Faculty of Forestry Co-Leading UBC Research Excellence Cluster – Climate Change Health Effects, Adaptation and ResiLience Network (HEAL)

Faculty of Forestry Co-Leading UBC Research Excellence Cluster – Climate Change Health Effects, Adaptation and ResiLience Network (HEAL)

March 14, 2022 | Author: UBC Forestry

Faculty of Forestry assistant professor Lorien Nesbitt is co-leading the Climate Change Health Effects, Adaptation and ResiLience (HEAL) network – one of 40 UBC research excellence clusters that recently received funding under the university’s Research Excellence Clusters Initiative.

Grouped under the emerging research clusters umbrella, HEAL aims to understand the compounding health effects of extreme weather events caused by climate change and develop adaptation strategies through a bio-cultural lens.

HEAL Network Will Collaborate On Health Effects Resulting from Climate Change

“My partner Chris Carlsten, who was the lead on the application, and I are very excited about getting this started and collaborating with researchers from across the university as well as other stakeholders who will be able to help us develop adaptation interventions that could ultimately reduce the health risks resulting from climate change,” says Nesbitt. “Importantly, we are prioritizing equity, community and the natural environment in our work, to sustainably and equitably promote adaptive solutions.”

An adaptation intervention, reports Nesbitt, could be, for example, tree planting and stewardship programs for youth, focused on biocultural diversity and growing urban forests. This kind of program would help improve urban forest health by training tree stewards, increasing urban forest canopy and its cooling effects, and helping youth experience the mental health and social cohesion benefits of spending time in nature.

About Lorien Nesbitt

Lorien Nesbitt

No stranger to this area of research, Nesbitt has always made human health, climate change and environmental justice the central focus of her work. She is part of the Faculty’s Urban Forestry Research Hub whose primary vision is to help create more resilient and healthy urban communities by enhancing the way in which people access and manage urban forests.

“Studies are clearly showing what we already instinctively know – access to nature improves our wellbeing and overall health. That means we not only need to ensure there is fair and equitable access to green space for everyone but also figure out how we can help communities better cope with climate change and adverse health impacts.”

The World Health Organization has called “climate change the biggest health threat facing humanity” and reports climate change is already affecting populations around the globe in different ways including a noticeable increase in deaths due to an increasing number of extreme weather events.

About UBC’s Research Excellence Clusters

UBC’s Vice-President, Research & Innovation and the Provost & Vice-President Academic established the Grants for Catalyzing Research Clusters competition. All of the 40 research clusters that received funding are seeking to address key societal and cultural problems through an interdisciplinary approach.

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Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2021 Faculty of Forestry Best Master’s Thesis and Best Doctoral Dissertation Awards

March 14, 2022 | Author: UBC Forestry

These two awards recognize outstanding academic achievement in doctoral and Master’s research. We are incredibly fortunate to have such exceptional graduate students contributing to the reputation of the Faculty as a hub for world-class, impactful research. We look forward to celebrating their continued success and accomplishments.

Thank you to the Best Dissertation and Thesis Awards Committee (PhD committee: Stavros Avramidis, Richard Hamelin, Nicholas Coops, Chair*; MSc committee: Stavros Avramidis, Richard Hamelin, Nicholas Coops, Shannon Hagerman, non-voting Chair) for their thorough work.

Best Master’s Thesis Award Recipient

Daniel Sax

Department: Forest Resources Management
Supervisor: Dr. Lorien Nesbitt
Dissertation Title: Expelled from the Garden? Understanding the Dynamics of Green Gentrification in Vancouver, BC

Mr. Sax’s research addresses a crucial societal issue, specifically the need to understand processes of ‘green gentrification’ from an environmental justice perspective. His research stands out as exceptional for its innovative, ambitious and creative analytical approach combined with meaningful community engagement. The research included a comprehensive systematic “state of the field’ review as well as an in-depth qualitative case study based on extensive interviews and participant observation. This inquiry matters to ensure that important sustainability efforts, for example, Vancouver’s Greenest City initiative, succeed without adversely affecting vulnerable groups. His research findings are also highly relevant to ongoing efforts and conversations to address Vancouver’s housing crisis. On both accounts, he is actively working to make his findings accessible to practitioners in the city. His work has been published in 1 article with 3 additional articles in review. In addition, he has contributed to numerous refereed talks (4) and has also written in outreach form to engage with his community partners and communicate his finding more broadly.

