Be a champion of livable, beautiful, and sustainable urban engineering with a BSc in Urban Forestry.

Urban forest networks, parks, wetlands, and other green infrastructures are vitally necessary for mitigating heat waves and cooling demands, maintaining biodiversity and carbon sinks, controlling forest fires, and storm-water flood relief.

Urban Forests improve and protect our health, property values, local jobs and businesses, outdoor recreation opportunities, and community character. Forests and green systems compete for space among buildings, roads/transit, storage facilities, and energy infrastructure.

Why choose a BSc in Urban Forestry?

Urban foresters of the future will need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other urban planning, infrastructure development, and management professionals to develop attractive, sustainable, and effective shelters for our cities, suburbs, and small towns.

With increased urban populations, global warming, urban heat islands, flooding and pollution, cities may become unlivable or demand massive energy-use for cooling, unless we can establish large scale, healthy urban forest systems.

Cities all over the world will need urban forestry professionals who can deal with these complex, multi-disciplinary challenges, and provide livable, sustainable, and greener communities.

If you love the urban environment and are interested in sustainability, green space planning, and nature in the city, then the Bachelor of Urban Forestry may be for you.

The Urban Forestry program is for students interested in areas such as urban ecology, sustainability planning, recreation, human well-being, forest sciences, and management. The program will feature both local field courses in the Vancouver area, and international case studies based on UBC research and our professional networks in China, India, South America, Europe, across North America, and elsewhere.

Core subjects will include:

  • Urban ecology & management
  • Green-space planning & design
  • Recreation & well-being
  • Climate change & sustainability

“Diploma to degree” agreement between UBC and Fleming College:
Graduates of Fleming College’s Urban Forestry Technician (UFT) Co-op program now have the option of completing a Bachelor of Urban Forestry degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Learn more on the Fleming College website.