
Date: April 18th, 2024
Location: UBC Forest Science Center 1001
Free Lunch, Snacks & Coffee. Need register!
Structure of Conference:
08:30-09:00: Registration Open
09:00-09:10: Opening Remarks
09:10-10:40: Presentation and Panel Discussion 1: Climate Finance and Policy
10:40-11:00: Coffee Break
11:00-12:30: Presentation and Panel Discussion 2: Climate Communication
12:30-13:30: Lunch Break
13:30-15:00: Presentation and Panel Discussion 3: Climate, Conservation and Landscapes
15:00-15:30: Coffee Break
15:30-17:00: Presentation and Panel Discussion 4: Climate Risks
17:00-17:10: Closing Remarks
17:10-18:00: Social Event
Host

Daile (Iris) Zeng
IFSA-UBC VP External
Opening Remarks

Dr. Robert Kozak
Professor and Dean, Faculty of Forestry

Chenming Wei
IFSA-UBC President
Panel Topic 1: Climate Finance and Policy (09:10-10:40)

Dr. Bianca Cecato
Postdoctoral Researcher, Smart Prosperity Institute

Dr. Kathryn Harrison
Professor, Department of Political Science

Dr. Juliet Lu
Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs

Dr. Carolyn Smyth
Research Scientist, Natural Resource Canada

Dr. Peter Wood
Lecturer and Coordinator, Master of International Forestry
Panel Topic 2: Climate Communication (11:00-12:30)

Dr. Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono
Associate Professor, UBC Forestry

Dr. Neil Leveridge
Assistant Professor of Strategy Communication, UBC Forestry

Dr. Fernanda Tomaselli
Lecturer, UBC Forestry

Dr. Hamish van der Ven
Assistant Professor, UBC Forestry

Viola Provost
PhD Student, UBC Forestry
Panel Topic 3: Climate, Conservation and Landscapes (13:30-15:00)

Debbie Pierce
PhD Student, UBC Forestry

Shintia Arwida
PhD Student, UBC Forestry

Fideline Mboringong
PhD Student, UBC Forestry

Alida O’Connor
PhD Student, UBC Forestry

Dr. Jeff Sayer
Professor, UBC Forestry
Panel Topic 4: Climate Risks (15:30-17:00)

Dr. Lori Daniels
Professor, UBC Forestry

Dr. Kai M. A. Chan
Professor and Canada Research Chair, Rewilding and Social-Ecological Transformation

Dr. Rachel H. White
Assistant Professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences

Dr. Sarah Dickson-Hoyle
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UBC Forestry

María Luna Santacruz
Undergraduate student, UBC Forestry
Closing Remarks

Dr. Jeff Sayer
Professor, UBC Forestry

Chenming Wei
IFSA-UBC President
Guided Forest Therapy and Walk (19th April 2024)

Dr. Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono
Associate Professor, UBC Forestry

Yawei Wei
IFSA-UBC Executive Vice President
Location: Pacific Spirit Park – park centre parking lot
Time: 12:30 PM (Assemble in front of the Forest Science Center) [Near Main Mall side]
Arrange guided nature walks and eco-tours in nearby forests or natural reserves. Educate participants about local flora and fauna, emphasizing their role in maintaining ecosystem health.
Panel Discussion Topic 1: Climate Finance and Policy
(09:10-10:40)
The panel discussion will reflect the urgent need to explore the intricate nexus between carbon dynamics, economic systems, policy frameworks, and the overarching challenge of climate change. Carbon, as a key component in the Earth’s climate system, plays a dual role, acting as both a driver and a consequence of economic activities. Delving into this multifaceted relationship, the discussion will dissect the economic implications of carbon-related policies and their efficacy in mitigating climate change. At the intersection of science, economics, and policy, the panelists will unpack the complexities surrounding carbon sequestration, emission reduction strategies, and the economic ramifications of transitioning to sustainable practices. The discourse will extend beyond theoretical frameworks to scrutinize existing policy landscapes, evaluating their effectiveness and proposing innovative solutions. Moreover, the session will critically examine the role of businesses, governments, and international collaborations in shaping carbon-conscious economies that align with climate goals.
In this section, Dr. Bianca Cecato, Dr. Kathryn Harrison, Dr. Juliet Lu, Dr. Carolyn Smyth and Dr. Peter Wood will be delivering captivating presentations. Get to know them better by exploring their bios below.
Dr. Bianca Cecato
I am a Postdoctoral Fellow and Researcher at the Smart Prosperity Institute at the University of Ottawa. I am an economist by training, and I hold a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, where I studied topics at the intersection of economics and the environment. At SPI my main job is conducting research on nature-based solutions for climate, with a particular focus on market mechanisms to store more carbon in forests, while also conserving biodiversity and generating economic benefits. My other research interests and projects are related to environmental regulation and pollution control in developed countries, and impacts of pollution in developing countries. Before joining UBC, I worked as a research analyst for the World Bank in Washington DC, on projects based in Latin America.