Best Doctoral Dissertation Award Recipient

Dr. Kelsey Copes-Gerbitz

Department: Forest and Conservation Sciences, and Forest Resources Management
Supervisor: Dr. Lori Daniels, and Dr. Shannon Hagerman
Dissertation Title: Fire in a dynamic social-ecological system: Legacies and future of fire in British Columbia, Canada

Dr. Copes-Gerbitz’s research investigated the pressing societal challenges of how to address the growing wildfire risk in western North America. Her research was highly impactful with the potential for large implications in our understanding of fire occurrence and risk in BC. She undertook a detailed collaborative case study approach to investigate the complexities of wildfires in BC, and brought together a multidimensional analysis approach to allow a wide variety of evidence to be collated to understand fire and fire risk. In doing so, her research reached out to fire experts, and also to indigenous communities to ensure that their perspectives on fire and fire risk were incorporated in her compilation. As a result, the thesis is highly impressive in its ability to design, collate and validate this diversity of empirical evidence around fire. Her thesis had resulted in a number of high-impact peer-reviewed journal publications, as well as articles specifically designed to reach First Nations and the general community.

*Per University’s policy re: disclosing any conflicts of interest or perceived conflict of interest in adjudicating merit-based awards, members of the committee who may have a conflict of interest in adjudicating a nominee will recuse themselves from any discussion, decision, debate, or vote on any matter involving the conflict of interest. Should you have questions, kindly contact forestry.grad-awards@ubc.ca.

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Celebrating Black History Month

February 24, 2022 | Author: UBC Forestry

February is Black History Month. While we should celebrate Black history and excellence every day, this is an opportunity for a focused, intentional and elevated reflection and recognition of Black students, staff, and faculty within the Faculty of Forestry. This year, we are proud to showcase the accomplishments and contributions of five students and alumni.

Outstanding Students

Habeeb Yusuf

Habeeb is a PhD student (4YF Fellow) at the UBC Faculty of Forestry under the supervision of Dr. Younes Alila. He graduated from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Nigeria with his undergraduate degree in Agricultural & Environmental Engineering (First class Hons.) and Masters’ degree in Soil & Water Engineering (distinction).

Habeeb’s research at UBC relates to propagating understanding of how different forest harvest activities (logging scenarios) undertaken in a large rainfall-dominated watershed (humid and sub-humid) can affect the distribution of annual peak flow occurrence. His research becomes even more relevant in light of emerging questions about the human influence on recent devastating flood events around the globe, e.g., the November 2021 flood event in southwestern BC.

Habeeb has been in academia since 2014; as a graduate assistant at FUTA, he’s since risen to the position of Lecturer II before embarking on his PhD program at UBC. He acts as a graduate academic assistant in the teaching of FRST485/590 (graduate level Forest Watershed Management / Statistical Methods in Hydrology) offered by Dr. Alila in Forestry. At the end of his PhD, Habeeb anticipates initiating a memorandum of understanding between UBC and FUTA. This memorandum will create an academic partnership between UBC and FUTA through knowledge transfer.

Gretha Teta

Born and raised in Kigali, Rwanda. I am a current student in the Master of International Forestry (MIF). I also completed my undergraduate degree with Honors in Natural Resources Conservation program here at UBC. During my time at UBC, I’ve been an active member and leader in the International Forestry Students’ Association (IFSA) which allowed me to attend different international conferences related to conservation and forestry. I also worked for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Rwanda on Human-Wildlife Conflict projects around Nyungwe National Park. My passion for tropical forests, sustainable community development and my forestry international experience are what led me to the MIF program. Being a MIF student, I’ve so far been exposed to various environmental wicked problems and I’ve also developed a particular interest in the field of conservation finance. Now, I aspire to pursue a career in this particular field and I’m learning ways in which countries like Rwanda can utilize conservation finance opportunities to improve livelihoods as well as benefit the environment and the country’s economy.

