REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY
Our Faculty We are a science based faculty that is uniquely positioned. Our professors and students draw from the natural sciences, the social sciences and the arts and humanities to seek comprehensive solutions to some of the key challenges our province, country and world face today. Science and policy are linked at the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences. We believe that the causes and solutions to local problems will increasingly be determined by global forces and that proactive strategies must replace reactive responses at all levels from science, public policy and practice. We are all about our people. We strive to link disciplines, connect discovery and learning, build partnerships and reach out to communities.
John Kennelly Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life, & Environmental Sciences (ALES)
The Department of Renewable Resources’ strengths in the areas of landscape ecology and management, conservation science and land reclamation, position it as one of the leading departments in environmental management in Canada. Of the Department’s 35 academic staff members, 9 have been hired since 2003. These individuals’ expertise adds substantially to the existing strengths and excellent reputation of established staff members, many of whom have received major national awards over the past few years. The Department’s teaching and research programs are highly relevant to the needs of Canadians and address current day issues on such topics as biodiversity conservation, enhanced forest management and sustainable agriculture. Staff members are leading an initiative to reclaim land affected by mining the oil sands; working on problems related to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming; and studying the effects of ecological
disturbances on populations of woodland caribou, migratory waterfowl and forest songbirds. In short, their interests are far reaching and the scientific knowledge that they generate is extraordinarily important to the future of our province and country. On the global front, the Department is actively involved in numerous international collaborations including a program to stabilize eroded land along the Yangtze River in China. The Department’s programs are solidly grounded in basic science. At the same time they address practical issues of real concern to resource managers. This makes them highly appealing to students from across Canada. Both undergraduate and graduate students are quick to praise the quality of education offered by the department. Many of these students compete successfully for prestigious awards, including Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council scholarships and Alberta Ingenuity Studentships. As Dean, I am very proud of the Department and salute its many achievements. Looking ahead, I see that its future remains bright as it extends its partnerships, attracts outstanding new students and staff, builds on its successes and remains committed to excellence in teaching, research and community service.
Department of Renewable Resources
Our Mission Excellence in the discovery, dissemination and application of knowledge about natural and managed ecosystems. The Department of Renewable Resources focuses on understanding and managing landscapes and the associated resources. We are unique in the range and depth of our interdisciplinary interests and skills. We have strong connections with land and natural resource managers, and are active partners in numerous research networks and organizations.
John Spence Chair of the Department of Renewable Resources
Welcome to the Department of Renewable Resources! We are a diverse group of academics united by a passion for wise management of natural resources based on understanding the integration of landscape elements and the biota with which we share the planet. Never has the need for our sort of science been more crucial, and we delight in the meaningful contributions of our students and staff to understanding interacting ecological systems ranging in scale from pedons to watersheds. Our small and highly personal undergraduate programs lead to professional degrees in land reclamation, forest ecology and management, conservation biology, sustainable agriculture, and parks and land management. The emphasis of these programs is on high interaction classroom settings and experiential learning to help highly motivated
students master skills relevant to environmental problem solving. At the graduate level, our students and staff work together, and often with external partners, to solve applied problems directly relevant to how our society manages its impacts on landscapes. Our research builds effectively on partnerships with industry, NGOs and government research institutes here in Alberta and around the world. A glimpse through the following introduction to our unit should convince you that we are an exciting department using innovative approaches to solve stubborn problems. We invite you to contact us or drop in to visit. You will connect with someone enthusiastic about explaining our programs and services. And, if this is the place for you, we’ll welcome you aboard or delight in your participation in our activities.
Research Areas Our researchers bring strong scientific and practical orientations to diverse and interdisciplinary studies of sustainable land management issues. A strong collaborative web of active partnerships is central in our research environment, involving other departments at the University of Alberta; colleagues at other universities; federal, provincial and municipal governments; various non-governmental organizations; and companies in the agricultural, mining, oil and gas and forestry industries. Our collective goal is simple: excellence in the discovery, dissemination and application of knowledge about natural and managed ecosystems.