Panel Topic: How can economic and financial incentives accelerate sustainable and climate-smart practices in forests?
Dr. Kathryn Harrison
Dr. Kathryn Harrison is Professor of Political Science and Brenda and David McLean Chair of Canadian Studies at the University of British Columbia. She received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering before completing her PhD in Political Science. Professor Harrison has worked in the oil industry and as a policy analyst for both Environment Canada and the United States Congress. She has served as Senior Associate Dean and Acting Dean in the UBC Faculty of Arts. Harrison has published widely on Canadian and US climate policy. She is chair of the Expert Advisory Panel on climate mitigation of the Canadian Climate Institute and a member of British Columbia’s Climate Solutions Council. Harrison is a frequent media commentator on climate policy, and tweets at @profkharrison.

Panel Topic: Political Challenges for Canadian Climate Policy
Dr. Juliet Lu
Dr. Juliet Lu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Forest Resources Management and the School for Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia. She is a political ecologist focused on the implications of China’s growing investments in land and other resources in Southeast Asia and beyond. Dr. Lu’s research examines conflicts and governance issues around resource extraction and intensive land use. She focuses on transnational land investments, namely Chinese rubber plantations in Laos, the promotion of monoculture plantations at the expense of more biodiverse systems, and the rise of private sector sustainable governance initiatives worldwide. She is looking to work with students interested in conducting grounded research around land conflicts, cash crop-driven land use change, and Chinese investments.

Panel Topic: Private Sector Approaches to the Climate Crisis
Dr. Carolyn Smyth
Dr. Carolyn Smyth is a Research Scientist at the Canadian Forest Service (Natural Resources Canada) in Victoria, BC. Her research includes assessment of climate change mitigation scenarios for Canada’s forest sector including ecosystem modeling, harvested wood product tracking, and substitution benefits of using wood in place of other emissions-intensive products and energy sources. She has contributed to Canada’s National Inventory Reports, Emissions Trend Reports, an IPCC TSU expert meeting on National GHG Inventories, and has collaborated on North American C Modeling through the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) and the North American Forest Commission.

Panel Topic: Climate change mitigation modeling to support policy and the bioeconomy
Net zero emission targets cannot be met without contributions from the land sector, in particular forests. Climate change mitigation modeling examines options for the forest sector using a systems perspective that takes into account the changes in emissions and removals in forest ecosystems, in harvested wood product (HWP) carbon stocks, and in other sectors where wood products substitute for emission-intensive materials and fossil fuels. Forests are also at risk from the impacts of climate change, including increased risks of wildfire and other natural disturbances, and risks of reversal for land-based scenarios are important to quantify. Examples are provided of modeling to support policy development and to support international collaborations through the North American Forest Commission and the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).
Dr. Peter Wood
Dr. Peter Wood has worked in the field of international forest policy, human rights and sustainability for over two decades in a variety of roles, including with non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations. He has served on various international expert bodies, such as the Global Expert Panel on International Forest Governance (IUFRO), and has been involved in the development of multilateral agreements on climate change and biodiversity. He completed his PhD in Forestry at the University of Toronto.