Judith Nuhu

Judith Nuhu is a second-year Master’s student of Forest and Conservation Sciences. Before coming to the University of British Columbia, she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Botany from Kogi State University, in the Northern part of Nigeria. During her undergraduate education, she studied the diversity of the forest in her community as a personal project. Judith’s passion for research fueled her decision to travel across the world to Canada for advanced education and receiving the prestigious Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Award enabled her to achieve this dream. She earned a spot in an outstanding research group at the faculty of forestry. Her research with her supervisor, Dr. Sally Aitken, involves evaluating trees’ response to climate change to identify resistant traits relevant to breeding and building healthier and more resilient forests. Outside her academic pursuits, Judith is involved in a volunteer group, “Why Are You Not in School-WAYNIS,” providing mentorship for Nigeria’s young undergraduates. She is outgoing and highly spirited. She is exhilarated about integrating with the diverse student community at the University of British Columbia and the myriad of knowledge she is acquiring in this environment, which will equip her with valuable skills in giving back to her community in Nigeria.

Outstanding Alumni

Sally Asu

My name is Sally Asu and I’m from Cameroon, Africa in miniature. I attended UBC from 2015 to 2019 through the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship program. At UBC, I was in the Forest Resources Management program and took up several student leadership roles in the Faculty of Forestry such as Jumpstart orientation, student engagement, transition leader, residence life, etc. Currently, I work in the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) as a Stewardship Forester/ First Nations Relations Advisor and I was recently inducted as a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) with the Association of BC Forest Professionals (ABCFP). I’m exploring the intersection between different aspects of forestry and Indigenous relationships with the hope that my curiosity will lead me to a research topic and possibly continue in a Master’s program. This Black History month, I’m reflecting on the role of diversity in fostering inclusive workplaces.

Ademola Victor Adebayo

My name is Ademola Victor Adebayo, I describe myself as a talented and hardworking individual who creates great passion for excellence irrespective of the surrounding challenges and pressures. I graduated from the Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM) program in 2019 at the University of British Columbia, Canada with a full scholarship from MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program. I also hold a bachelor’s degree in Forestry and Wildlife Management from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria where I emerged as the overall best student in my faculty consisting of 380 students.

I am a Forester-in-Training with the Association of BC Forest Professionals (ABCFP) and I currently work as a Land Authorization Officer with the Ministry of Forest, Lands, Natural Resources, Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) in Prince George, British Columbia. My responsibilities include a review of applications for crown land tenures, contracts management, site inspections and First Nations consultation.

My earnest desire for impacting and contributing positively to my community stimulated my passion for leadership and extra-curriculum activities. I am presently the Head of Operations for The Achievers Group which is a non-profit international organization aimed at developing young individuals’ potentials to achieve their purpose and dreams.

This initiative was led by Samuel Adeyanju, a Forestry PhD student, in collaboration with the UBC Forestry Diversity Crew. After this first pilot year, our hope is to expand and grow other initiatives to recognize and celebrate Black members within our Forestry community over future years. Please reach out to us at samuel.adeyanju@ubc.ca or forestry.diversity@ubc.ca to connect or learn more.

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An Insight into the STEM Field with Forest Sciences Graduate, Sally Ou

February 11, 2022 | Author: UBC Forestry

From an impressive academic background in genetics to inspiring the next generation of young scientists, UBC Forestry Bachelor of Forest Sciences graduate, Sally Ou, shares her story on what drew her to the STEM field, the challenges and her advice for incoming students.

Read her story below.

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself!

“My name is Sally! If you ask anyone, they will likely say, ‘you can hear her before you see her.’  I graduated from UBC Forest Sciences with a specialization in genetics in 2017! I also did my undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Dr. Sally Aitken! If I am not found at the hospital volunteering or working then I am teaching somewhere within BC. If I am not working or teaching then you can find me travelling, hiking, biking and eating. Through travelling, I can spend quality time with my family and friends, but most of all, learn something new or simply relax!