Land Reclamation, Remediation and Restoration
Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Good soil and water quality are essential for healthy agriculture and agroforestry ecosystems. Soil and water quality may be lost if the soil is mismanaged during human use and development. Our research involves: • Assessing the roles of agriculture and agroforestry in managing greenhouse gases. • Understanding and planning for the impacts of climate change on agriculture and agroforestry. • Determining the ecological costs and benefits of agricultural management practices on soil organic matter. • Assessing the impacts of soil erosion and amendments (fertilizers, sewage sludge, manure) on soil quality and crop production. • Modeling the transportation and degradation of soil contaminants. • Fostering the sustainable use of soil and water resources as they relate to agriculture and agroforestry.
Department of Renewable Resources
The world population continues to increase as the useable land base is reduced; thus land reclamation is a critical part of our work. We conduct research in land reclamation and remediation within various resource sectors (forestry, agriculture, petroleum, mining, industrial lands, tourism, recreation) provincially, nationally and internationally. Our research involves: • Understanding the impact of human land use activities. • Determining how disturbances alter ecosystems, and how those ecosystems can be reclaimed to productive capacity. • Addressing specific problems created by the extraction and processing of non-renewable resources (fossil fuels, minerals, aggregates). • Fostering sustainable establishment and utilization of renewable resources (soil, flora, water, fauna). • Managing wastes and activities associated with renewable resource use (agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism, recreation) and industrial and municipal development.
Enhanced Forest Management
Biodiversity Conservation Biodiversity conservation is a rapidly growing area of research which strives to develop innovative solutions to biodiversity concerns. Our research involves: • Understanding and modeling the effect of land use practices and human activities on biological diversity at various organizational levels and time scales. • Understanding and modeling the response of mammals, birds, fish, insects and plants to resource development, natural and human disturbances and land management strategies. • Providing the knowledge required to drive effective management and conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitat. • Providing the scientific knowledge for effective regional, national and international policies and agreements for biodiversity conservation.
Sustainable forest management must be based upon an understanding of how the components of forest ecosystems reproduce, grow and interact as a whole. It must occur in an integrated social, biological and economical context. Our research involves: • Determining the best use of intensive and extensive forest management practices. • Understanding and modeling the long term effects of forest harvesting, natural disturbance and forest renewal. • Assessing the need for fertilizers and herbicides in forest management. • Managing to reduce the impact of natural disturbances such as insect infestations and wildfire. • Studying genetic variation within natural, managed and plantation forests. • Assessing and modeling the impact of climate change on forested ecosytems.
Climate Change Carbon Capture Scott Chang and his research team are studying the potential for using fast growing hybrid poplar plantations to sequester (or fix) carbon from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere both in wood (as biomass carbon) and soil (as soil organic matter). Methods are being developed to quantify ecosystem carbon dynamics and the balance of carbon in the ecosystem. They are also investigating the impact of predicted climate change on western Canada’s rangeland ecosystems by manipulating precipitation and air temperature and studying their impact on rangeland productivity, species composition, carbon and nitrogen fluxes and the below ground food web.
Climate Modeling
Ecosystem Modeling Robert Grant and his research team are working on the ecosys modeling program to construct and test a comprehensive mathematical model of natural and managed ecosystems (agriculture, forests, savannah, grassland, tundra, desert). The long term objectives of this program are to provide a means to anticipate ecosystem behaviour under different environmental conditions (soils, climates, managements). This research program will support planning for the impacts of climate, land use practices and soil management on primary productivity, soil and atmospheric quality and associated resource requirements (water, fertilizer) of terrestrial ecosystems as part of several national and international research programs.
Andreas Hamann and his research team have focused on the increasing concern over climate change. Interpolated climate data have recently become essential for biological research and applications in forest management, conservation policy development and infrastructure planning. Virtually every study in the field of climate change impacts and adaptations requires long term climate baseline data, records of past climate variability and future predictions from general circulation models. They have developed comprehensive climate databases and software to access them.
Department of Renewable Resources
Oil Sands Industrial Collaboration For over a year, researchers across Canada met regularly with an industrial representative from the oil sands to consolidate oil sands research completed in the past decade into a comprehensive summary document. The studies were reviewed and key findings from each were further compiled into recommendations for industry for mining development and post mining reclamation and management. The researchers presented their results to the oil sands communities and to government regulators in several multiple day workshops.