Panel Discussion Topic 2: Climate Communication
(11:00-12:30)
Climate change is not merely an environmental concern; its impacts reverberate through communities, affecting human health on various fronts. This panel brings together experts, public health professionals, and community leaders to unravel the intricate links between climate change and public health, emphasizing the need for holistic and inclusive solutions.
In this section, Dr. Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono, Dr. Neil Leveridge, Dr. Fernanda Tomaselli, Dr. Hamish van der Ven and Viola Provost will be delivering captivating presentations. Get to know them better by exploring their bios below.
Dr. Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono
Dr. Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono has a multidisciplinary background (Anthropology, Fine Arts, Cinematography and Natural Sciences) and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at UBC. Intu has worked with multidisciplinary teams in remote locations in tropical landscapes and seascapes in Asia, Africa and Latin America. She has focused on issues with indigenous people and local communities, particularly on the importance of their traditional knowledge and wise practices in natural resources management and the conservation of their cultural diversity. Intu’s research has sought to enable forest dependent people, coastal communities and indigenous groups to achieve a balance between conservation and social, cultural and economic development. In her research, Intu uses visual techniques to explore landscape scenarios and other participatory methods to maximize the involvement of diverse stakeholder groups. Her goal is to have an influence on global efforts to support indigenous people and local communities to improve their livelihoods whilst retaining their identity, cultural diversity, traditional knowledge, environment and natural assets.

Panel Topic: Building resilient and sustainable communities in forest landscapes
Climate change impacts everyone. We use landscape approach and transdisciplinary methods, to have more effective and inclusive strategies for addressing the challenges posed by climate change and supporting the resilience of local communities. Visual methods and arts can be valuable to crossing boundaries and communicating different values of socioeconomic and cultural values of biodiversity. Our approach emphasizes the importance of co-creating contextually relevant, socially equitable, and environmentally sustainable solutions.
Indigenous peoples and local communities often hold invaluable traditional knowledge and practices that have enabled them to adapt to environmental changes over generations. Recognizing their knowledge systems, rights, and governance structures is crucial for effective climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
By embracing various approaches, we can work towards building more resilient communities and landscapes that are better equipped to face the challenges of climate change while fostering social equity, cultural diversity, and environmental sustainability.
Dr. Neil Leveridge
Dr. Neil Leveridge, Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry, is at the forefront of educational innovation, blending technology with inclusive teaching practices. His expertise in employing Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles has transformed how forestry communication is taught and practiced. With a leadership background in guiding English language instruction for a broad association of professionals, Dr. Leveridge understands the power of language in uniting diverse learners and advancing sustainability goals. He joins the IFSA-UBC Conference to share his vision for communication that champions adaptability and inclusivity in the face of environmental change.

Panel Topic: Implementing EDI and UDL Principles in Forestry Education During Times of Change
Explore the vital role of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), alongside Universal Design for Learning (UDL), in driving forestry education forward. Learn about innovative strategies that integrate these principles into technical communication and coursework, creating a learning environment that embraces all students. Join us to understand how these approaches equip learners to navigate and lead within the evolving landscape of sustainable forestry management.
Dr. Fernanda Tomaselli
Dr. Fernanda Tomaselli is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Forestry and Coordinator of UBC’s Land One program. She has an interdisciplinary background with expertise in environmental communication, ecological economics and conservation, with more than five years of experience teaching higher education courses related to forestry, climate change and sustainability. Dr. Tomaselli holds a BSc. in Environmental Communication from Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador, and an MSc. and PhD. from UBC’s Faculty of Forestry.

Panel Topic: The rise of climate anxiety among the youth and what to do about it
Dr. Hamish van der Ven
Dr. Hamish van der Ven (PhD, University of Toronto) is Assistant Professor of Sustainable Business Management of Natural Resources in the Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia. He is the leader of the Business, Sustainability and Technology Lab. His research focuses on sustainable supply chain governance and the impacts of digital technologies on environmental outcomes. Read more about his current and future research on his website: https://hamishvanderven.com/.

