UBC Reports | Vol. 51 | No. 5 | May 5, 2005

Forestry Grad Hears Call of the Wild

By Brenda Austin

Yulia Stange had never heard of the Faculty of Forestry. She was studying science at UBC when the student across the hall in her residence noticed Stange had a passion for the outdoors, and suggested she take a forestry course. Stange did so, and has never looked back.

“There are four possible programs to follow in Forestry and I am in the Natural Resources Conservation program,” says Stange. “It’s a broad integrative program needing a background of sciences, but including studies in areas such as the social sciences, forest biology and ecology, fisheries science, and many more.”

Stange’s bent toward conservation stems from her love of many outdoor activities -she competes with her horse, Pete, in dressage when not studying or serving as a research assistant. Yet she laughs at the irony of her direction. Her father worked as a developer, and was often frustrated by environmental regulations.

“I grew up camping, rafting and kayaking, but I also often heard my father discussing his difficulties as a land developer, [when he was] required to leave a stream buffer, and so on,” she says. “Now my dream job is protecting and saving the natural environment, to somehow make a difference in how we live.”

Stange has obtained a certificate in conflict resolution and leadership and served as a volunteer in a First Nations’ witness project in the Elaho Valley. She has also been an assistant leader with an outdoor school for youth at risk.

Stange is also co-authoring two scientific papers from botanical and ecological research projects, undertaken during one of her summer positions as a forestry faculty research assistant. In 2005, she earned the Canadian Institute of Forestry Gold Medal for scholarship, sportsmanship and citizenship.