Boreal Forest Reclamation
Native Species Revegetation Anne Naeth and her research team have been working with forest floor litter and woody debris to enhance oil sands reclamation. Forest floor litter harbours seeds that are not available otherwise. The research has prompted the provincial government to change regulations and require oil sands companies to use forest floor litter in their reclamation. Research on amounts, depths and storage times for forest floor litter material to maximize its impact in restoring the boreal forest are underway. Combining woody debris with forest floor litter is showing additional promise by reducing erosion and providing woody species propagules.
Janusz Zwiazek and his research team are examining the effects of root zone pH on the physiology, growth and survival of plant species native to the boreal forests of northeastern Alberta. This work will generate knowledge required to develop protocols for the reclamation of oil sand areas that are affected by high soil pH.
Soil Nutrients The nutrient supplying potential of reconstructed soils is important for reclamation success. David Chanasyk, Scott Chang and Sylvie Quideau and their research teams are studying various aspects of soil nutrient supply, organic matter quality and water regimes at oil sands reclamation sites. Their work will be used in developing oil sands reclamation prescriptions to develop sustainable systems.
Forest Establishment Simon Landh채usser and his research team are investigating how to establish forests on lands severely disturbed by oil sands mining. They are studying seedling quality, site conditions and planting techniques related to rapid establishment and growth of native tree cover, particularly trembling aspen. This research will assist in providing the oil sands industry with a means of establishing boreal forests on reclaimed lands.
Contaminant Breakdown Tariq Siddique and his research team are studying biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in oil sands tailings. They discovered that different groups of microorganisms present in a settling basin work together to break down petroleum hydrocarbons and produce methane. They developed a model that can predict how much methane could be produced. Although methane production adds to greenhouse gas emissions, its production increases densification of tailings, which is important to the oil sands industry because it releases pore water reused in bitumen extraction processes to reduce fresh water consumption.
Water
Streams and Fish
Agricultural Management David Chanasyk and his research team, along with provincial and federal colleagues, are studying best management practices (BMPs) developed to mitigate the impacts of agricultural operations on water quality. Work is being done on BMPs for grazing operations, cropping systems and feedlots to minimize the impacts of these operations on water quality. Some of these BMPs include capturing runoff waters from a feedlot, fencing wetlands to exclude grazing and evaluating various manure application rates and times.
Lee Foote and his research team are investigating stream fragmentation throughout the northern boreal zone. Although streams may appear to be continuous and flowing freely, if seen through a fish’s eyes, there are many obstacles, small waterfalls, culverts and weirs that are effective barriers. They are also examining why the average size of fish in Alberta lakes appears to be getting smaller.
Forest Water Balance Uldis Silins and his research team are studying stand level water balance in boreal mixedwood forests, wetlands, conifer, hardwood and mixed species forest stands. Transpiration, rain and snow interception and evaporation from the forest floor varies widely among stands with differing tree species composition and developmental stage. Understanding how forest successional processes and forest management practices govern stand level water consumption will provide insight into how climate, forest disturbance and forest management are likely to affect both production of water (stream flow) and other water based forest resources.
Department of Renewable Resources
Ecological Systems Emulating Natural Disturbances Many forest companies have adopted harvesting practices based on a natural disturbance model, leading away from extensive clear cutting and toward retention of unharvested residual trees as stand and landscape elements and as a basis for biodiversity conservation and forest regeneration. The Ecosystem Management Emulating Natural Disturbance (EMEND) experimental forest area, located near Peace River, Alberta, is a large scale variable retention harvest experiment designed to test effects of residual structure on ecosystem integrity and forest regeneration at the stand level. Under the direction of John Spence, EMEND is a long term project that began in 1997 and is forecasted to run for one stand rotation, or approximately 80 to 100 years.
Forest Models Mike Bokalo, Ken Stadt and Phil Comeau are developing the Mixedwood Growth Model (MGM) for use in managing forest ecosystems for mixes of conifer and broadleaf species, thus benefiting both biodiversity and landscape integrity. Their research team is contributing new scientific knowledge in boreal mixed species ecology by quantifying aspen - white spruce interactions, which is allowing them to build growth and mortality models covering the full course of stand development.