I also ask, ‘why’ or ‘how’ very often like, ‘how can I cool down my house this summer without using a single drop of energy’. This then led me to think about the albedo effect, which then led me to cover my house in white tarter sheets. This just shows how STEM can be applied to our everyday life. Some solutions can be expensive but if you get creative enough, it may cost you little to nothing.”

Q: What drew you to the UBC Forestry Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Forest Sciences program? What pushed you to enter the STEM field?

“Anyone who knows me knows that my grandma has been the biggest impact to my education and my career. My grandma moved to Canada in the early 1980s and unlike most Asian grandparents of her time, my grandma encouraged me to study and take my study as far as possible. When my grandma began to slowly fade due to a genetic disease, I began wanting to enter the STEM field even more to find a solution to everything my grandma was experiencing but before I could, I began to suffer from the same disease as her.

Long story short, Forestry Bachelor of Science I have always had a passion for climate change, our ecosystem, medicine and genetics. When I was applying for university, it was my STEM teachers who have taught me for 5 years in a row, who encouraged me to go into UBC Forestry Bachelor of Science in Forest sciences, rather than Bachelor of Science. Forest Sciences taught me so much more than textbook sciences, it taught me how to appreciate and protect our ecosystem. It taught me how to learn outdoors, apply everything I have learnt to my everyday life and into healthcare.”

Q: What were some of your favourite courses and areas/topics of study?

“There are so many courses and topics I enjoyed during my undergraduate. My top two courses I really enjoyed were second-year biology taught by Dr. Sally Aitken, she was the reason why I studied genetics. She not only did lectures but she would often take us out into the forest to learn hands-on. In addition, she is often teaching her students how to apply everything we learn to our everyday life. Dr. Sally Aitken made me look forward to her class and every second I got to learn from her, I would think to myself, ‘tell me more!!’

The second course I really loved was Fall Camp which everyone has to take in Forest Science in third year! The reason why I loved this course so much was because we were in the middle of nowhere up at Gavin’s lake where there was no phone signal! Every morning, I would wake up at 6 AM to enjoy the sunrise and the fresh air. Did you know that our sunset in the city is colourful due to pollution? Up in Gavin’s lake, the sunset was blue skies and golden. I made lifelong friends through fall camp because it was just us and the forest.”

Q: What were some of your most memorable experiences throughout your Forestry journey?

“My most memorable experiences throughout my Forestry journey are the staff and my peers. Forestry isn’t a big faculty! Everyone knew everyone’s name and everyone was always ready to help each other. The professors in forestry are outstanding! They care for our well-being more than our success and they always make time to help you and get to know you! Before entering university, many people warned me that no one will remember me, but this wasn’t the case for me. My professors and TA were always aware of each and every student’s needs. In addition, our counsellors were always encouraging! My peers and I never missed a single class of ours because we were always looking forward to learning from our professors! When I failed my first year of university due to my health and other matters, my professors and counsellors were beyond encouraging! Even when I leave for a year, every so and then, they will check on me! Upon my return to UBC for my third year, they never saw me less because of my failure. If anything, my experience in first and second year gave me all the tools I needed to succeed through my education journey! Hence why, I always tell people, ‘mistakes and failures always give you more tools to navigate anything and everything than your success.’ After all, success is only a destination while mistakes are the journey!  My success at UBC was made possible because of my professors and the entire Forestry team.”

Q: What are you doing now? How has your Forestry experience helped you to bring you where you are today?

“I am currently working with Fraser Health and I am a STEM educator at Science World. I am also a volunteer instructor at Genome BC and Let’s Talk Science. I am a patient advisor at Patient Voice. I also volunteer on a weekly basis at VGH and Burnaby Hospital. Yes, I volunteer a lot because only so much impact can be done by a professional! Volunteering gives me an opportunity to give back and impact in a different way in STEM. Through volunteering, I am able to reach more people and hear their concerns, then as a professional, I can work towards how I can help my community with their concerns.

The degree I have obtained has helped me in many ways. How does the green space around us impact our health? Do you think our ecosystem plays a big role in our mental health? How do our actions impact our ecosystem health? What is the relationship between our ecosystem and our health? What can we do in the field of STEM that can help combat climate change? These are the questions I challenge my colleagues and students to think about every day. However, my favourite question I like to ask all my students about their creative ideas is, ‘how does this idea of yours impact the green space around you and global warming?’  Through my education and my passion, I have been able to integrate forestry and medicine together. No matter which field of work you are in, you will find yourself asking, ‘okay how will this impact our ecosystem? How can I make this more green-friendly? How would this impact human beings?’ Everyone has an amazing life-changing world, but we need to take actions to positively impact our climate through the work we do every day.”

Q: What are your experiences being a woman in STEM? Where do you find inspiration? 

“As a woman in STEM, I often am asked by students, ‘can I be like you one day?’ The truth to every young woman out there, ‘if I can do it, you can too!’ As a woman, a woman of colour and a woman in STEM, I challenge myself to continue to serve my community through education to nurture and provide young girls, women and anyone the confidence they need to succeed in STEM. 

Another important thing about being a woman in STEM is being able to show young scientists that you can combine your passions and you are never limited! Everything in this world is interconnected, maybe decades ago many people didn’t think health and climate change are linked but through many breakthroughs in STEM, we now know it is!

My patients and my students are my inspiration. Despite the fact that many of my patients are often presenting health issues, they often also talk about climate change. Moreover, today’s generations are even more observant than I ever remember myself being when I was their age. My 8-year-old nephew asked me in Summer 2021, ‘why is it that we are experiencing a heat dome? Is it because of climate change? What is climate change? Why do I see scientists talking about how climate change impacts our health.’ My grandma is the reason why I entered STEM but is it the people I get to help every day that inspires me to continue to work. In life, you will always encounter many ups and downs, but if you are genuine to everyone, then everyone will find you inspiring as they are to you.”

Q: What advice do you have for incoming students aspiring to pursue a STEM field?

“Through a decade of being in the STEM field, my biggest advice for anyone who aspires to pursue a STEM field is to treat everyone the same. No matter what your goals are, the one thing you should work on is shaping who you are. After working with millions of people (patients, students, colleagues etc), the ones I have seen to succeed are the people who are genuine! If you genuinely care and have put effort into your thesis, your supervisor will help you succeed. If you genuinely care for your team, your team will take care of you too. If you genuinely love your work, your actions will speak for themselves.  Your attitude is everything! Don’t worry about how people react to you because you can never control how they react, but you can control how you respond to them. Whenever I lack something in life or I am being treated negatively, I work with more patience, compassion, harder, empathy, passion, and more.

Never fear to ask questions, the only way to build your bank of knowledge is to ask questions and to stay curious! If you want to improve on your skills in anything or who you are, then consistently ask for feedback! Every door that opens, believe that there is a reason why it showed up to your doorstep, take that opportunity! Something I really have learnt through all my experiences is that mistakes are the most valuable thing in life because mistakes are how we find millions of solutions to how something works or does not work.

Nonetheless, laugh tons! STEM is a very very stressful field of work but through laughing and feeling relaxed, it is the best attitude to find a solution to what you are so passionate about.

One last tip, take care of your team and your team will take care of you.”

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2021 ABCFP Awards Recognize Contributions from UBC Forestry

February 3, 2022 | Author: UBC Forestry

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UBC Faculty of Forestry wishes to congratulate its esteemed award winners who received the 2021 Distinguished Forest Professional Award and Association of BC Forest Professionals (ABCFP) Magazine Best Article Award at this year’s virtual conference and AGM.

UBC Forestry Alumni Among Those Named Distinguished Forest Professional

Peter Marshall
Dr Peter Marshall

The Distinguished Forest Professional award recognizes ABCFP registrants for outstanding contributions to the profession and for furthering the association’s principles. This year, the ABCFP named four UBC Forestry alumni as Distinguished Forest Professionals: Stephen Lorimer, RPF, of Ladysmith, Garry Mancell, LLB, RPF, of Vancouver, Peter Marshall, PhD, RPF, of North Vancouver, and Ken Zielke, RPF, of West Vancouver.

In a news release issued earlier this week, ABCFP president Garnet Mierau stated, “Through hard work, dedication and working closely with local communities these forest professionals are ensuring the sustainable management of B.C.’s forests for future generations.”

