Many wild salmon populations in B.C. have experienced substantial declines over the last three decades. New UBC research published today can help chart a course towards better protection of wild salmon.
Some lessons must be experienced to be understood. For Arthur Tsai, testing his limits helped him realize not only what he was capable of, but a path in life that led him to complete both a BSc (1995) in Wood Science and Industry and MSc (2012) in Forestry at UBC, as well as achieve ongoing success heading the market intelligence team at Paper Excellence.
In 2022, Arthur was recognized with one of only 12 UBC Vancouver 2022 Alumni Builder Awards for his ongoing involvement with the Faculty of Forestry as a tri-mentor, guest lecturer, co-op mentor/ relationship builder and Alumni Advisory Council member. The awards recognize alumni who have made a significant contribution to the university and enriched the lives of others.
On top of volunteering with the Faculty of Forestry, Arthur has sat on industry-related boards and the boards of local community and sports organizations. In fact, juggling multiple commitments is something he has perfected since pursuing his studies at UBC.
“Most of my friends wanted me to go into accounting with them, but that program did not interest me,” recalls Arthur. “I somehow stumbled into the Faculty of Forestry, and then Assoc. Dean Tony Kozak was nice enough to bring me into his office and explain the profession of forestry to me. I was so grateful to him for having taken the time. If it wasn’t for him, I would have been lost as an undergraduate student.”
Tony opened Arthur’s eyes to different aspects of the profession, including the vast number of forest products derived from the BC forestry industry. Arthur was hooked.
As an undergraduate student, Arthur took a lumber marketing course taught by Prof. Dave Cohen who shared stories from the marketing realm that incorporated details about different types of wood products, where they are shipped and the end-users who consumed them.
“In the 1990s, Japan was the main offshore market for British Columbia’s wood products outside of North America,” recalls Arthur. “Dave explained how business was done there and what products performed best in that market. That in and of itself was fascinating to me.” Enough so that Arthur worked with Dave to complete a master’s in lumber marketing focusing on demographic factors affecting the demand for wood products: “factors such as age cohorts, population growth, immigration/migration flow,” adds Arthur.
At that time, Arthur was working full-time for Canfor while undertaking a full course load to complete his master’s, all while raising his two young daughters with his wife.
“I was about to quit the master’s program at one point because it was too much to handle; I was so stretched mentally and physically.”
That’s when Dave gave Arthur sage advice that has been a guiding light for him.
“He said to me: ‘You have to set your priorities. First, you need to take care of yourself, then your family, then your career and then school’.”
Recognizing the care and support behind Dave’s words gave Arthur the extra boost he needed to persevere. It was also the reason why Arthur later decided to return to the Faculty of Forestry to mentor the next generation of forestry students.
“I wanted to give back to the Faculty and help others the way that I was helped. Now that I’m more settled in my career and life, I am grateful to have found time to devote to volunteering.”
Mentoring Forestry students, and helping them get co-op placements at Canfor in his prior role, also served to keep Arthur abreast of changes at UBC while helping students pursue their studies and careers.
“To me, success is about how well you care for your family and then, with time, your willingness to give back to your community,” reflects Arthur, whose eldest daughter enrolled in Forestry undergraduate studies at UBC.
“The more you meet other people, the more you learn, the more you connect with different folks and different ways of thinking and different cultures, the more it shapes you for the better. That belief system has really guided me over the years, and it’s something that I hope to humbly pass along to my girls and the students.”
Led by our very own Development and Alumni Engagement Office, and shaped by valuable feedback from our alumni community, the Spring 2022 issue of Branchlines showcases the dynamic and multifaceted fields of forestry.
A TA’s award-winning work keeps compassion flowing
Hauling boxes out of a moving truck with her husband and new lab mates, UBC Forestry PhD candidate Stefanie Lane heard about a man whose reputation for compassion she would go on to model in her own work.
Stefanie arrived in Vancouver from Austin, Texas – after a brief stint collecting seeds in Oregon for the Chicago Botanic Garden – in 2018. At the time, UBC Forestry Postdoc. Jordan Burke (PhD Forestry’16) was in hospice with terminal cancer. While Stefanie did not have the opportunity to meet him, she was touched by what she learned about the much-beloved UBC Forestry sessional instructor and teaching assistant (TA) who was known for his sense of humour and offering beyond-the-call-of-duty care and attention to his students.
