The Faculty of Forestry has two Research Forests where students can enhance their classroom learning with field studies and researchers can establish projects requiring forested environments.
These are working forests, where students, faculty, and researchers from UBC and beyond can study in an outdoor setting. Forest management, silviculture, forest harvesting, forest ecology, and conservation figure prominently in studies conducted at the Research Forests.
The Alex Fraser Research Forest is located near Williams Lake and showcases sustainable forest management practices in a range of forest ecosystems of the B.C. Interior. It provides long-term site security for research projects, inexpensive researcher accommodation, and an outdoor classroom for both education and demonstration. Students, researchers, professionals, and visitors are welcome.
The Malcolm Knapp Research Forest is located near Maple Ridge and is close enough to campus for students to visit for field trips or project work. Loon Lake camp in the heart of the Knapp Forest is a wonderful setting for residential field courses.
Loon Lake is the home of Camp Goodtimes, the Canadian Cancer Society’s special camp for kids with a history of cancer.
When the students can’t go to the forests, we like to bring the Research Forests to the students. Studies, information, and plans from the Research Forests show up frequently in course work on campus.