UNBC Forestry Club Podcast

In this on the road episode we are joined by Mauro Calabrese. Mauro shares his insight on balancing being both a biologist and a forester. From starting out in wildfire, Mauro found his calling in forestry, and eventually got dual accredited and ended up working as both a biologist and forester for West Fraser. He shares his insight on area-based tenure and how he feels it is the future of forest practices. Mauro talks about being a young forester starting during the uncertain times of the early 2000s in the midst of the mountain pine beetle epidemic.

In this episode we get a deep dive into the life of a forestry student here at UNBC, what the forestry club is all about and what its like to be the president of the UNBC Forestry Club. Aubrey talks about his personal experiences as a student and shares insightful advice for young students just starting out their education.

The guest for this episode is Dr. Malcolm Cockwell, RPF. Malcolm is the Managing Director of Haliburton Forest, a 100,000-acre private land located in central Ontario. People go to Haliburton for outdoor recreation, but they also log their forests too. Malcolm unfolded the mystery of how they achieve co-existing between operational forestry and eco-tourism in this episode. UNBC Forestry Club Podcast is a fully student-run project focusing on bringing professionals from different fields to chat about Forestry, nature, and experiences at UNBC.The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Thank you for your support.

Glyphosate-based herbicides are widely used in agriculture and forestry, but their long-term effects on biodiversity, human health, and ecosystems remain a topic of debate. In this episode, Dr. Lisa Wood explores the science behind glyphosate, its impact on plant and microbial communities, and ongoing research into its persistence in the environment. Join us as we dive into the complexities of herbicide use, alternative forestry management strategies, and the evolving conversation around sustainability and policy.UNBC Forestry Club Podcast is a fully student-run project focusing on bringing professionals from different fields to chat about Forestry, nature, and experiences at UNBC.The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Thank you for your support.

Dr. Michael Preston is a biologist, ecologist, and assistant professor at UNBC. During this episode, he unpacks how forest management, wildfires, and sustainable practices impact soil health and carbon storage. UNBC Forestry Club Podcast is a fully student-run project focusing on bringing professionals from different fields to chat about Forestry, nature, and experiences at UNBC. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Thank you for your support.

This UNBC Forestry Club podcast episode features Liam Parfitt, co-owner of Freya Logging, who champions sustainable forestry practices in Northern BC. Perfit shares his journey from a forestry student at UNBC to becoming a leader in innovative logging methods. The discussion highlights selective logging techniques inspired by Scandinavian models, which balance forest health, biodiversity, and economic viability. He discussed the environmental benefits, including reduced wildfire risks and improved habitats for moose and other species. The podcast explores the challenges of scaling sustainable forestry, addressing economic pressures and advocating for modernized policies. Liam emphasizes forestry’s role in solving broader crises, such as housing shortages and climate change while maintaining biodiversity. His insights underline the necessity of integrating ecological science with practical logging approaches to ensure long-term forest management success and community benefits. The episode concludes with a call for innovation and awareness in forestry practices.

For the second episode of the UNBC Forestry Club Podcast, we are honoured to have the chair of the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Dr. Ken Otter to share how he became a professor at UNBC, what it is like to be a chair of a department, why NREM333, summer field school is essential for forestry student, and whether you should do an undergraduate thesis or professional report to graduate from UNBC. We want to create a platform to facilitate conversation on BC forestry, nature, and life at UNBC as students. We hope to drop a new episode every week, so please subscribe and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. They mean a lot for us. Thank you.