UBC Forestry alumnus Dr Peter Marshall also served as the Faculty’s Associate Dean – Academic and as a professor with the Faculty’s Department of Forest Resources Management for almost four decades. He is a former president of both the ABCFP and the Canadian Institute of Forestry. He was a long-time member of the ABCFP Board of Examiners and presently serves on the ABCFP Investigation Committee as well as their Competency Working Group. He is also a long-time member, and current chair, of the Canadian Forestry Accreditation Board and represents the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) on the Forest Professional Regulators of Canada.

UBC Forestry Co-Authors Win ABCFP Forest Professional Magazine Best Article Award

Public scholars Dr Kelsey Copes-Gerbitz (recently defended PhD) and Sarah Dickson-Hoyle (PhD candidate) as well as their supervisors Dr Shannon Hagerman and Dr Lori Daniels received the 2021 ABCFP BC Forest Professional Magazine Best Article Award.

Entitled Community Forest Perspectives and Engagement in Wildfire Management, the co-authored cover page article, featured in the winter 2021 edition, examined the role of community forests in managing wildfire risk to forests and communities. The article highlighted the range of approaches to pro-active wildfire management and identified priorities and recommendations for the future of wildfire management in B.C. Read the full report the article was based on.

ABCFP Award UBC Forestry Coauthors
From left to right: Dr Kelsey Copes-Gerbitz, Sarah Dickson-Hoyle, Dr Shannon Hagerman and Dr Lori Daniels

About ABCFP Conference & Awards Ceremony

A total of 17 forest professionals were honoured at the conference’s award ceremony. This year’s three-day event marked the 74th annual conference and drew in approximately 2,000 attendees from all over the province. The ABCFP awards are based on nominations submitted by other forest professionals.

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Improving Forest Management with Mathematical Modelling

January 27, 2022 | Author: UBC Forestry

A team led by the UBC Faculty of Forestry has upgraded a mathematical modelling tool that could ultimately improve future forest management decisions.

PrognosisBC is now FVS-BC

Bianca Eskelson
Bianca Eskelson

With funding from the British Columbia Forest Carbon Initiative, the team, who includes members of the provincial government and ESSA Technologies, has updated the British Columbia components of the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS)  growth and yield modelling system. Foresters use tools like FVS to gain a greater understanding of how forest vegetation changes in response to silviculture and natural disturbances such as wildfire.

Renamed FVS-BC to reflect better its integration with the model used by the United States Forest Service, the tool can not only simulate the impacts of silvicultural procedures on tree and stand growth but can also keep track of carbon stocks. Model outputs can also be linked to climate scenarios or economic analysis modules, allowing for work on climate change or economic scenario forecasts.

“With the rapid pace of changing climatic conditions and their impact on forest stands, it is more important than ever that forest decision-makers have all tools at their disposal for stand-level and landscape-level planning well into the future,” says UBC Faculty of Forestry associate professor Bianca Eskelson. “We see the updated FVS-BC model as one that will be in high demand now and for years to come.”

UBC Multi-Day Workshop Scheduled

The updated model and interface will be presented at a multi-day workshop happening between February and April. Registrants can sign up at this link.

FVS-BC Available Through SourceForge

With these changes, the updated FVS-BC model is now an open-source resource, independent of all commercial software. Anyone interested in trying FVS-BC can find it on the SourceForge repository at https://sourceforge.net/projects/open-fvs/.

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Peter Arcese Receives 2021 Elliot Coues Award

January 14, 2022 | Author: UBC Forestry

Dr. Peter Arcese

UBC Forestry would like to congratulate Dr. Peter Arcese for winning the 2021 Elliott Coues Award from the American Ornithological Society (AOS).

Professor and Forest Renewal BC Chair in Conservation Biology in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at UBC Forestry, Dr. Arcese’s research focuses on experimental testing of population demographics in line with conservation theory to conduct long-term studies of bird populations along the Pacific Coast of North America, the Northern Andes of South America, and East and West Africa.

Dr. Arcese’s Distinguished Career

Beginning his career in 1981, Dr. Arcese’s initial focus of study centred on island-nesting Song and Fox Sparrows. Works that are more recent include research on life-history evolution in response to climate, with findings that document a transition from migratory to residential life history in Fox Sparrows.