Conifer Forest Closure Vic Lieffers and Uldis Silins and their research team are examining factors controlling crown development and closure in northern conifers. Wind induced sway of tree crowns and their collisions, especially during cold conditions, abrades crowns in old stands. As a consequence the areas between crowns becomes unavailable for branch and foliage growth. This may limit productivity in older and taller stands.
Mountain Pine Beetle Fangliang He and his research team are investigating patterns and mechanisms of lodgepole pine tree selection and attack by the mountain pine beetle for developing methods to predict infestation risk and attack rates. They aim to develop predictive models to determine the spatial process of beetle attacks, quantify the relative importance of various factors (beetle density, crown depth, diameter, height, spatial pattern, stand density habitat conditions) and develop methods and criteria for characterizing susceptible/resistant trees for silvicultural treatments. Nadir Erbilgin and his research team are studying mountain pine beetle invasion as a model system to explore questions of broad relevance to invasion ecology. They will investigate how interactions between the beetle and its associated organisms, including natural enemies, competitors and microorganisms, are affected by tree induced defense chemistry. Their long term goal is to characterize the important components of the system, then integrate them in an ecologically sound model which will provide a foundation for the development of an integrated management plan.
Initiatives Wildland Fire
Nanofibre Technology
The University of Alberta has initiated a partnership with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and the Canadian Forest Service – Northern Forestry Centre to develop a Western Centre for Wildland Fire Science.
The Department of Renewable Resources and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering are working together with the National Institute of Nanotechnology to host a Chair in Nanofibre Technology. The position is currently sponsored by the province of Alberta.
Wildland fires have significant economic, environmental and social impacts. Studies to manage wildland fires and their impacts are essential for effective risk assessment and policy formulation. Forest fires pose a serious threat to rural communities, timber assets, property and infrastructure, biodiversity, clean air and water, cultural heritage and the health and safety of Canadians. Fire is also a beneficial natural disturbance in many forest ecosystems, especially the boreal forests. Sustainable management of fire dependent ecosystems requires both minimizing the socioeconomic impacts of fire and maximizing its ecological benefits.
The engineering and resource aspects of nanotechnology will be used in the development of innovative forest products. This will include the use of noncrystalline cellulose, the basic building block of trees, and nanomaterials from sectors such as agriculture, mining and oil and gas.
Northern Conservation Science We have embarked on a new and exciting initiative to offer students and professionals in northern Canada increased access to post secondary learning opportunities by partnering with Yukon College in Whitehorse. This initiative is a joint project of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences and the Faculty of Native Studies, representing a significant advance in realizing the University’s northern strategy. We are partnering with Yukon College to enable delivery of years 3 and 4 of some majors in our BSc in Environmental and Conservation Sciences (ENCS) program. To support this undertaking, a position in Northern Conservation Science has been established, with assignment to Whitehorse. Dr Fiona Schmiegelow has returned to the Department to assume this position and to support the development of northern research opportunities and linkages with northern agencies.
Department of Renewable Resources
Staff and Their Research John H. Acorn Glen W. Armstrong Rene J. Belland Peter V. Blenis David S. Chanasyk Scott X. Chang Phil G. Comeau Bruce P. Dancik Debra J. Davidson Miles F. Dyck Nadir Erbilgin Yongsheng Feng A. Lee Foote Robert F. Grant Uwe G. Hacke Andreas Hamann Fangliang He Robert J. Hudson R. Gary Kachanoski Jane R. King Simon M. Landh채usser Vic J. Lieffers S. Ellen Macdonald M. Anne Naeth Scott E. Nielsen Rick T. Pelletier Sylvie A. Quideau Soung-Ryoul Ryu Fiona K. Schmiegelow Tariq Siddique Uldis Silins John R. Spence Mel T. Tyree Paul M. Woodard Francis C. Yeh Janusz J. Zwiazek
Conservation biology Landscape forestry, integrated resource management Bryophyte distribution and ecology, endangered plants Forest pathology Hydrology, applied soil physics, reclamation, water quality Forest soils, nutrient dynamics Silviculture, stand dynamics Forest genecology, evolution of woody plant species Natural resource politics and governance, environmental risk, rural sociology Environmentally sustainable agriculture, soil physics Forest entomology, chemical ecology Soil carbon and nutrient dynamics, soil physics Wetland ecology and management Ecosystem modeling Tree water relations Hardwood genetics Biodiversity, landscape modeling Wildlife production and management Soil physics, hydrology, agriculture land management Forage crops physiology Forest land reclamation Silviculture, forest ecology Forest ecology, plant biodiversity Ecology, land reclamation, restoration ecology Conservation biology Spatial information systems, GIS, remote sensing Soil biogeochemistry Wildland fire science Northern conservation science Soil chemistry, environmental microbiology Forest watershed hydrology, ecohydrology, water quality Ecology, conservation and evolutionary biology Tree physiology Forest fire management and science Quantitative and population genetics, forest conservation and biotechnology Tree physiology
The following section highlights a sampling of our work covering topics of current concern around the globe.