Panel Topic: Do Chatbots Bias Perceptions of Global Environmental Challenges?
Chatbots like ChatGPT stand to play a growing role in environmental knowledge dissemination. However, the responses offered by chatbots can lead to erroneous or biased perceptions of environmental challenges. This presentation presents work in progress from the BST lab that asks: how do chatbots present the description, cause, consequences, and potential solutions to urgent environmental challenges? We answer this question through a content analysis of chatbot responses to a series of questions about ten global environmental challenges. We pose an identical series of questions about each environmental challenge to four chatbots (ChatGPT, GPT4, Claude Instant, and Claude 2). We then use manual quantitative content analysis to measure the prevalence of certain issue frames for each answer. We code the chatbot responses for bias in a number of areas, including: which forms of knowledge production define the challenge, which populations stand to be affected by the challenge, and which solutions offer the most promise for addressing the challenge. Our findings contribute to an emerging literature on the role of artificial intelligence in addressing environmental challenges. They also offer cautionary advice about integrating chatbots into research and teaching.
Viola Provost
Viola Jasmine Provost is a PhD student in the Business, Sustainability, and Technology Lab in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Her current research focuses on examining the social, political, and cultural implications of emerging technologies. Specifically, she explores how the environment and science are communicated on social media in the context of marine conservation. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and a Master of Science in Freshwater and Marine Biology from the University of Amsterdam, along with a Major in Science Communication from Vrije University.

Panel Discussion Topic 3: Climate, Conservation and Landscapes (13:30-15:00)
The world is witnessing unprecedented biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, exacerbated by the impacts of a changing climate. This panel seeks to unravel the complex relationships among these factors, emphasizing the critical role of biodiversity and healthy ecosystems in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Experts, researchers, and conservationists will converge to explore the multifaceted dimensions of this nexus. The discussion will delve into the scientific understanding of how climate change influences biodiversity and ecosystems, unraveling the cascading impacts on flora, fauna, and their habitats. The panel will also spotlight the reciprocal relationship, examining how the health of ecosystems contributes to climate resilience and adaptation.
In this section, Debbie Pierce, Shintia D. Arwida, Fideline Mboringong, Alida O’Connor and Dr. Jeff Sayer will be delivering captivating presentations. Dr. Jeff Sayer will be moderating the sessions, ensuring a seamless and engaging experience throughout the conference. Get to know them better by exploring their bios below.
Debbie Pierce
Debbie Pierce is a PhD student in the Sunderland lab. Her research is in tropical forestry, land tenure, and gender. She graduated with a double major in economics and environmental policy from the University of Michigan and received a masters in environmental science and management from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she worked to develop a business model for the sale of biochar on California farms and vineyards. While at the University of California, Santa Barbara she worked with Dr. Gary Libecap on a land demarcation and land value project in California and Ohio. Prior to beginning her PhD she spent four years at the World Bank in Washington, DC working with indigenous peoples, gender and forestry issues. During this time she worked in Latin America and Africa, specifically working with forest-dependent communities in Mexico, Peru, Brazil and Burkina Faso.

Panel Topic: The impact of land rights, deforestation and conflict in the Colombian Amazon on the wellbeing of rural women
Shintia D. Arwida
Shintia D. Arwida Indonesian origin. She is pursuing her doctoral study in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on customary government, indigenous people, gender, and sustainable forest landscapes. Shintia started her career as a journalist and developed expertise in communications and publishing, both for commercial and nonprofits. She then cultivated more interest in research and joined CIFOR which shaped her knowledge of REDD+, gender, and sustainable development. She later joined UNOPS which sharpened her program management skills and knowledge of peatland restoration. She also acted as a gender focal point during her tenure with UNOPS Indonesia. Prior to pursuing her doctorate study, she worked in the climate change mitigation and adaptation sector, specializing on development of Nature-based Solution Projects in Asia and the Pacific. Shintia holds master’s degree in social studies and environment from Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

Panel Topic: Gender & Climate Change Exploring the Intersections and Impacts
Fideline Mboringong
Fideline Mboringong is a PhD student at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry. She is keenly interested in the governance of transnational land investments, particularly in mining and infrastructure sectors within forest landscapes, focusing on the Congo Basin. Her passion lies in participating in discussions on mining and infrastructure investments to advocate for sustainable outcomes for forest communities and the environment. Fideline’s research journey is rooted in her background at WWF Cameroon, where she spent eight years monitoring investments in the mining, infrastructure, and agriculture sectors. She employs a transdisciplinary approach in her research, aiming to delve deeper into the intricacies of these issues within the Congo Basin. Before joining VFL, Fideline was the Sustainable Development Hub Coordinator for WWF Governance Practice.
Fideline holds a Master’s degree in International Cooperation (Environmental Management and Sustainable Development) from the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC) and Università Cà Foscari of Venice.

