation: Rainfall and resiliency: modelling hydrological recovery in disturbed forests (Nicholas Coops, supervisor)
Kimiya Rahmani Mokarrari — Fourth Place Presentation: Optimizing the slash supply chain for bioproduct production (Taraneh Sowlati, supervisor)
13th Annual Forestry Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition
Seventeen graduate students took part in the 13th Annual Forestry Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Heat. Nicholas Coops was the emcee, Julie Cool, Tom Booker and Juliet Lu were the 3MT judges. Thank you to all participants for presenting their research and congratulations to our 2025 Forestry 3MT Competition winners who advanced to the UBC Semi-Finals.
An exciting project out of the University of British Columbia has started its recruitment efforts. This community-based nest monitoring program titled NESTigators is a research study that is investigating both the nesting success of birds in Metro Vancouver and how participation in a program like this could influence human-nature connections. They are looking for research participants for this spring and summer, to spend between 1-3 hours a week helping monitor birds while also taking part in a few interviews and questionnaires to understand your experience throughout the program. If you have any questions, please reach out to nestigators.ires@ubc.ca and consider applying today!
UBC Forestry congratulates Fideline Mboringong on receiving the IDRC International Doctoral Research Award!
About Fideline
Fideline is a PhD candidate in the Vibrant Forest Landsccapes Lab. Her research explores how Indigenous Peoples’ and Local Communities’ (IPLCs) values can be integrated into decision-making for large-scale mining projects in Cameroon’s South and East Regions. With increasing mining pressures on forests and livelihoods, she examines how inclusive frameworks can address environmental injustices and promote sustainability. Her work aims to fill policy gaps and provide recommendations for equitable transformation in Cameroon’s mining sector.
About the IDRC International Doctoral Research Award
Funded by the International Doctoral Research Centre (IDRC), the International Doctoral Research Awards (IDRA) aim to strengthen the research capacity of doctoral students enrolled at Canadian universities. The IDRA program supports field research undertaken in the Global South.
The new Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship is a groundbreaking undergraduate program that emphasizes the vital integration of Indigenous science into land stewardship. By fostering a deeper understanding of sustainable and respectful resource management, the program is helping pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future for both Indigenous communities and the global landscape. We had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Garry Merkel (nadi’ denezā), a Tahltan professional forester and the director of the Centre for Indigenous Land Stewardship at UBC Forestry, to discuss his background, his work, and the vision for this innovative program.
Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to UBC Forestry?
By trade I am a professional forester but, like many professional members of the Indigenous community, I have a wide-ranging set of experiences including community planning and development, treaty negotiations, governance development, business development and management, education, housing and infrastructure, and various intergovernmental agreements in various fields. I began by building forest cover maps for the Yukon and Northwest Territories, which sparked an interest in resource management. Then I decided to pursue formal education, earning a technologist diploma and later a degree. Before becoming so deeply involved in academia, I served as a senior analyst for timber and economic analysis. Later, I took on the role of regional forester for Indian Affairs in British Columbia. My involvement with UBC initially started through collaborative projects aimed at increasing the number of Indigenous resource management professionals. Over time, we created the Centre for Indigenous Land Stewardship and the new Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship, with me as the director.
What is your vision for the Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship?
The Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship program is dedicated to exploring how earth-based or Indigenous communities translate their deeply held land ethic into practical and effective land management systems. This encompasses various aspects, including physical planning, innovative governance models, active community involvement, and unique economic systems tailored to these communities. The overarching goal is to integrate Indigenous land ethics and other land stewardship approaches, with the aim of making this blended approach a commonly accepted and broadly used practice by 2050. To achieve this ambitious vision, the Centre for Indigenous Land Stewardship at UBC Forestry is committed to building a strong network of people and continuously staying on top of emerging ideas, fostering a movement that promotes sustainable and respectful land stewardship practices worldwide.
What are some of the challenges in promoting Indigenous land stewardship?
One of the most significant challenges in promoting Indigenous land stewardship is overcoming the pervasive perception that Indigenous approaches are mere “fairy tale folklore” rather than legitimate, evidence-based science. This leads them to dismiss the refined discipline, accumulated knowledge, and time-tested practices deeply embedded in Indigenous approaches. This bias is often rooted in a systemic devaluing of non-Indigenous science, stemming from deep-seated insecurities and a lack of understanding of different knowledge systems. Addressing this challenge requires a concerted effort to educate and demonstrate the rigor and effectiveness of Indigenous land stewardship practices, fostering a more inclusive and holistic understanding of science and land management.
What advice would you give to young professionals interested in resource management and community development?
For young professionals venturing into resource management and community development, it’s essential to prioritize helping communities envision and shape their own futures on their own terms. Personal development is key, requiring an openness to having your worldview challenged and a commitment to staying humble throughout your career. Recognize the inherent capabilities and value the unique ways of thinking within Indigenous communities. It is important to stop believing the misconception that Indigenous people are not as capable as others, and instead, embrace the strength and wisdom that comes from diverse perspectives. Finally, learn to deal with your personal anger, blame, or guilt, as these emotions can hinder progress and prevent you from effectively contributing to positive change.