New Staff
Scott Nielsen
Soung-Ryoul Ryu Assistant Professor in Wildland Fire Science, Dr Soung-Ryoul Ryu, focuses his research on wildland fire science and management. He received his PhD from the University of Toledo and grew up in South Carolina. Dr Ryu’s research addresses disturbances effects and processes in forest ecosystems over various spatial and temporal scales, evaluation and quantification of the effects of disturbance on ecological processes in forest ecosystems, sustainable ecosystem management and urban landscapes.
Miles Dyck Assistant Professor in Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture, Dr Dyck’s research is in soil physics and landscape hydrology. Dr Dyck completed his PhD at the University of Alberta in Soil Science. Dr Dyck’s research focuses on soil physics, solute transport and water flow in unsaturated and porous media and landscape and hydrologic processes. His work includes interfacing with agricultural, government and industrial partners. This position is supported by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.
Department of Renewable Resources
Assistant Professor in Conservation Biology, Dr Scott Nielsen, focuses his research on conservation biology and landscape ecology. He received his PhD from the University of Alberta and hails from Wisconsin. Dr Nielsen’s research focuses on conservation ecology of species and ecosystems. His work addresses stewardship problems and land use planning to help prioritize conservation of species diversity, sustainable management of natural capital and recovery of endangered and threatened biological resources.
Simon Landhäusser Tariq Siddique Assistant Professor of Soil Chemistry and Environmental Microbiology, Dr Tariq Siddique, focuses his research on detoxification of inorganic and organic contaminants in water, sediments and soils. He obtained his PhD from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan and the University of California, Riverside, USA. Dr Siddique’s research focuses on microbial population biotransformation processes. His work includes microbial transformation of heavy metals, biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons and oil sands tailings densification.
Associate Professor and NSERC/EPCOR/Oilsands Industry Research Chair in Forest Land Reclamation, Dr Simon Landhäusser, directs his research into silviculture and forest ecology. He comes to us from University of Tübingen, Germany and received his PhD from the University of Alberta. Dr Landhausser’s research addresses reclamation of disturbed lands to self sustaining forest ecosystems. His work includes forest successional pathways, effects of forest practices on forest regeneration, tree species distribution, plant ecophysiology and carbon allocation.
Fangliang He Andreas Hamann Assistant Professor in Ecological Genetics, Dr Andreas Hamann, has expertise in forest genetics and conducts climate change impact and adaptation research. A native of Hamburg Germany, he completed his graduate studies at the State University of New York and his PhD in Forest Science at the University of British Columbia. He has worked in the United States, the Philippines and Kenya and as Assistant Director of the Centre for Forest Gene Conservation at the University of British Columbia. Dr Hamann has developed quantitative methods to assess the in situ conservation status of genetic resources and evaluation of climate change impacts on forest resources. His areas of expertise include quantitative genetics and tree breeding, ecological genetics, conservation genetics and spatial modeling using geographic information systems.
Professor and Canada Research Chair in Biodiversity and Landscape Modeling, Dr Fangliang He, focuses his research in community ecology, species diversity and conservation and spatial statistics. He received his PhD from the UniversitÊ de MontrÊal. Dr He’s research in biodiversity and landscape modeling focuses on how and why species disperse, colonize and persist in landscapes. His work in macroecology of biodiversity includes species area realtionships and species abundance distribution.