Panel Topic: Climate change impacts on biodiversity: win-win approaches for climate and biodiversity in the Congo Basin
Alida O’Connor
Alida O’Connor is a PhD student working under the supervision of Dr. Terry Sunderland. Her research contributes to COLANDS, a collaborative initiative between UBC, the University of Amsterdam, and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) that follows the process of operationalizing integrated landscape approaches in Ghana, Zambia, and Indonesia. Alida’s work seeks to understand land use priorities, decision making power, and collaborative natural resource management in Ghana and Zambia.

Panel Topic: Barriers and Opportunities for Collaborative Landscape Governance: Lessons from Ghana and Zambia
There is growing recognition global challenges such as biodiversity loss, climate change, food insecurity, and poverty are interconnected issues. This signals the need for a shift from conventional sectorial management to integrated solutions, and integrated landscape approaches (ILAs) are an opportunity in this regard. ILAs are predicated on the assumption collaboration across scales, sectors, and diverse social groups can and will occur to achieve more equitable and sustainable landscape governance. Yet, there is little evidence showing if, how, and when collaborative governance occurs. This presentation explores the barriers and opportunities of collaborative landscape governance in Kalomo District, Zambia and Ghana’s Western Wildlife Corridor.
Dr. Jeff Sayer
Dr. Jeff Sayer is an ecologist who began work In African savannas. His research and conservation activities brought him into contact with poor rural people trying to improve their livelihoods in the wildlife rich areas around parks and reserves. Work on the interface between people and nature led Jeff to work on nature conservation projects in Afghanistan, Myanmar and Thailand where conflicts between conservation and poverty alleviation were widespread.
In 1983 Jeff initiated the Global Forest Conservation Programme of the International Union for Conservation of Nature – IUCN. This program focussed on forest conservation in low income countries throughout the tropics and was heavily involved in actions to improve the livelihoods of people in the forests. In 1993 he was appointed founding Director General of CIFOR (Centre for International Forestry Research) where he championed a multi‐disciplinary, ecosystem approach to sustainable forest management. He has also worked at various times for the World Bank and WWF International and has been a faculty member of Utrecht University in Holland, James Cook University in Australia and now the University of British Columbia.
In almost all of his work Jeff has been confronted with reconciling the interests of poor local people with conserving global environmental values. He has maintained a strong interest in systems and landscape approaches to reconciling conservation and development. He believes strongly that forest conservation and management will never be sustainable in situations where local people live in extreme poverty.

Panel Discussion Topic 4: Climate Risks (15:30-17:00)
In recent years, the world has witnessed an alarming increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, with wildfires, floods, and global warming emerging as prominent manifestations of this crisis. This panel brings together experts, researchers, and practitioners to delve into the complex interplay of climate change risks, with a specific focus on wildfires and floods, two catastrophic events that have become emblematic of our changing climate. The discussion will encompass the science behind these phenomena, exploring the intricate links between global warming and the heightened incidence of wildfires and floods. Additionally, the panelists will assess the socio-economic impacts of these events, emphasizing the disproportionate burden borne by vulnerable communities.
In this section, Dr. Lori Daniels, Dr. Kai M. A. Chan, Dr. Rachel H. White, Dr. Sarah Dickson-Hoyle and María Luna Santacruz will be delivering captivating presentations. Get to know them better by exploring their bios below.
Dr. Lori Daniels
Dr. Lori Daniels is the inaugural Koerner Chair of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC-Vancouver. She also directs the Tree-Ring Lab at UBC. Lori investigates the impacts of natural and human disturbances and climate change on forests. With her research team, she has on-going projects on wildfires, forest dynamics, and social-ecological resilience to climate change across British Columbia. Her enduring partnerships with local, provincial, and national governments, environmental organizations, forest management companies, community forests, and First Nations ensure her scientific advances are translated to active conservation, restoration and management. She contributed to the Blueprint for Wildland Fire Science in Canada and served as a member of the Canadian Wildfire Strategy Implementation Team and the NSERC-Canada Wildfire Research Network. Since 2015, she has given more than 350 media interviews on wildfires and their impacts on forests and communities. She is among the 150 Canadian Scientists recognized in 2017 for research shaping new frontiers and making our world a better place (#150Scientists). She was received the 2019 Canadian Institute of Forestry Scientific Achievement Award, 2022 Distinguished Career Award in Biogeography from Association of American Geographers, and 2023 Distinguished Leader in Research Award from the Association of Fire Ecologists.

