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Forests go far beyond British Columbia; they cover 1/3 of the Earth’s land surface. Forestry graduate students learn from a dynamic and diverse group of researchers who educate and communicate how forests and forest products contribute to the well-being of all living things. The health and sustainability of forests and the people who depend on them underlies everything we do.

The Faculty of Forestry is one of the top institutions globally in forest-related education and research. The unique breadth of expertise we possess allows us to integrate new knowledge across many disciplines. Offering both master’s and doctoral programs, our graduate students learn from a dynamic and diverse group of researchers from around the world.

 

Research Facilities

The Forest Sciences Centre is a showcase for construction using Canadian forest products, and was architecturally designed to mimic the landscape of British Columbia: towering trees, mountains, and blue-green waters. The 17,505-square-metre Forest Sciences complex has 11 classrooms, 2 lecture theatres, teaching laboratories, office space, computer labs, study areas, and a cafeteria, and houses the Faculty’s three departments.

Built alongside the Forest Sciences Centre is the 3,730-square-metre Centre for Advanced Wood Processing. It is Canada’s national centre of excellence for education and research related to wood products processing and advanced wood products manufacturing, and works to advance knowledge that fosters job creation, stabilizes forest-dependent communities, encourages increased value recovery, and ensures the sustainable management of Canada’s forests. This building includes two 25-seat classrooms, a machine lab, a simulator lab and a computer lab.

Within the Faculty of Forestry, there are also several research groups. Visit the website of each project to find out more.

Off-campus facilities include two Research Forests: the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest in Maple Ridge and the Alex Fraser Research Forest near Williams Lake. These are working forests located throughout the province where students and faculty can study in an outdoor setting. Fish and wildlife, silviculture, forest harvesting, forest ecology, forest management, and resources management figure prominently in these field studies.

Research Highlights

UBC Forestry is turning out a new generation of foresters, and faculty are committed to meeting future challenges in forestry through in-depth, cutting edge research. In fact, UBC Forestry receives the highest level of forestry research funding of any forestry faculty in Canada.

In the 2017/2018 fiscal year, members of the Faculty Forestry were awarded a total of over $12 million in research funding. 

Our wide breadth of research includes topics such as tree rings, integrated remote sensing, bioenergy, forest conservation genetics, landscape visualizations, African forest conservation and development, alpine studies, climate change, and advanced wood processing.