Department of Renewable Resources
Nadir Erbilgin
Mel Tyree Professor and Chair of Tree Physiology, Dr Mel Tyree, focuses his research on water transport and stress physiology of trees. He holds a PhD in plant biophysics from Cambridge University, worked for the USA Department of Agriculture Forest Service and is an adjunct scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. Dr Tyree’s pioneering and award winning research has been in water transport in trees, providing insight into the evolution of wood structure and on the distribution of trees in forests worldwide.
Uwe Hacke Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in Tree Water Relations, Dr Uwe Hacke, focuses his research in plant physiological ecology. He comes to the department from the University of Utah, with a PhD from the University of Kiel in Germany. Dr Hacke studies how water flow through trees is influenced by xylem cell development, wood structure and water channels. He aims to understand how variation in xylem structure and function maximizes plant performance, and how it relates to drought resistance.
Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in Forest Entomology, Dr Erbilgin, focuses his research in forest entomology emphasizing invasion biology and ecology of forest insects. He received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His previous employment was with the Division of Organisms and Environment at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr Erbilgin utilizes plant biochemistry as a tool to understand the invasion phenomena of insects in native habitats. These include potential invasion of jack pine forest by the mountain pine beetle and interspecies interactions between cooccurring pest species, insects or diseases, on the same host tree.
International Research
Locations of selected current and past research and collaborations
Department of Renewable Resources
Our New Faculty Name
Most recently known as the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics, and with a history dating back to 1915, our Faculty is now known as the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences (ALES). The word ‘Agricultural’ was retained to mark the agricultural history of the Faculty and the province of Alberta. The word ‘Life’ addresses what we do in nutrition, human ecology, proteomics, genomics and aging. The word ‘Environmental’ showcases the synergies of our environmentally based forestry and conservation science programs. All three highlight our commitment to agricultural, life and environmental education, and the fact that our researchers are world leaders in the wide array of science fields that we encompass. “The new name reflects the wider scope of teaching and research that goes on in the faculty”, says Dean Kennelly.
Department of Renewable Resources
Our New Alberta School of Forest Science & Management
Sc ho
est Science & For Ma of n ol
ent em ag
The School confirms our Faculty’s commitment to innovative forestry and forestry business management and education programs at the University of Alberta. It provides a renewed nameplate for the undergraduate forestry program, which was established in 1971, and our graduate and research programs. All of these programs are highly regarded throughout North America and around the world due to their strong environmental focus. They are particularly well known for work in forest biodiversity, forest regeneration, forest ecology, forest economics and silviculture. The new School has received strong support from the forest industry, provincial government agencies and our graduate and undergraduate alumni.
Albert a
On 25 February 2009, the Alberta School of Forest Science & Management was officially established as an interdepartmental unit in our Faculty. The Chair of the Department of Renewable Resources directs the School in consultation with the Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, the Chair of the Department of Rural Economy and the Director of the Centre of Enhanced Forest Management. The School integrates ecological, economic and social forestry research and education.
The mission of the Alberta School of Forest Science & Management is as follows: • To highlight, guide and enhance the University of Alberta’s commitment to education and research in forest science and management. • To build and support effective local, provincial, national and international partnerships to support these activities. • To provide the full benefits of sustainable forest management and innovative forest sector technologies accrue to Albertans.
Teaching and Learning In our undergraduate programs students acquire a strong science foundation. Through interdisciplinary and experiential learning they apply basic biophysical and social sciences in the classroom, laboratories and the field.
BSc Agriculture Students of agriculture study soil, plants, air, water and livestock components of this dynamic industry. They focus on sustainable production, preparing products for human use and minimizing environmental impacts. BSc Forestry / BSc Forest Business Management Forestry students learn how to manage forests in environmentally and ecologically sound ways. Graduates understand how the different components of a forest, including trees, water and wildlife, interact and how these interactions affect, and are affected by, human activites.
Department of Renewable Resources
Focusing on interdisciplinary and experiential learning
BSc Environmental and Conservation Sciences (ENCS), BSc ENCS Bilingual and joint degree BSc ENCS/BA Native Studies
Internship Program Through the internship program students have an opportunity to take their studies beyond the classroom and gain valuable work experience. Students do an internship between their third and fourth year of study for 8, 12 or 16 months, in a full time, competitively paid work placement. Progress on the job is monitored by both a Faculty mentor and a workplace supervisor.