Panel Topic: Learning to Coexist with Wildfire in British Columbia
Wildfire is an essential process in forest ecosystems, but can be incredibly destructive in the wildland-urban interface, as we experienced across diverse forests of British Columbia in 2023. Wildfire is driven by climate, weather and fuels that vary among ecosystems and through time. Combined, land-use change, fire exclusion and global warming have made many forests highly susceptible to intense fires that are difficult to control and spread to large sizes. Revolutionizing forest and fire management will improve ecosystem resilience to climate change, but we will not stop future fires from burning. Successful adaptation must also include individuals and communities learning how to coexist with wildfire.
Dr. Kai M. A. Chan
Dr. Kai Chan is a sustainability scientist whose work straddles social and natural systems with a focus on values, rewilding, and transformative change. He is a Professor and Canada Research Chair (Rewilding and Social-Ecological Transformation) at the University of British Columbia. Kai leads CHANS lab, where inspiring students study Connected Human-and-Natural Systems. Kai is also a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists (2017), a former Coordinating Lead Author of the IPBES Global Assessment, a Lead Editor for the new journal People and Nature, a member of Canada’s Clean16 for 2020, a TEDx speaker, and co-founder of CoSphere (a Community of Small-Planet Heroes).

Panel Topic: Confronting the Climate and Ecological Crises: The Science for Transformation
With an accelerating crisis of climate and ecology, floods, fires, extinctions, and heat domes are the new normal. Concerned citizens wonder what they can do, but the suggested actions seem too hard, too costly, or too small. In this talk, I’ll go over what we know about the causes of the climate and ecological crises, why 132 of the world’s nations concluded that transformative system change was the only desirable way forward, and why they aren’t up to this challenge on their own. I’ll review what we know about how deep social change happens from interdisciplinary social and system change, and the roles for individuals in transformation. It’s a bigger and yet easier one than often realized: being a planetary citizen has shifted from the impossibility of zeroing our ecological footprint to the necessity of strategically sparking social and system change. I’ll conclude by introducing an initiative to leverage science for transformation, a community for collective action towards a planet both better and wilder.
Dr. Rachel H. White
Dr. Rachel White is an Assistant Professor in atmospheric sciences in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia. Her research focusses on understanding the large-scale atmospheric circulation, in particular how different circulation patterns lead to extreme weather events, including temperature extremes (heatwaves and cold snaps), and heavy precipitation. She is also working to better understand whether recent changes in such circulation patterns can be attributed to human impacts on the climate, and how these patterns may change in the future under different climate change scenarios. Rachel and her Climate Dynamics group at UBC analyse observational data, runs climate models and analyse output from the state-of-the-art climate models from the Climate Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). Following the June 2021 unprecedented heatwave over the Pacific Northwest, Rachel led a multi-disciplinary team in writing a paper that summarizes this event and its impacts. Rachel is currently contributing to Canada’s Changing Climate Report (CCCR) 2025.