“Talking to people and reading about his life and work, it was very evident that Jordan was this powerful force of inspiration,” recalls Stefanie.
After completing her undergraduate studies in botany, Stefanie traveled to UBC to pursue an MSc in forestry and, later, a PhD. Specializing in tidal freshwater marshes, she has spent a lot of time thinking about the interface between rivers and the ocean where fresh and salt water mix.
Her current research involves measuring differences in above-ground vegetation, seed diversity and sediment after severe geese grazing. Observing and tracking how plant communities recover after this disturbance tells a story about their resilience and what to expect following similar events in the future.
“With time, geese eating the roots of plants can turn a vegetated marsh habitat into a mud flat, which can have negative consequences on, for example, juvenile salmon,” Stefanie explains.
Stefanie also mentors Forestry undergraduate students as a TA, a role in which she journeys with students through general plant biology as well as UBC campus’s diverse plant species and the art of specimen dissection.
“What I love most about TAing is helping students get to that lightbulb moment when they develop a deeper understanding of something they’ve learned, along with nerding out on a topic.”
In 2020, Stefanie received one of two inaugural Jordan L. Burke Memorial Awards in Forestry for Best Graduate Teaching Assistant in recognition of her exceptional mentorship of burgeoning foresters. The award gave Stefanie the opportunity to make her first connection with Jordan’s mother, April, and the Burke family.
“Meeting April, and sharing stories about our lives and talking about Jordan, has given me glimpses into who Jordan was,” says Stefanie. “I now think of him as a friend that I didn’t have the chance to meet.”
Despite the challenges of TAing during a global pandemic in which in-person learning was put on hold, Stefanie found innovative ways to connect with students through fun videos that enhanced their online learning experiences, and offered a healthy dose of compassion. Her efforts and out-of-the-box thinking did not go unnoticed, resulting in her receiving a second Jordan L. Burke Memorial Award in 2021.
“This scholarship is a way to continue Jordan’s passion and commitment to teaching and mentoring,” says April. “It extends ‘what might have been’ to dedicated students like Stefanie who can use it for their own support and inspiration, and to spread Jordan’s dedication to others.”
A thoughtful person by nature, Stefanie has run with the intent of the award in the guidance she provides to forestry students, some of whom may one day become TAs themselves. “Keeping his memory alive and the spirit of this award has reinvigorated me to be a compassionate TA,” says Stefanie. “Especially during the COVID-19 period of physical distancing, I’ve recognized how powerful of an impact this can have on a student’s life.”
With over $500,000 awarded to 27 projects, CUES funding aims to support community partnerships in pursuing shared projects with UBC that center around inclusive engagement to benefit communities and advance collaboration across the province.
Dr. Cole Burton
Sarah Dickson-Hoyle, PhD candidate
About the Projects
Project TEACH (Talking about Ecology & Aims for Conserving Habitat)
In a collaboration between the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, the Coexisting with Carnivores Alliance, University of Victoria’s Applied Conservation Science Lab and UBC Forestry’s Dr. Cole Burton, Project TEACH will host a publicly accessible educational series discussing topics such as the connections between carnivore conservation and climate action, to the impacts of recreational activities on animal behaviour. This is part of efforts to explore how human-decision making can result in landscape-level impacts.
Collaborative monitoring and cultural heritage management in fire-affected territories: Revitalizing roles as yecwmín̓men
In a partnership between Skeetchestn Natural Resources and UBC Forestry’s Sarah Dickson-Hoyle, this project will co-design and pilot a cultural heritage monitoring program, with the goal of supporting long-term ecosystem restoration and promoting community land use. In doing so, this project aims to collectively identify opportunities for collaborative monitoring, ecology knowledge sharing, cultural heritage and fire stewardship.
Indigenous leadership in wildfire management: Implementing lessons learned from Secwepemcúl’ecw
Also in collaboration with Sarah Dickson-Hoyle, this project builds on an existing partnership between UBC and the Secwepemcúl’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society. Following the success of their report, Elephant Hill: Secwépemc leadership and lessons learned, this project will work together with BC Wildfire Service and the BC government to implement key findings and recommendations to continue to advance Indigenous leadership in wildfire management and recovery.