ENCS graduates have a strong background in basic and applied sciences. They evaluate effects of human land use on plant, soil, water, animal and human resources to assess and facilitate conservation, reclamation and remediation of natural, managed and damaged ecosystems and minimizing environmental impacts.
For more information on our undergraduate programs visit our websites. Department website: www.ales.ualberta.ca/rr/ Faculty website: www.ales.ualberta.ca Phone (780) 492-4933 or 1-800-804-6417 (Western Canada) Email: questions@ales.ualberta.ca
Field Schools
Spring Field School The spring field school for Forestry and Environmental and Conservation Sciences provides students with an opportunity for field application of basic skills and techniques learned in the first two years of their undergraduate programs. Students are introduced to basic concepts and principles of integrated resource management and planning, particularly planning and integration of plants (including trees), wildlife, water, wildland recreation, social and other values. The school provides them with an introduction to the breadth and scope of natural resource management in a field setting.
Fall Field School Fall field school for first year forestry students provides a general overview of the practice of forestry. This six day field school and orientation to the forestry program includes an introduction to basic measurements, ecology, management practices, current issues and tours of major forestry operations in west and north central Alberta. The field school provides an excellent opportunity for students to bond with the cohort with whom they will work throughout their undergraduate program.
Department of Renewable Resources
Experiential Learning Land Reclamation Capstone Projects In Anne Naeth’s land reclamation and revegetation course students work on projects encompassing all aspects of land reclamation in a realistic scenario. There are extensive soil reclamation, remediation and revegetation components within each project which students are required to address using environmentally responsible technologies. The students are expected to draw on their knowledge and experience as senior students in the Environmental and Conservation Sciences program and are encouraged to consult with people in industry and government in completing these term projects. Creativity is encouraged, but the solutions they choose must be technologically realistic and keep budget in focus. Students present their projects to representatives from industry and government and to the public.
Forestry Capstone Projects The capstone projects for the forestry program require students to work in teams to develop a forest management plan that considers a broad range of issues and concerns relating to the sustainable management of a forest land base. Students apply models and related tools used in forest management planning and address public involvement and issues management. Students apply knowledge gained in their program and develop additional skills and experience in the development of their team forest management plan. Capstone project scenarios consider multiple forest resources in accordance with the objectives of a hypothetical management agency.
Study Abroad A recent offering of Lee Foote’s Environmental and Conservation Field Studies course took place in Botswana. It focused on sustainable use of wildlife, ecotourism and desert ecology. Thirteen students spent 19 days with a unique opportunity to study abroad. A recent trip took place in Italy as part of the international forestry field course offered by Phil Comeau, which included visits to Mediterranean forests in Tuscany and forests in the Apennines and Dolomites. Biophysical, social, historical and economic factors that influence conservation and management practices, policies and regulations were examined.
Graduate Studies
Graduate studies encompass a broad spectrum of scientific and management applications in natural and managed landscapes. We have an interactive graduate program involving over 135 MSc and PhD students, with access to modern laboratories and field equipment. Work of many students is facilitated by our associated institutes and initiatives, and by our strong and productive interactions with the Canadian Forest Service, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, additional government ministries and various industrial partners. Most graduate programs fall within our four main research areas, but interdisciplinary programs are also arranged with other departments and institutions.
Department of Renewable Resources
We offer programs leading to thesis based Master of Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees and course based Master of Agriculture and Master of Forestry degrees. Together with the Department of Rural Economy and the School of Business we offer two course based programs of study toward Master in Business Administration (MBA) and Master in Agriculture degrees, or MBA and Master in Forestry degrees, after two calendar years of full time study.
For more information on graduate studies or for registration material, visit our website or contact: Graduate Program Secretary Dept. of Renewable Resources 751 General Services Building University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H1 Canada Phone (780) 492-2873 Email: RRGrads.inquiry@ualberta.ca
Serving Society
Beyond serving our society through the teaching and research activities performed within our home institution, our staff are significant contributors to a large number of public boards, agencies, policy consultations, editorial boards, expert panels and professional regulatory bodies. Our service and extension activities serve various public, government, industrial and academic communities ranging from local to international in scope.