Panel Topic: Climate change and extreme weather: what, why and how much?
Climate change is often discussed as changes to averages – seasonal mean temperature, or total annual precipitation. An example of this is the target to limit global mean temperature increases to less than 2C. However, it is very often not the average changes that have the most impact, but the impact climate change has on extreme weather events. A key example of this is the June 2021 Pacific Northwest heatwave, and I will give a short summary of this event and its impacts. We will then explore the impacts of climate change on this event, extending to give an overview of why climate change is expected to influence extreme weather, focusing on temperature and precipitation extremes. I will highlight where scientists have confidence in projections, and where uncertainties still remain, in particular in possible changes to the atmospheric jet stream.
Dr. Sarah Dickson-Hoyle
Dr. Sarah Dickson-Hoyle is a postdoctoral research fellow in the UBC Faculty of Forestry, and a former official and longstanding member of IFSA. As an interdisciplinary and community action researcher, she works collaboratively with local and First Nation communities to understand the impacts of wildfire and other disturbances on ecological and cultural values, and to identify opportunities for improving collaborative governance of fire and forests in British Columbia. Originally from Australia, she has over ten years’ experience in natural resource management, carbon forestry and ecological consulting. She has held multiple official positions with IFSA, including Liaison Officer with the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the inaugural Head of Mentoring Sub-Commission, and was a founding member of the Youth in Landscapes Initiative.

Panel Topic: Collaborative research and restoration in an era of “megafires”
María Luna Santacruz
Meet María Luna Santacruz, a fifth-year Bachelor of Urban Forestry and a minor in Landscape and Recreation Planning, María loves decoding climate complexities and rallying communities towards environmental stewardship. From diving deep into forest ecology literature to crafting captivating campaigns that ignite hearts and minds, María’s journey is passionate about action and impact. Whether she’s educating eager minds at Parks Canada, trekking through Ecuador’s cloud forests, or leading eco-tourism initiatives, María tackles challenges to make the future greener than ever.

Guided Forest Therapy Walk (19th April, 2024)
Join us for a serene journey into the heart of nature! Our Guided Forest Therapy Walk (30-60 minutes) is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Immerse yourself in the calming beauty of the forest, guided by Yawei Wei, a certified forest therapy practitioner. She will lead you through 2-3 engaging nature connection activities.
This gentle walk covers a comfortable distance, ensuring a relaxing experience for participants of all ages and fitness levels. Our aim is to help you form a deeper bond with the natural world, allowing you to be fully present in the moment and wash away the stresses of everyday life.
By participating in this event, you’ll not only enjoy the soothing ambiance of the forest but also learn to appreciate the subtle beauty that surrounds us. It’s more than a walk; it’s an opportunity to reconnect with nature and rejuvenate your mind and soul.
Forest Therapy Walk Guide: Dr. Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono & Yawei Wei
Dr. Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono has a multidisciplinary background (Anthropology, Fine Arts, Cinematography and Natural Sciences) and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at UBC. Intu has worked with multidisciplinary teams in remote locations in tropical landscapes and seascapes in Asia, Africa and Latin America. She has focused on issues with indigenous people and local communities, particularly on the importance of their traditional knowledge and wise practices in natural resources management and the conservation of their cultural diversity. Intu’s research has sought to enable forest dependent people, coastal communities and indigenous groups to achieve a balance between conservation and social, cultural and economic development. In her research, Intu uses visual techniques to explore landscape scenarios and other participatory methods to maximize the involvement of diverse stakeholder groups. Her goal is to have an influence on global efforts to support indigenous people and local communities to improve their livelihoods whilst retaining their identity, cultural diversity, traditional knowledge, environment and natural assets.

Yawei is a second-year Master’s student at the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a preceding MSc in Sustainable Environmental Management. Yawei brings to the table a multi-disciplinary background in agriculture, forestry, public health, plant science, environmental science, and sustainability.
As a certified Forest Bathing Guide and forest therapy practitioner, her current research focuses on forest therapy’s health benefits. Yawei has showcased her research and presenter expertise in various academic settings while demonstrating exceptional organizational and leadership skills in planning academic events.
Passionate about forestry and nature on a broader scale, her goal is to bridge scientific research and community engagement to foster a more sustainable and health-conscious relationship between humanity and the natural world.

Event Details:
Location: Pacific spirit park – park centre parking lot
Time: 12:30 PM (Assemble in front of the Forest Science Center) [near Main Mall side]
Duration: 30-60 Minutes
Activities: 2-3 Nature Connection activities
Focus: Stress Relief, Mindfulness, and Connection with Nature