How is the Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship program going so far?
The Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship program is off to a promising start, with its first cohort now actively engaged in the curriculum plus more applicants than available spaces for next year’s cohort. The program is specifically designed to provide students with the best tools and knowledge to build essential land stewardship infrastructure within their communities, empowering them to lead and sustain these initiatives. A key aspect of the program is fostering an environment where everyone can thrive, supporting individuals within a holistic community context. By focusing on community wellness and comprehensive approaches, the program aims to equip students with the knowledge and the personal skills and perspectives needed to create lasting, positive impacts in their respective communities.
What impact do you think the Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship program will have on resource management and community development?
The growing recognition and demand for the skills and knowledge being cultivated within the Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship program highlights a significant shift in the field. The world is increasingly recognizing the value of what the program is building, and the more proficient students become, the greater their potential to contribute to meaningful change. The program is not just an academic exercise but a vital initiative that equips individuals with the tools and perspectives needed to address pressing issues in resource management and community development. By fostering a deep understanding of Indigenous knowledge and practices, the program is paving the way for a more sustainable and equitable future, where the contributions of its graduates will be highly valued and sought after.
Grad students will do training & research through the Coastal Guardians Fellowship Program, a collaboration between UBC Forestry & Institute for the Oceans & Fisheries
Thirty African graduate students will be pursuing advanced studies and research at UBC, supported by the Canadian International Development Scholarships 2030 program (BCDI). The project is funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.
The students come from three leading African universities: the Sokoine University of Agriculture/national Carbon Monitoring Centre and the Mkwawa University College of Education, Geography and Economics, both in Tanzania, and the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
BCDI 2030 is an eight-year, $80-million initiative started in 2022. Jointly administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada and Universities Canada, the program’s goal is to strengthen the social and economic development of 26 developing partner countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, by offering inclusive, quality and accessible education and training opportunities in Canada so that individuals can improve living conditions in their countries.
The scholarships give students educational experiences in high-impact sectors, such as STEM, climate action, artificial intelligence, and the green and blue economy, a term which refers to an economy powered by sustainable practices and renewable energy sources. Over three summers beginning in 2026, the visiting students will participate in the Coastal Guardians Fellowship Program, developed in collaboration with the UBC Faculty of Forestry, UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and the three partners.
The Coastal Guardians Fellowship builds on the recently launched CoastMan program, which supports mangrove-dependent communities in Eastern and Western Africa with a knowledge-based decision-making criteria system local leaders can utilize. The fellowship is part of an interdisciplinary research project focused on training stewards to sustainably manage mangrove ecosystems by equipping students with skills at the intersection of land and sea. It is aligned with national priorities and addresses critical needs in Tanzania and Ghana, says Hamidu Seki, Lecturer on Tropical costal ecosystems at Mkwawa University College of Education, Geography and Economics, Tanzania.
Says Deo D. Shirima, Senior Researcher and MRV expert at Tanzania’s Sokoine University of Agriculture/National Carbon Monitoring Centre: “These coastal communities rely on mangrove forests for their livelihoods, but climate change threatens these vital ecosystems. They need support with restoration and conservation.”
The Coastal Guardians Fellowship provides awards through two models: a customized training program for master’s students and research stays for PhD students. The total value of the scholarship program is CAD $586,000.
“Through this partnership, UBC Forestry is committed to advancing global sustainable development goals and fostering collaboration between Canada and African nations,” says Terry Sunderland, Professor of Tropical Forestry at the UBC Faculty of Forestry and a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for International Forestry Research, Indonesia. “The program ensures at least 51 percent of scholarship recipients are women, promoting gender equality in access to education and the labor market.”
In addition, Africa will soon be home to about 40 percent of the world’s youth, according to the United Nations, notes Dr. Rashid Sumaila, Professor and Director of the Fisheries Economics Research Unit at UBC Fisheries Centre. “Programs such as this can contribute to equipping these young people with what they need to help make Africa and the world more sustainable and just,” he says.
Says Ibrahim Issifu, an interdisciplinary Fisheries Economist and a Research Associate in the Fisheries Economics Research Unit the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries: “By investing in these emerging scholars, we are also strengthening bridges between continents, and fostering research that addresses local challenges with global impact.”
Specifically, this program will train a “critical mass of experts” that will work to reverse degradation of mangrove forests of sub-Saharan Africa, says Dr. Precious Agbeko D. Mattah, Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Centre for Coastal Management-Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (CCM-ACECoR).
Professor Denis W. Aheto, agrees. He is Director of the Centre for Coastal Management-Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (CCM-ACECoR) and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast. “Africa will be gifted with the next batch of mangrove ecosystems conservation specialists through this program,” Prof. Aheto says.