Schools / Departments

Department

Graduate Degree Programs

Research Supervisors in Faculty

or browse the list of faculty members in various academic units. You may click each unit to view faculty members appointed in that unit. View the full faculty member directory for more search and filter options.
Name Academic Unit(s) Research Interests
Aitken, Sally Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences forest genetics, climate change, Climate change, conservation, ecology, genetics, genomics
Alila, Younes Department of Forest Resources Management Hydrology, Flood, Water Resources, Water Structures, Forest Hydrology, Forest management, hydrological engineering
Arcese, Peter Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences Global change biology; Ecology; Conservation Biology; Evolutionary Biology; conservation finance
Atleo, Tara Department of Forest Resources Management Indigenous economics; Indigenous peoples environmental knowledge; Sustainability management; Sustainable development and policy; Sustainability Management; Communities and Indigenous Knowledge
Avramidis, Stavros Department of Wood Science Other natural sciences, n.e.c.; Wood-water relations and sorption thermodynamics.; Fluid flow, heat transfer, and molecular diffusion; Modeling steady-state and dynamic non-isothermal diffusion in wood.; Application of fractals and machine learning to modeling wood physical properties.; Molecular modeling of the wood nano-pore network in the cell wall.; Industrial wood kiln drying optimization and development of new drying strategies.; Radio frequency vacuum (RFV) heating and drying of wood and wood products.; Dielectric wood phytosanitation.; Wood thermal modification.
Barbeito Sanchez, Ignacio Department of Forest Resources Management refining novel silvicultural practices; establishment and management of forests under global change
Benson-Amram, Sarah Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences, Department of Zoology
Boedhihartono, Agni Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences Forestry sciences; biodiversity; Communities and Livelihoods; conservation; Forest management; Land-use Change; social science; sustainability; Tropical Landscapes and Livelihoods
Booker, Thomas Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences population and quantitative genetics
Bulkan, Janette Department of Forest Resources Management aboriginal forestry, biodiversity, climate change, communities and livelihoods, conservation, corporate responsibility, forest management, forest policy, international trade, social impact, social science
Burton, Cole Department of Forest Resources Management Forestry sciences; Ecology and Quality of the Environment; Ecological Trends; Animal; Biodiversity and Biocomplexity; Landscape and Restoration; Environment Management and Protection; Biodiversity conservation; Ecological Monitoring; Landscape ecology; Mammal Ecology; Population and Community Ecology; Wildlife Management
Cardinal-McTeague, Warren Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences Earth and related environmental sciences; Forestry sciences; plant biodiversity; Indigenous environmental management and food systems; monitoring of ecosystem health and function
Carroll, Allan Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences climate change, mountain pine beetle, bark beetles, forest disturbance, integrated pest management, insect ecology, population dynamics, insect-plant interactions, Climate change, conservation, ecology, ecosystems, forest biology, forest management
Chanway, Christopher Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences Soil microbiology
Cool, Julie Department of Wood Science modelling, wood products, wood science, wood
Coops, Nicholas Charles Department of Forest Resources Management Forestry sciences; Telemetry (Remote Sensing, Radar); Space Techniques; Forestry Technology and Equipment; Plants and Forests
Cranston, Emily Department of Wood Science, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering Nanoparticle synthesis, properties and applications; Bio-based materials and nanocellulose; Atomic force microscopy (forces, adhesion, friction, imaging); Colloid and interface science; Polymer chemistry; Cellulose nanocrystals; Bioproducts; Foams, emulsions, aerogels
Dai, Chunping Department of Wood Science Forestry sciences; Bamboo; Bio-products; Wood Products; Wood Science; Wood Technology
Daniels, Lori Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences forest plants and trees; forest history; forest management; environmental protection and natural resource use, Climate change, ecology, fire regimes
Devisscher, Tahia Department of Forest Resources Management Forestry sciences; adaptation; climate change; Human Health; Human Well-being; Nature Recovery; Social-Ecological Resilience
El-Kassaby, Yousry Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences Forestry sciences; Applied Genetics; conservation; genomics; Seed orchards’ genetics; Tree breeding; Tree domestication
Eskelson, Bianca Department of Forest Resources Management Natural resource management; Forest Biometrics; Forest Modelling; Disturbance Effects; Management Effects; Climate Effects
Evans, Philip David Department of Wood Science Wood anatomy, wood durability, wood products, wood technology
Feng, Haibo Department of Wood Science Forestry sciences; BIM; Construction; LCA; sustainability; Wood Products; Zero energy / caron building
Gaston, Christopher Department of Wood Science Forestry sciences; markets and economics for Canadian wood products

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Open Research Positions

This list of possible research projects is non-exhaustive. It only shows positions that are specifically advertised in the G+PS website.

Graduate Student Stories

Stephen Johnston

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)

Post-release mortality of Chinook salmon in marine recreational fisheries

Johanna Bock

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)

Urban natures for diversity: A perspective on individual behaviours, values, and mental health

Samadhee Kaluarachchi

Master of Science in Forestry (MSc)

Quantifying flood risk and sensitivity through causal inference methods in British Columbia

Marie Boulinaud

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)

Blaming swidden cultivation in the Philippines: evidence, consequences and understandings for Indigenous Peoples

Sharayu Jakhotiya

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)

People, Policy, And Predators: Studying the impacts of policy, governments, and markets on the governance models of forest dwelling communities in Central India’s tiger reserves

Miah Godek

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)

Wildfire resilience and Indigenous cultural burning in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Mike Stefanuk