About CUES Funding
The Community-University Engagement Support (CUES) is a competitive funding program that provides eligible community organizations in BC the funds to build partnerships and pursue collaborative research, teaching and learning projects with UBC. Administered by UBC Community Engagement, Vice-President External Relations, and the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, a total of $1,759,222 has been paid directly to community partners to date.
UBC Forestry congratulates Dr. Jeanine Rhemtulla for receiving the Killam Teaching Prize in Forestry for the 2021-2022 academic year.
About Dr. Rhemtulla
A multi-award winner, Dr. Rhemtulla most recently received the Killam Accelerator Research Fellowship from UBC last year. She was among five other UBC recipients who were recognized as exceptional early-career researchers who have demonstrated outstanding research achievement as well as the potential for significant impact in their fields.
Her teaching initiatives have always integrated perspectives for understanding complex livelihoods and conservation challenges. She is known for inspiring her students to think critically when it comes to how best to manage forests and landscapes sustainably. Her interactive teaching approaches include virtual field trips, nature journals, capstone projects and classroom debates.
Dr. Rhemtulla’s ongoing research examines potential solutions to global ecological challenges including climate change and deforestation. The objectives of this research are to increase biodiversity, ecosystem function and benefits to local people.
About the Killam Teaching Prize
The Killam Teaching Prize is awarded annually to faculty nominated by students, colleagues and alumni in recognition of excellence in teaching. Recipients are recognized at the graduation ceremonies.
As one of six Killam institutions, UBC offers yearly awards from the Killam Endowment Fund to faculty and teaching assistants who demonstrate excellence in teaching.
Piotr Kuraś (BSc’04, MASc’06) has seen water resource studies increasingly focus on climate change adaptation over the years. The UBC Forestry grad, who started as a research scientist, is now a consultant and principal with Northwest Hydraulic Consultants (NHC) where he provides his clients with the latest information on various water resource disciplines. Since starting with the company, Piotr has witnessed how expected climate change impacts are addressed in his field.
“Ten years ago, it was recommended that flood estimates be increased by 10% to address the impacts of climate change,” says Piotr. Now, they refine large-scale global climate models to a local level. This provides for long-term planning in water supply, infrastructure design and floodplain area development and safety in a specific area.
“We’re interested in models that aren’t available yet,” says Piotr. “So, we’re going ahead of what’s available provincially.”
Piotr’s project teams use the most recent global climate models to apply the latest science and results on expected climate change.
To address the impacts of climate change, Piotr says foresters and scientists would benefit from having more long-term and consistent monitoring stations across BC. The stations allow them to access historical climate and water flow data, which they can then use to run climate scenarios and models.
Recently, Piotr worked on a water system planning project for Metro Vancouver where NHC developed hydrologic models of the Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam watersheds. Different climate scenarios for the region up to the year 2100 were taken into consideration in the review of locations for additional water supply dams for the region.
Engagement with stakeholders, such as First Nations, local government and residents, is crucial when working on water stewardship projects, says Piotr. “It’s essential to include a variety of viewpoints in the process to help us understand their perspectives and values when designing projects and determining how their outcomes can be most useful.”
“Modelling is often informed by different interests,” says Piotr. “This feedback can alert us to concerns that might not have otherwise been raised.”
Tips for new graduates
For people interested in following in Piotr’s footsteps, he recommends professional registration after graduation. Piotr was able to register as an engineer and thinks he got the chance to work with NHC because the company was looking for someone who had engineering and forestry backgrounds.
New graduates should also take advantage of networking opportunities, such as staying in touch with leading academics in their field or presenting research at conferences, for example.
“You can fire your resume around, but the people part of it is how you connect,” says Piotr.
About the Author
Elif Kayali is an international student from Turkey who is double majoring in economics and political science. Elif is currently working for UBC Forestry’s Development and Alumni Engagement team as a Work Learn student where she gets to use her passion for journalism and writing to meet and write about the wonderful members of the forestry profession. In her free time, Elif loves to write for UBC’s student newspaper, The Ubyssey.
After graduating from high school, Debrah Zemanek (MSFM’19) started working as a firefighter in her hometown of 100 Mile House and then Lillooet, BC. She was driving to Pemberton while off duty one weekend when she passed a forester’s truck on the side of the road.