With research that has been incorporated by more than 100 researchers worldwide, Dr. Arcese has distinguished himself as a prominent expert in micro-evolutionary processes, inbreeding depression, population demography, and life history evolution. This data continues to serve as a valuable resource within the ornithological community.

A trusted academic with highly cited research, Dr. Arcese has edited three books, 15 chapters, and completed over 160 peer-reviewed papers. One of his most recent book chapters was featured in the textbook, Ornithology: Foundation, Analysis, and Application, and focuses on avian population structure.

Having served as Chair on the Board of the Nature Trust of British Columbia, as well as Councilor for the American Ornithologists’ Union, Dr. Arcese has long displayed outstanding commitment to outreach and service. Other noteworthy positions include his time spent as a federally appointed member of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, an editor of the Journal of Avian Biology, and a Fellow of AOS. Addressing his outstanding contributions as a professor, Dr. Arcese has mentored 54 graduate students and co-authored papers with 15 undergraduates at three universities.

About the Award

The AOS Elliott Coues Award honours researchers who have displayed innovative and outstanding contributions towards ornithological research. Winners of this award receive a medal and an honorarium in recognition of their work. The award is named after Elliott Coues, a founding member of the AOU and an internationally renowned ornithologist.

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Kathy Martin Receives University of Prince Edward Island’s Distinguished Alumni Award

December 10, 2021 | Author: UBC Forestry

Dr Kathy Martin

For her outstanding and countless contributions to the field of ornithology, UBC Faculty of Forestry professor Dr. Kathy Martin was recently awarded a Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater, the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI).

The award is considered the university’s highest honour and the criteria for it is based on the university’s motto, “faith, knowledge and service.”

Dr. Martin grew up in Stanhope, Prince Edward Island, and graduated from UPEI with her Bachelor of Science in 1970. She completed her MSc at the University of Alberta in 1973 and defended her PhD on the ecology of Arctic ptarmigan under the supervision of Dr. Fred Cooke at Queen’s University in 1985.

In a recently published interview with CBC’s PEI journalist Kevin Yarr, Dr. Martin mentioned her love of birds has taken her to places as far away as the Arctic and the Rocky Mountains but the origin of that research passion began as a child in her family farm in Stanhope.

“When you grow up on a farm, there’s always birds and mammals around so you get used to living in a place with lots of wildlife,” Dr. Martin is quoted as saying in the article.

About Dr. Kathy Martin

Dr Martin is recognized for her award-winning work in ornithology in the mountain and temperate forest ecosystems in the Americas, for her global perspectives and successful international collaborations, and for her many years of service.

Throughout the past four decades, she has published more than 230 peer-reviewed journal articles, research papers and book chapters on avian ecology, behaviour, life history, and conservation.

She has served as an associate editor for Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, The Auk, The Condor, Avian Conservation and Ecology, and other scientific journals throughout her distinguished and illustrious career. To date, she has trained more than 75 undergraduate students, 35 graduate students, and 20 post-doctoral fellows, most of whom have continued into careers in ornithology.

Among her most recent awards are the William Brewster Memorial Award from the American Ornithological Society and the Jamie Smith Mentoring Award from the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, both of which were presented to her in August 2021. In 2020, she received the Government of Canada’s Nancy B. Cutler Citation of Excellence Women in Science and Technology Award.

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Meet Our New Embedded Counsellor for UBC Forestry Students

November 4, 2021 | Author: UBC Forestry

Nicole Adoranti

UBC Forestry warmly welcomes Nicole Adoranti, a Canadian Certified Counsellor, as the new Embedded Counsellor for both the Faculty of Forestry and the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Nicole holds a Masters of Education in Counselling Psychology and has been a counsellor in both private practice and the post-secondary environment, having previously worked with students at the University of Toronto and New York University Abu Dhabi.