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)

Fire regimes from past to future in dry interior forests of the Cariboo region, British Columbia

Tara L. Brown

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)

Comparing guided and self-guided forest bathing in metro Vancouver parks: a seasonal longitudinal RCT examining health impacts and environmental factors
All Student Stories

Alumni on Success

Jane Yuexian Wang

Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management (MGEM) [2018]

Job Title
Programmer / Analyst

Employer
University of British Columbia

Dan Macmaster

Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM) [2013]

Job Title
Fibre Manager and Head of Forestry

Employer
Vaagen Fibre Canada

Kristina Cockle

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) [2010]

Job Title
Research Scientist

Employer
CONICET

Jill Hamilton

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) [2012]

Job Title
Assistant Professor

Employer
North Dakota State University

Michael Donaldson

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) [2012]

Job Title
Content Development Manager

Employer
Canadian Science Publishing

Patrice Meteunou

Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM)

Job Title
Parks and Recreation

Employer
City of Port Coquitlam

Ella Furness

Master of Science in Forestry (MSc) [2012]

Job Title
Doctoral Candidate

Employer
Cardiff University
All Alumni Stories

Recent Publications

This is an incomplete sample of recent publications in chronological order by UBC faculty members with a primary appointment in the Faculty of Forestry.

 

Seasonal vegetation dynamics for phenotyping using multispectral drone imagery: Genetic differentiation, climate adaptation, and hybridization in a common-garden trial of interior spruce (Picea engelmannii × glauca)
Publication: Remote Sensing of Environment
UBC Author(s): Nicholas Charles Coops (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry), Tongli Wang (Forest & Conservation Sciences / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 00344257
Volume: 317
Publication Date: 1 February 2025

View Publication
Comparing enzymatic post-treatments by endoglucanase (EG) and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO) on microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) to enhance cellulose film fabrication
Publication: Carbohydrate Polymers
UBC Author(s): Scott Renneckar (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 01448617
Volume: 349
Publication Date: 1 February 2025

View Publication
Application risk and value of Cd-enriched poplar wood: Wood properties, leaching characteristics and brown rot resistance
Publication: Journal of Hazardous Materials
UBC Author(s): Stavros Avramidis (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 03043894
Volume: 482
Publication Date: 15 January 2025

View Publication
K-PCD: A new clustering algorithm for building energy consumption time series analysis and predicting model accuracy improvement
Publication: Applied Energy
UBC Author(s): Haibo Feng (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 03062619
Volume: 377
Publication Date: 1 January 2025

View Publication
Optimization of warehouse picking to maximize the picked orders considering practical aspects
Publication: Applied Mathematical Modelling
UBC Author(s): Taraneh Sowlati (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 0307904X
Volume: 137
Publication Date: January 2025

View Publication
Coupling dynamics of urban flood resilience in china from 2012 to 2022: A network-based approach
Publication: Sustainable Cities and Society
UBC Author(s): Haibo Feng (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 22106707
Volume: 118
Publication Date: January 2025

View Publication
Experimental and numerical study on the long-term rotational deformation behavior of post-tensioned timber joints under sustained gravity loads
Publication: Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering
UBC Author(s): Frank Lam (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 16449665
Volume: 25
Publication Date: January 2025

View Publication
Plant diversity value of informal green spaces in tropical coastal urban areas: An empirical study of species, functional, and phylogenetic diversity
Publication: Science of the Total Environment
UBC Author(s): Guangyu Wang (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 00489697
Volume: 955
Publication Date: 10 December 2024

View Publication
A novel computer vision and point cloud-based approach for accurate structural analysis of a tall irregular timber structure
Publication: Structures
UBC Author(s): Minghao Li (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
Volume: 70
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Preliminary validation of automated production analysis of feller buncher operations: integration of onboard computer data with LiDAR inventory
Publication: European Journal of Forest Research
UBC Author(s): Dominik Roeser (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 16124669
Volume: 143
Page Range: 1819-1833
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Urbanization and plant diversity in urban fringes: Differential responses across life forms
Publication: Journal of Environmental Management
UBC Author(s): Guangyu Wang (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 03014797
Volume: 371
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Structural and embodied carbon performance optimization for low carbon buildings through BIM-based integrated design
Publication: Journal of Building Engineering
UBC Author(s): Haibo Feng (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
Volume: 98
Publication Date: 1 December 2024