In conducting our research we work closely with staff and scientists in government and industry and with other faculty at the University of Alberta and other universities in Canada and Examples of participation of numerous Renewable Resources staff members include the Western Boreal Growth and Yield Association, the Mixedwood Management Association, the Centre for Enhanced Forest Management, the Watershed Evaluation of Best Management Practices Group, the School of Energy and the Environment and the Helmholtz Alberta Initiative.
Department of Renewable Resources
Sharing Knowledge International Involvement
Graduate Student Travel Several graduate students have recently attended international conferences to present their research results. Robyn Brown and Kerri Lappin attended the Society for Ecological Restoration International conference in Perth, Australia. Kerri presented on creation of virtual wetlands by means of computer aided selection and Robyn presented on the effects of woody debris on oil sands reclamation.
The department is involved in various research, teaching and service initiatives in countries around the world. Faculty participate in numerous international conferences and meetings and serve on various international boards and advisory committees. A few recent examples include:
• R Grant’s ecosystem modeling program has been released
upon request to over a dozen institutions
• F He has contributed to the development of a Chinese
network of forest biodiversity monitoring
• F Yeh is a member of the International Union of Forest
Research Organizations task force on global forest genetic resources • A Naeth and D Chanasyk are working with German universities and research institutions in early soil development after disturbance
Jamie Pinzon attended the World Forestry Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina and presented on maintaining spider diversity by emulating natural disturbances. Shari Clare attended the G8 Students’ Summit in Palermo, Italy and the G8 University Summit in Turino, Italy to discuss issues related to energy, environment and education. Richard Caners participated in a school for PhD students in Umeå, Sweden and presented on effects of alternative forest harvesting practices on bryophyte conservation in boreal forests at the Ecological Society of America Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Claudia Lopez taught a course at the University of Chile in population modeling. Charlotte Norris presented on soil carbon stabilization under jack pine at the Goldschmidt Conference in Davos, Switzerland. Peter Weclaw presented on optimal use of resources by elk at the Wildlife Society Conference in Monterey, California. Stefan Schreiber and Laura Gray presented their work on species distribution modelling at the Western Forest Genetics Association Meeting in Monterey, California.
Student International Involvement Many of our graduate and undergraduate students get involved in international opportunities. We have a formal arrangement in the TRANSFOR International Forestry Program through which the University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of Toronto and University of New Brunswick along with the Universities of Frieburg (Germany), Bangor (Wales), Umea (Sweden) and Joensuu (Finland) have formal exchange programs for 3 week undergraduate tours in Canada and Europe, and one or two term semester exchanges. The department along with government and industry, sponsors undergraduate student trips to the Society of American Foresters’ annual convention.
Thank You Private donations and gifts, however large or small, allow us to create endowment funds for departmental initiatives and sustain the services we provide to our students and the public. Critical to our future is financial support for our most exceptional undergraduate and graduate students. Sincere thanks to alumni and friends whose gifts have increased both the number and value of scholarships and awards we offer to students, our next generation of industry and academic leaders. Recent scholarship winners include Candace Nemirsky, Richard Caners and Sarah Rovang. Nemirsky received a Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship, an NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship, a Walter H. Johns Graduate Fellowship, the Canadian Land Reclamation Undergraduate Academic Merit Award and the Canadian Society of Soil Science Book Prize. For her MSc in Land Reclamation and Remediation under the supervision of Dr Anne Naeth, she is studying pipeline offset distances for plant species at risk, which will contribute to regulatory requirement changes. Caners has received a University of Alberta PhD Scholarship, Dissertation Fellowship, the John & Patricia Schlosser Environment Scholarship, West Fraser Scholarship in Advanced Forest Management, Izaak Walter Killam Memorial Scholarship and the Herbert and Jeannette Hall Graduate Scholarship in Forestry. Under the supervision of RenĂŠ Belland and Ellen Macdonald he is studying patterns of bryophyte diversity in response to partial harvesting in northern mixedwood boreal forests for his PhD in Forest Biology and Management. Sarah Rovang is the most recent recipient of the Environmental and Conservation Sciences Scholarship, supported through an endowment established by Bruce Dancik, professor of genecology and plant conservation biology in our department.
For more information on how you can make a difference, either
today or through your estate, contact Katherine Irwin in the Faculty External Affairs Office by telephone at (780) 492-2118 or via e-mail to katherine.irwin@ales.ualberta.ca.