STRATEGIC VISION

Strategic Plan

For over 20 years, the Faculty of Forestry has been working towards strengthening the relationships between the Faculty, Indigenous communities and potential partners to help solve challenges associated with the conservation and management of natural resources. Take a look at ‘Commitment 4: Indigenous Engagement” in the Faculty’s strategic plan to learn more about UBC Forestry’s engagement with Indigenous students, communities and research.

Strategic Plan

Protectors of The Forest

In 2001, the Faculty’s first Indigenous Initiatives coordinator Gordon Prest asked his friend Ross Hunt to create an image that would give the Faculty’s Indigenous engagement strategy an identity and a purpose. Ross and his wife Karen Hunt designed the Protectors of the Forest to represent the relationship between the land and the diverse communities our Indigenous students come from within BC, Canada and around the world.

  • The black bears represent the Indigenous peoples working to protect the natural resources
  • The eagle represents the importance of watersheds to all living things through the connection between the water and the roots of the tree
  • The salmon represents the importance of watersheds to all living things through the connection between the water and roots of the tree
  • The connection between the eagle and the salmon creates the Circle of Life and the power of the sun
  • The Tree of Life had five branches on each side to represent the five elements of earth: wind, fire, minerals, water and air
  • Between the roots of the Tree of Life and the Salmon is a medicine wheel. The four directions of the medicine wheel represents the various homelands of the students who come to this place for teachings in forestry and conservation. These students will one day become the Bears, and be the Protectors of the Forest

Our Commitment:

UBC Faculty of Forestry works respectfully with Indigenous peoples, communities and institutions to provide meaningful Natural Resources education.