In this newly-created role, Nicole will focus on providing single session or short-term counselling, triage and referrals to Forestry students, while also promoting mental health through the development of a wellness program with our Student Services team. With years of experience working directly with students from different cultures and backgrounds, Nicole aims to make mental health resources more accessible as they continue to navigate their academic studies during a global pandemic.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be a crisis situation that would draw someone to counselling, but rather a development of themselves that complements what they’re already trying to do at UBC: getting an education, establishing a good career, and taking advantage of opportunities to build a really great life. I think that learning how to take care of our mental health is a part of that,” says Nicole.

We caught up with Nicole to learn more about her goals, interests, and perspectives on health and wellbeing as she begins her new role.

Q: What drew you to the field of counselling, and what are your interests?

“I was drawn to the field during my undergraduate studies. I knew I wanted to further my education, and always thought I would be a teacher. I distilled the elements of teaching that I was drawn to, like connecting with others, making a difference in someone’s life and helping to improve the quality of someone else’s life and landed on Counselling as a career path that I felt was a good fit.”

Q: What do you hope to achieve with this new role at UBC?

“The list grows longer every day! First and foremost, to serve the student community of Forestry and LFS Faculties by enhancing and addressing their mental health and wellbeing needs. My wish is that I can offer support, resources, skill development and programming that allows students to learn how to foster and nourish their own mental health and wellbeing long after they graduate. I hope to bring in some fresh, fun programming that really hits on what students need. I would love to draw in the involvement of staff and faculty to build upon the sense of community that I can feel strongly in both faculties!”

Q: From your experience working at universities, what are some key challenges students face throughout their studies? What are some ways we can better support our students throughout their academic careers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic?

“There are common challenges like transitions to university or life after graduation, academic pressures and concerns, developing as an emerging adult, etc. The pandemic added a layer that heightens any pre-existing difficulties that many of us are going through right now, as well as created new challenges, which has offered us all the opportunity to re-evaluate our relationship with mental health and how we take care of ourselves and each other. Having a common, global event can ultimately connect us, even though so many of us have struggled with disconnection. I always find it unique to be experiencing things at the same time as my clients and hope that adds depth to my counselling practice and what I offer to the communities in Forestry and LFS.”

Q: Do you have any mental health and wellbeing advice for students as we start to approach the busy end of the semester?

“There are many resources and supports on and off-campus that are available to you and I would encourage you to utilize them! Have compassion for yourself, plan for a break and think about how you will deeply care for yourself once the semester is over, and note down things that may be helpful to you come the next round of exams and end of semester pressures.”

Have more questions for Nicole, or are interested in scheduling time with her? Reach her below at our Student Services page!

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Valerie LeMay Receives 2021 Canadian Forestry Achievement Award

October 14, 2021 | Author: UBC Forestry

Valerie LeMay
Valerie LeMay

UBC Forestry wishes to congratulate faculty professor Valerie LeMay who is the recipient of the 2021 Canadian Forestry Achievement Award from The Canadian Institute of Forestry/Institut forestier du Canada (CIF-IFC).

Dr. LeMay has more than 40 years of experience in forestry practice, education, and research. Following her BSc and MSc studies at the University of Alberta, she worked as a Measurements Analysis Forester for the Alberta Forest Service until pursuing a PhD at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Dr. LeMay was hired as the first female professor in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC in 1989 and became a Registered Professional Forester in British Columbia shortly afterward.

As a professor at UBC, Dr. LeMay has taught two generations of forest practitioners about the art and science of forest measurements/biometrics and has won two Killam Teaching Awards. Her research spans the breadth of forest measurements/biometrics, including forest inventory, growth and yield, and tree allometry, often collaborating with scientists from across the globe. She also contributes to animal movements and habitat needs research, including African elephants and whales. She is a keen supporter of CIF-IFC and the International Organization of Forest Research (IUFRO), having held a number of offices in each.

About the 2021 Canadian Forestry Achievement Award

The Canadian Forestry Achievement Award was created in 1967, and recognizes unique and outstanding forestry achievements by individuals in Canada and encourages excellence in the forestry profession.

About CIF-IFC

Formed in 1908, the CIF-IFC is the national voice of forest practitioners and many others with an interest in forestry and forests. The Institute strives to provide national leadership, promote competence, and foster public awareness of Canadian and international forestry/forest issues.

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