View Publication
Tree plantations and forest regrowth are linked to poverty reduction in Africa
Publication: Communications Earth and Environment
UBC Author(s): Jeanine Rhemtulla (Forest & Conservation Sciences / Faculty of Forestry)
Volume: 5
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Synthesis of lignin-based elastomers via ARGET ATRP: Exceptional mechanical strength, adhesion, and self-repair properties
Publication: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
UBC Author(s): Feng Jiang (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 01418130
Volume: 283
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
What is equitable urban forest governance? A systematic literature review
Publication: Environmental Science and Policy
UBC Author(s): Lorien Nesbitt (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 14629011
Volume: 162
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Application of microscale methods to study the heat-induced delamination in engineered wood products bonded with one-component polyurethane adhesives
Publication: International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives
UBC Author(s): Felix Wiesner (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 01437496
Volume: 135
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Characterizing annual leaf area index changes and volume growth using ALS and satellite data in forest plantations
Publication: Science of Remote Sensing
UBC Author(s): Nicholas Charles Coops (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry), Dominik Roeser (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry)
Volume: 10
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Characterizing forest structural changes in response to non-stand replacing disturbances using bitemporal airborne laser scanning data
Publication: Science of Remote Sensing
UBC Author(s): Nicholas Charles Coops (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry), Sarah Gergel (Forest & Conservation Sciences / Faculty of Forestry), Dominik Roeser (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry)
Volume: 10
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
The impact of LPG consumption on cooking energy efficiency: Evidence from rural Indian household panel data
Publication: World Development Perspectives
UBC Author(s): Hisham Zerriffi (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 24680532
Volume: 36
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
How bureaucracies interact with Indigenous Fire Stewardship (IFS): a conceptual framework
Publication: Fire Ecology
UBC Author(s): William Nikolakis (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry)
Volume: 20
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Enhancing monolignol ferulate conjugate levels in poplar lignin via OsFMT1
Publication: Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts
UBC Author(s): Shawn Mansfield (Department of Wood Science / Faculty of Forestry)
Volume: 17
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Disentangling linkages between satellite-derived indicators of forest structure and productivity for ecosystem monitoring
Publication: Scientific Reports
UBC Author(s): Cole Burton (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry), Nicholas Charles Coops (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry)
Volume: 14
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
High-yield hybrid breeding of Camellia oleifolia based on ISSR molecular markers
Publication: BMC Plant Biology
UBC Author(s): Yousry El-Kassaby (Forest & Conservation Sciences / Faculty of Forestry)
Volume: 24
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Genetics of flight in spongy moths (Lymantria dispar ssp.): functionally integrated profiling of a complex invasive trait
Publication: BMC Genomics
UBC Author(s): Richard Hamelin (Forest & Conservation Sciences / Faculty of Forestry)
Volume: 25
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication
Exploring impacts of COVID-19 on spatial and temporal patterns of visitors to Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks from social media big data
Publication: Journal of Forestry Research
UBC Author(s): Guangyu Wang (Forest Resources Management / Faculty of Forestry)
ISSN: 1007662X
Volume: 35
Publication Date: December 2024

View Publication

Pages

Recent Thesis Submissions

Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
Year Citation Program
2024 Dr. Dort studied the genetics and genomics of plant pathogens. She used comparative genomics to discover patterns of plant pathogenicity in fungi and established CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in an oomycete forest pathogen. Her research provides a foundation for future studies of forest pathogens and the improvement of disease surveillance strategies. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2024 Coexisting with flood-adapted forests can be a challenge for communities that are built within historical floodplains. Dr. Moran's research revealed conditions under which cottonwood forests might thrive in the presence of flood control infrastructure, and suggested workable restoration strategies for highly developed riverscapes. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2024 Dr. Wertman discovered a unique, putative mutualism between the alder bark beetle and a newly described species of fungus. Her research expands upon known bark beetle-fungus symbioses to include a hardwood tree-killing system and has implications for the future health of nitrogen-fixing red alder throughout the Pacific Coast of North America. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2024 Dr. Chadwick developed methods for deriving critical assessment data for regenerating post-harvest stands in Alberta, Canada from drone imagery. His methods provide a basis to increase the efficiency with which monitoring can occur and offer a level of wall-to-wall detail that cannot be practically obtained with traditional methods. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2024 Dr. Lane studied changes in tidal marsh vegetation and seed germination potential in coastal conservation areas of BC. She found evidence for loss and limited germination of native species, and high risk of invasion by non-native species. This research highlights a need for active management and restoration in coastal ecosystems in BC and beyond. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2024 Dr. Loughnan studied climate change impacts on the timing of life history events, including the start of spring in forests. She found important relationships with environmental cues, like temperature, and evolution in how native woody species are responding. Her work has applications in conservations and management of forests across North America. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2024 Dr. Zhao developed ecological models to predict forest tree species' fundamental climate niche and productivity. Her innovative studies offer essential insights into forest adaptation strategies such as conservation or assisted migration in response to climate change. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2024 Dr. Wang estimated the pattern and changes in wildland fires and their ecological effects in Canadian forests. Her research contributes to a better understanding of how climate and vegetation interact with fires, thereby enhancing our capabilities for future coexistence with wildfires. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2024 There is a need for spatially explicit and accurate information regarding fish habitat in forested watersheds. Dr. Dakin Kuiper's doctoral studies examined the ability of airborne laser scanning to characterize stream habitat features important to salmon. His research will help forest and fisheries managers to better conserve these keystone species. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)
2023 Dr. Lyall studied peoples' relationships with the forests with the Kwakwaka'wakw of the West Coast of Canada. The research approach was collaborative and inclusive of Indigenous Knowledge. The research explained the cultural and heritage significance of the forests, from ancient stories, traditional foods, forest practices, and western red cedar. Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD)

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New Bioenergy Training Program Targets Remote Indigenous Communities

Alex Fraser Research Forest, in partnership with FPInnovations, is launching a new training program designed to help remote and Indigenous communities transition from diesel-based energy to sustainable, wood-based biomass power.  The post New Bioenergy Training Program Targets Remote Indigenous...

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2024 Wall Research (Graduate Student) Award

UBC Forestry congratulates Johanna Bock, Stephen Johnston, and Sofie McComb on their Wall Research (Graduate Student) Award. The post 2024 Wall Research (Graduate Student) Award appeared first on UBC Faculty of Forestry.

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2024 Wall Research (Team Faculty) Award

UBC Forestry congratulates Dr. Quingshi Tu and Dr. Alex Moore on their teams' Wall Research Award. The post 2024 Wall Research (Team Faculty) Award appeared first on UBC Faculty of Forestry.

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Professional Master’s Panel Discussion – Jan 2025

Take part in this online session to hear from program directors, coordinators, and advisors and learn how our Professional Master's degrees enhance technical skills, leadership, and networking opportunities. The post Professional Master’s Panel Discussion – Jan 2025 appeared first on...

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In The Media: December 2024

Here’s a look at UBC Forestry in the media this month. The post In The Media: December 2024 appeared first on UBC Faculty of Forestry.

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Harnessing Nature’s Power to Prevent Floods in Canada

We spoke with Dr. Mitchell to learn how natural ecosystems can help shield millions of Canadians from the impacts of flooding. The post Harnessing Nature’s Power to Prevent Floods in Canada appeared first on UBC Faculty of Forestry.

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