UBC Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship

Join us for the 5th Advances in Forestry Symposium (ADFORS), an international collaboration between the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) and UBC's Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship.

Taking place June 24–26, 2026, this year's symposium will bring together students, researchers, educators, community members, industry leaders, and government representatives to explore entrepreneurship and technological innovation in forestry.

The three-day program will focus on:
- 🌱 Inspiration and Connection
- 🔍 Diagnosis of Challenges
- 🤝 Responses and Proposals: Co-Creation

The symposium is free to attend, with both online and in-person participation options available. Simultaneous translation will be provided in English and Portuguese.

📅 June 24–26, 2026
🕘 9:00 AM–2:30 PM PST
💻📍Online via Zoom & In-person at UFPR – Brazil

🔗 Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdeE-s0bdaagVOI_BBD9zc7lPPfsMrTnVZfOtJWe3Yql4Cshw/viewform

Join us this National Indigenous History Month for Gifts from the Land: A Fireside Chat on Land Stewardship and Medicine Harvesting.

Through stories of resilience, healing, and cultural revitalization, Indigenous knowledge keepers Aileen Michel (St’át’imc Nation) and Mitchell Tourangeau (Nêhiyaw/Cree Nation) will share teachings on medicine gathering, cultural practices, and reconnecting with the land. The conversation will be moderated by Dana-Lyn Mackenzie, Senior Manager, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Indigeneity at

This free community event offers an opportunity to learn from lived experience and deepen our understanding of Indigenous knowledge, stewardship, and relationships with the natural world.

📅 June 18, 3-4:30 PM
📍 CAWP 2916, Forest Sciences Centre
🔗 Register here: https://forestry.ubc.ca/events/gifts-from-the-land-a-fireside-chat-on-land-stewardship-and-medicine-harvesting/

From digital design and CNC machining to hand-finishing, every step of this project happened at UBC. 🪵 🛠️

The Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) recently designed and built a custom red alder boardroom table for the UBC President’s office. The project demonstrates how advanced manufacturing, skilled craftsmanship, and locally sourced wood can come together to create functional, high-quality products while providing valuable learning opportunities for students.

Read: https://forestry.ubc.ca/news/creating-the-ubc-presidents-table-with-cawp/

A new study shows that 5 million frogs, salamanders, and reptiles were displaced by construction in B.C. in just four years — and there’s no requirement to monitor survival rates.🐸

“Our study shows not only how heavily we rely on this practice but also raises a bigger question: what happens next?” said Megan Winand, lead author and recent MSc graduate.

The study, co-authored by Dr. Tara Martin, analyzed 629 provincial permits and found that translocation is being used at a massive scale, yet there's zero legal requirement for post-relocation monitoring. We're making consequential decisions for millions of animals with no data on whether it works.

Read the full study 👇
https://forestry.ubc.ca/news/ubc-study-5-million-amphibians-and-reptiles-displaced-by-b-c-construction-with-no-requirement-to-track-survival/

Join us this National Indigenous History Month for Gifts from the Land: A Fireside Chat on Land Stewardship and Medicine Harvesting.

Through stories of resilience, healing, and cultural revitalization, Indigenous knowledge keepers Aileen Michel (St’át’imc Nation) and Mitchell Tourangeau (Nêhiyaw/Cree Nation) will share teachings on medicine gathering, cultural practices, and reconnecting with the land. The conversation will be moderated by Dana-Lyn Mackenzie, Senior Manager, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Indigeneity at

This free community event offers an opportunity to learn from lived experience and deepen our understanding of Indigenous knowledge, stewardship, and relationships with the natural world.

📅 June 18, 3-4:30 PM
📍 CAWP 2916, Forest Sciences Centre
🔗 Register here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8iYJ3TqQT7EPU46

What if one of our oldest building materials could help solve some of our newest climate challenges? 🌲🏗️

At , researchers are helping redefine what’s possible in sustainable construction. In a recent UBC Magazine feature, Dr. Haibo Feng and colleagues highlight how mass timber innovation is shaping the future of the built environment and advancing low-carbon building solutions.

Data collected from Brock Commons Tallwood House helped inform updates to British Columbia’s building code, increasing the allowable height of mass timber residential buildings from 12 to 18 storeys in 2024.

The impact goes beyond height. Researchers estimate the timber used in Brock Commons avoids and sequesters greenhouse gases at a rate equivalent to taking 511 cars off the road for a year. The building’s structure was also completed in just 70 days, roughly four months faster than comparable projects, thanks to off-site prefabrication and rapid assembly. From reducing emissions to accelerating construction timelines, mass timber is proving to be a powerful tool for building more sustainable communities.

Read the full story here 🔗: https://magazine.alumni.ubc.ca/2026/spring-2026/campus-environment-science/model-homes

As salmon stocks decline and catch limits tighten, improving survival rates for released fish is vital for anglers.

Dr. Scott Hinch (Professor, Dept. of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia) discusses his latest research project - a six-year UBC study into post-release salmon mortality. The study has identified 15 ways to improve salmon survival after capture-and-release, including tactics concerning hooks, nets and handling.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jqW7BBTidg

faculty are helping shape the future of global forest sustainability 🌎🌲

Three instructors from UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship’s Master of International Forestry program served as lead authors on the newest edition of the United Nations’ flagship Global Forest Resources Assessment report, helping provide critical insight into the state of the world’s forests and the challenges they face.

Their work is helping inform international forest policy, sustainability strategies, and conservation efforts on a global scale, reinforcing UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship’s role as a leader in forestry research and education.

Read the full story here: https://forestry.ubc.ca/news/mif-instructors-make-global-impact-as-lead-authors-of-landmark-un-forest-report/

BILS x HGI 🤝

The Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship (BILS) team had a wonderful opportunity to reflect on two years of the program with a visit to Haida Gwaii. The team was welcomed by K’iinuwaas Carrie-Anne Vanderhoop, Director of the Haida Gwaii Institute, and honoured to have had an opportunity to meet with the Council of the Haida Nation.

During their visit, they worked out of the Haida Heritage Centre at Kaay Llnagaay, where they reviewed curriculum and student feedback, shared experiences, and learned from colleagues' insights.

We are deeply grateful to the Haida Gwaii community for the hospitality, collaboration, and guidance the BILS team received.🤲

Photos courtesy of Estefania Milla-Moreno and Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono.