Inside: Small Things Considered

branchlines Volume 27#1 Spring 2016 Inside: Small things considered ...................10 Soil productivity in the Fraser River Delta (cover) ...............................12 The Pacific Salmon Ecology and Conservation Lab ........................14 Unseen connections ..........................18 dean’smessage forest sector, and our Forest Resources employers of the benefits of co-op is Management and Wood Products very welcome. Processing programs continue to We have just wrapped up our grow, as does demand for graduates recent campaign, which was aimed I have previously commented from these programs. With the end of at both raising funds and increasing on the diversity of research interests the school year fast approaching, I am alumni engagement. This does not within the Faculty. These cover all reminded that each year provides a mean that we can now sit back and aspects of forests and their products fresh crop of graduates who will, over relax. We particularly want to ensure and are increasingly extending beyond time, make their mark in the industry. that we can maintain, and even into other aspects of the landscape. However, today, our graduates have a increase, our alumni engagement. We are not just restricted to rural greater choice in front of them than We offer many opportunities for landscapes, and more and more work ever before, and they will not automat- engagement and are always seeking is being done on urban landscapes, ically apply for an entry-level position if out new ideas. If you feel that there is a trend that is likely to increase as it is not accompanied by a clear career something that you think we should our urban forestry program gathers path or some other form of incentive. be doing, please do not hesitate to strength. In this issue of Branchlines, it It is up to the forest sector to ensure get in touch with me. Our fund-raising is very evident that the paths that our that they are not only employing the was also successful, and I am delighted students take are equally diverse, and right people for the right positions, but that we have been able to complete we are seeing our students entering that they also manage to retain them. the renovation of Loon Lake Research a startling range of different types of It was very gratifying to see British and Education Centre. We can now set employment. Columbia’s Minister of Advanced our sights on several other ambitious In the past, it was fairly clear that Education, the Hon Andrew Wilkinson, projects that we have in mind. Don’t anyone graduating from the Faculty tweeting about the Faculty of Forestry’s forget that our alumni barbecue, held of Forestry would likely end up work- co-op program. The importance of every year during spring camp, is a ing in the forest industry. Today it is co-op cannot be over-stressed. It pro- great opportunity to see what has very different, as such a wide variety vides students with work experience been achieved in the research forest of opportunities are available to our that will enhance their employability and at the Centre. For details of this students. This is very apparent in this and employers with an opportunity to event see page 21. issue of Branchlines where a range of introduce potential future employees different career paths are described. It to their workplace culture. Students is particularly interesting to read about get an opportunity to work in unfa- the cluster of graduates working for miliar environments and, for some, this John L Innes the City of Surrey – the presence of the will be an opportunity to decide upon Professor and Dean group suggests that there will be many their career options. Consequently, similar opportunities for our graduates the $1.3 million that the Government in cities all across Canada and beyond. of British Columbia has recently allo- This does not mean that we are cated to supporting outreach to more no longer training new entrants for co-op employers and increasing the the more traditional aspects of the awareness amongst students and 2 branchlines 27#1 2016 forestrynews Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0 William Rosmus William 4.0 BY-SA CC Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MaleFemaleSockeyeSpawning.jpgwatch?v=TQQdYokbp4E Salmon researchers reach out Each year over the past decade involves many players. As such, the to several others, including Raincoast Dr Scott Hinch and his Pacific Salmon PSEC lab is particularly collaborative Conservation Foundation, David Suzuki Ecology and Conservation Lab (PSEC; with other universities and research Foundation, Fish First Consulting, LGL see page 14) have hosted a workshop groups such as Carleton University, Consulting, and the Sportsfishing where students and postdoctoral University of Washington, University Institute of BC. fellows from PSEC and collaborating of Ottawa, Canada’s Ocean Tracking This workshop highlights how labs present research results to update Network, the US Geological Survey the PSEC lab is successfully reaching collaborators, management agencies, Science Center, ENGOs and consultants out beyond the