“I thought ‘Oh man, that seems like the coolest job. It’s like firefighting but may be more long-term and sustainable for me’,” Debrah recalls. “I love being in the forest, but also the idea of having a natural science-based career; I would love to be a forester!”
Debrah was doing an undergraduate degree in environmental science at Queen’s University at the time and thought she would have to do another four-year undergraduate degree to go into forestry. After completing her undergrad and pursuing a master’s degree in civil engineering, she heard about UBC’s Master of Sustainable Forest Management from a family friend. It was time to follow her dream.
Now, Debrah works at B.A Blackwell & Associates where she helps lead their fuels management group. Her team focuses on creating community wildfire resiliency plans, developing coal fuel management prescriptions and supervising the implementation of those prescriptions.
“When I started, I thought it was pretty straightforward; but, honestly it’s not,” admits Debrah. “It seems that in every project I work on, some complication arises that I’ve never seen before, which also keeps my work interesting and fun.”
Likewise, Debrah loves that she can learn about forests and their particularities in her work.
“You can learn to read a forest, much like you can read a book. It sounds cliché, but there’s so much going on in a forest that you don’t think about until you learn about it,” she says.
How ecology, fires and service history, such as past logging, impact trees are of keen interest to Debrah. “‘What story does the forest tell?’ That’s probably the most interesting thing to think about,” she remarks.
At the same time, Debrah’s field is going through a transition period to respond to the impacts of climate change. More and more professionals are looking to maximize forest resources by, for example, processing second-growth forests instead of old growth or using more wood and burning less slash.
“A lot of barriers are starting to be removed,” says Debrah. “We’re now dealing with the legacy of what we did in the last 100 years. We’ve got a big mess to clean up, but we’re getting there.”
Raising awareness about Fire Smart BC is also very important to Debrah, as she wants to see ongoing efforts to protect infrastructure from wildfire. An organization that promotes wildfire preparedness on private lands, Fire Smart also supports communities by providing assessments and information on factors that spread wildfires, such as fire-safe landscaping. “I enjoy my work in fuels management because it’s all about human values in relation to our forest – forests that have been altered by humans for centuries,” says Debrah. “Public safety, fibre utilization, recreation and wildlife are all intrinsic to fuels and wildfire management.”
About the Author
Elif Kayali is an international student from Turkey who is double majoring in economics and political science. Elif is currently working for UBC Forestry’s Development and Alumni Engagement team as a Work Learn student where she gets to use her passion for journalism and writing to meet and write about the wonderful members of the forestry profession. In her free time, Elif loves to write for UBC’s student newspaper, The Ubyssey.
Do you have a favourite tree? Is it a beautiful arbutus tree, blue spruce or monkey puzzle tree? Or, is it the tree that you climbed as a child, ate picnics under or passed by every day on your way to work? We want to know about your favourite tree and why it holds a place in your heart!
Enter the Branchlines Favourite Tree Contest on Instagram by using the hashtag #BranchlinesFavouriteTreeContest and tag @UBCForestry on your photos or email it to forestry.alumni@ubc.ca. The winner will be awarded a $100 VISA gift card.
Eligibility
All current and incoming UBC Faculty of Forestry students, faculty, staff, and alumni are eligible to submit photos, win the prize, and potentially have their photos reposted to @ubcforestry.
UBC Forestry will always ask for permission before sharing any submitted photos.
How to Enter
Please include a short description along with your entry telling us about your favourite tree.
Email your photo to forestry.alumni@ubc.ca or enter on Instagram by using the hashtag #BranchlinesFavouriteTreeContest in the photo caption to indicate you are submitting the photo for the contest.
If your Instagram account is not public, please direct message the photo to the Faculty of Forestry’s account.
Each person may submit a maximum of 3 photo submissions per contest period.
Contest Duration
The contest will run from April 1, 2022, to July 15, 2022, at 11:59 pm PDT.
Winner Determination
The week after the contest closes, the UBC Development and Alumni Engagement team will randomly select one (1) winner among all eligible submissions received during the submission period, based on the following criteria:
Each photo is submitted with a short description telling us about your favourite tree
The photo and description were submitted by email to forestry.alumni@ubc.ca or the photo was posted to Instagram using the #BranchlinesFavouriteTreeContest
The Instagram account that submitted the image belongs to an incoming or current UBC Forestry student, faculty, staff or alumnus
Winners will be contacted via Instagram DM or email within seven days following the closing of the contest period. If the winner does not respond within 24 hours, UBC Forestry reserves the right to select a new winner.
Prize
There will be one prize winner. The winner will receive a $100 VISA gift card. More information will be communicated to the winner.
We are pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Faculty of Forestry’s Best Graduate Teaching Assistant Award. The award comprises the Jordan L. Burke Memorial Award in Forestry and the Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award. The recipients have demonstrated exceptional skills and contributions to teaching that have earned them a high level of respect from students and course supervisors.
Jennifer Baron
Awards: Jordan L. Burke Memorial Award in Forestry – 1st Place, Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award Professors:Lori Daniels, Sarah Gergel
Congratulations to Jennifer Baron for being the 1st place winner of the 2021-2022 Faculty of Forestry’s Jordan L. Burke Memorial Award in Forestry (Best Graduate TA Award) and Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award. Over the past year, Jennifer has been the Teaching Assistant for one undergraduate course (CONS200) covering 3 credit units with 136 students, and two graduate courses (GEM500, and FCOR599) covering 9 credit units with the Master in Geomatics and Environmental Management Program. Jennifer is known for her expertise, professionalism, and mentorship amongst students, colleagues, and Faculty. In addition, Jennifer’s commitment to teaching far exceeds what is required or expected of a graduate student, showing her true passion for education spanning a range of student ages, from K-12 through university. Her nomination was supported by several course instructors and students.
David Moulton
Awards: Jordan L. Burke Memorial Award in Forestry– 2nd Place Professors: Scott Hinch
Congratulations to David Moulton for being the 2nd place winner of the 2021-2022 Faculty of Forestry’s Jordan L. Burke Memorial Award in Forestry (Best Graduate TA Award). David has been the Teaching Assistant for CONS486 covering 6 credit units since 2019 and has been a guest lecturer for various courses inside and outside of UBC in recent years. David is known for his enthusiasm and continuously improving the learning experience of his students through his own professional development and active volunteerism. His nomination was supported by several course instructors and students.
Congratulations to both Jennifer and David and thank you to the adjudication committee, all the nominees and everyone who contributed time and energy to this year’s submissions.
Award Background
Jordan L. Burke Memorial Award
This award has been made available through an endowment established by friends, family and colleagues in memory of Jordan L. Burke (1982-2019) for graduate students in the Faculty of Forestry who have demonstrated a passion for teaching in their roles as Teaching Assistants. Jordan (B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. 2016) was a postdoctoral research and teaching fellow with the Forest Insect Disturbance Ecology Laboratory in the Faculty of Forestry. His research focused on the range expansion of the mountain pine beetle in British Columbia and Alberta. Jordan served as a TA and instructor to many undergraduate students in the Faculty of Forestry. This award was established in recognition of Jordan’s legacy as an enthusiastic and encouraging instructor.
Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
This award seeks to recognize teaching excellence within UBC and to underscore the importance and value that UBC places on teaching and learning. 19 awards are made this year among the thousands of Teaching Assistants working at the university.
UBC Forestry is excited to announce Dr. Elizabeth Wolkovich is a recipient of the 2021 UBC Killam Research Fellowship. Awarded to exceptional and promising faculty members, this fellowship enables faculty to devote full time to research and study in their field during a recognized study leave.
Dr. Elizabeth Wolkovich’s Accomplishments
Dr. Wolkovich’s research draws on theory from temporal community ecology with perspectives from population and ecosystem ecology, evolutionary biology, and climatology. Specifically, Dr. Wolkovich examines the causes and consequences of plant invasions and the effects of climate change on the temporal assembly of plant communities.
As a leader in emerging research investigating how communities assemble and dis-assemble as a result of global change, Dr. Wolkovich also holds a Canada Research Chair in Temporal Ecology.
About the UBC Killam Research Fellowship
Since its start in 1965, more than 2,000 UBC professors, fellows, students and scholars have received Killam support for their research and scholarship. These awards recognize the research excellence and scholarly achievements of faculty from across all disciplines, ranging from medicine and applied and natural sciences to arts, social sciences and humanities. Learn more about Killam Awards and Fellowships.