university in order to First Nations, and key stakeholders on including InStream Fisheries Research, extend science to others and facili- funded research programs and cur- Kintama, Watershed Watch Salmon tate the incorporation of scientific rent science. The workshop provides Society, Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance, research results into management an opportunity for feedback on results Seymour Salmonid Society, Pacific systems. Most recently, PSEC science and to engage in a dialogue on future Salmon Commission, Pacific Salmon is being utilized by The Canadian funding and research directions that Foundation, government agencies Science Advisory Secretariat, which is could benefit salmonid management. including multiple branches of Fisheries combining research produced by the What began 20 years ago as a modest and Oceans Canada (DFO), industry PSEC lab into institutional guidelines gathering of researchers at UBC has such as BC Hydro, First Nations includ- that will direct management actions grown into a hugely sought after event; ing more than 11 bands, and com- implemented by DFO. This is just one this year seeing its largest turn out yet, mercial fishing groups including the exciting example of how the PSEC lab with over 70 people attending from Canadian Fishing Company (Canfisco) is mobilizing scientific knowledge to across North America. and the Area B Seiners Association. directly influence real fisheries manage- Management of Pacific salmon Almost every group was represented ment decisions. fisheries is extremely complex and at the meeting this year in addition branchlines 3 IUFRO Division 5 Conference – first time in Canada The 2017 IUFRO (International other a more pragmatic, real-world talk Innovations in Business Models Union of Forest Research Organizations) featuring a prominent practitioner from and Management: What will the busi- Division 5 Conference will be held in industry, government, civil society, or nesses of forestry look like in the near Vancouver, Canada from June 12- 16, an indigenous community. The plenary and long-term? 2017. The conference is organized topics include: The conference will provide an jointly by IUFRO Division 5 (Forest Forest Sector Innovation: How can excellent opportunity to network with Products), the Faculty of Forestry at innovative forest sector based environ- fellow researchers and practitioners UBC, FPInnovations, and the Society mental and social approaches assure a looking for novel and advanced solu- of Wood Science and Technology. In greener future for our global society? tions. We are expecting 500-600 par- recognition of the pressing global Innovations in Forest Products ticipants from more than 50 countries. need for the forest sector to be a leader and Services: How will fibre and Please plan to join us! in sustainability, diversification, and forests be used in the near and long For further information contact innovation, the theme of the confer- term (focus on bioenergy, biomateri- Jorma Neuvonen at jorma.neuvonen@ ence is: Forest Sector Innovations for a als, biofuels, biochemicals, carbon and ubc.ca or visit www.IUFROdiv5-2017.ca. Greener Future. non-timber forest products)? This theme will form a unifying basis Innovations in Wood Building and for the week-long conference and will Design: What will the next generation’s guide the agenda through a series needs for shelter and buildings be and of plenary sessions that will catalyze how will they be met? discussion on what the future forest Innovations in Forest products sector might look like. Each Management, Policy and Markets: morning will feature 2 keynote pre- Will there be enough biomass and sentations; one a research-based talk sustainable products to support the featuring a prominent academic, the growing global population? Developing links in south-east Asia Following the Faculty’s success in Institute, and Universiti Putra Malaysia. students working on all aspects of forming partnerships with a number This has already resulted in the devel- tropical rainforests. of institutions in China and India, both opment of research cooperation, In March 2 faculty staff visited Faculty members and students have funded by the Asia-Pacific Network for National Ilan University in China Taipei, benefitted from increased interac- Sustainable Forest Management and Vietnam National University of Forestry tions. These are growing, and some Rehabilitation. and Bogor Agricultural University, important research cooperation has Discussions were also held with developing cooperation agreements been developed. Increasing num- the Danum Valley Field Centre in with each university. In each case, bers of undergraduate and graduate Sabah, Borneo. This is considered to there was enthusiasm on both sides students are coming to the Faculty be the leading rainforest research for further cooperation and exchange, of Forestry, and we are also seeing centre in the Old World Tropics, and and we expect to see this happening students and faculty members from is located on the edge of the Danum in the near future.

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