alumni & development
Spring 2006
Cadillac Fairview – Trevor Linden Gymnasium opens in the new Loon Lake Student Centre
O
n June 6th, 2005 the Cadillac Fairview Trevor Linden Gymnasium in the new Loon Lake Student Centre was officially opened. The Gymnasium is part of the Faculty of Forestry’s beautiful Loon Lake Research and Education Centre, which is now also home to the Canadian Cancer Society’s Camp Goodtimes - a summer camp for children ages 6-16 who are living with cancer or have a history of the disease. The new Gymnasium was made possible thanks to the proceeds of the Cadillac Fairview Trevor Linden Invitational Golf Tournament. Since 2002, Camp Goodtimes has been the beneficiary of the Tournament, which has raised over $600,000 in support of the children attending Camp Goodtimes. The opening event occurred on a sunny spring day and was well attended by guests and local press. Guest speakers included Dr. Martha Piper, President, The University of British Columbia, Jack Saddler, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, Tom Knoepfel, Director, Office Leasing, Cadillac Fairvew, Trevor Linden of the Vancouver Canucks, and a youth speaker
Trevor Linden and Camp Goodtimes Campers
Samantha Andrews who has attended Camp Goodtimes for the past 10 years and is hoping to become a counsellorin-training in 2006. After the announcement, Trevor Linden signed autographs and had photos taken with many of his young fans who visited the Lake that day. continued on back page
The new gymnasium
Kenneth Graham Memorial Award update
Thank you to everyone who gave to the Special Appeal for the Kenneth Graham Memorial Award. Dr. Graham’s family and friends generously established an endowment fund to support graduate students studying forest health in the Faculty of Forestry and thanks to your support the award is now fully funded. A total of $31,644 has been Kenneth Graham raised with $11,644 coming directly from the Special Appeal. The first Kenneth Graham Memorial Award will be given to a graduate student in September 2006.
Annual appeal update
The 2005/2006 Annual Appeal has almost come to a close. We would like to thank everyone who donated to the Annual Appeal this past year. With your help, we have raised to date $44,578 towards the redevelopment of Loon Lake, the Kenneth Graham Appeal, and other student support initiatives. The funds raised this year for Loon Lake ($11,899), along with the $21,265 raised during the 2004/2005 Annual Appeal have been designated towards the furnishings for the new Walter C. Koerner Forestry Centre.
Special request
Do you have any good stories or photos of time spent at Loon Lake during your student days or at any other time? We would very much like to capture these stories in a special album that will be kept in the new Walter C. Koerner Forestry Centre so visitors can get a sense of the history and life of Loon Lake over the last 50 + years. If you would like to contribute to this album, either individually, or as a class group, we look forward to hearing from you. Please contact Chloe Garthson at 604-822-8787 or cgarthson@forestry.ubc.ca.
The Treehouse
The Treehouse is a student driven project in the Forest Sciences Centre. A few years ago, Forestry students were having problems finding available study space in the Forest Sciences Centre. The building is a very popular study location for students from all faculties. Forestry students brought the problem to our attention and as a result, the Treehouse was born. The Treehouse project has remodeled the David L. McInnes – Weyerhaeuser Undergraduate Student Lounge and the two mezzanine areas into a “Forestry Students Only” study space. By visually separating the area and providing new and improved study space, our students will always have a dedicated place to work on group projects or study for their next exam. UBC Classroom Services has contributed $120,000 towards the remodeling and upgrades, which include improved lighting for all the main study area. The Faculty of Forestry has committed to raising an additional $50,000 towards the project through a Faculty and Staff Campaign, Student Class Act Fundraising and donations from alumni and the public. If you are interested in supporting the Treehouse, please contact Erin Cederberg at 604822-8787 or erin. cederberg@ubc.ca.
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Lorne Swannell A lifetime of service
were experiencing a serious Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic at that time, and the forests were red from the US border up to Barriere. While war on the beetle waged in BC, it was clear that a more serious conflict in Europe was brewing. Lorne took a commission in the military but continued to work, moving up to Prince George in 1939 to become the Assistant District Forester. In 1939 the situation in Europe had deteriorated, and Swannell was placed in charge of forming a troop of coast artillery. By May of 1940 he was in England where he joined a Survey Regiment. The importance of the regiment job was to see that each artillery unit knew where they were on the map, and also where the enemy guns were located. From 1939 to 1945 Lorne served in England, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany, until the end of the war. Upon returning from the war Lorne picked up with Surveys again in Victoria, but almost immediately went up as Assistant District Forester in Prince George, and eventually became District Forester. While in Prince George, Lorne married Grace who he shared his life with for 55 years until she passed away in 2004. In 1947 Lorne became BC’s fourth registered professional forester and saw the introduction of the Foresters’ Act. Forming the association was “an excellent move” he felt. There was a need to counter the training they had as extractionists with a more long-term approach. The arrival of the Sopron Foresters in the fifties augmented the development of sustainable forest management in the province. “They were damn good foresters”, he states, and they helped immensely in the area of tree breeding. “They had more experience than we had – we had the ideas but we didn’t have the methods.” In 1963 Lorne became Chief Forester of BC, managing five forest districts (which at that time included Vancouver, Kamloops, Nelson, Prince George and Prince Rupert). He held this prestigious position until retiring in 1972. Lorne has seen his share of change over the past 97 years. After retirement, Lorne and his wife Grace became benefactors to many charities, and have been a regular and generous supporter of the UBC Faculty of Forestry “The reason I do it is this. My wife and I had no children which was a pity because we liked children and children liked us. Money’s no good unless it’s being used”. Lorne Swannell has spent a lifetime in service to his profession, his country, and his community, and is a living example of giving something of value to those who follow.
Article is based on an interview with Mr. Lorne Swannell by Stephen Baumber and Katrina Evans from the UBC Faculty of Forestry on 5th February 2005. In 2006, Lorne Swannell (BA ’30 BA.Sc., Forest Eng. ‘31) stands as the oldest living graduate of UBC’s forestry program. His career spanned 41 years, during a period when significant technological and political changes took place in the sector. Lorne stepped into the ever-shifting landscape of BC forest resource management in 1931, as a fresh graduate of the UBC Forest Engineering program, one of a class of five individuals “a record number at the time” he said. Born in Victoria in 1908, he moved to Vancouver in 1927. For 40 dollars a month he lived with ten other students in a boarding house near Blanca Street, just outside the University gates. An avid runner until his mid-seventies, he and his house mates would regularly go on cross-country runs through campus. He began his career headquartered in Victoria as a rodman on a private railway location crew for the Land Branch of the BC Forest Service. “The routine at that time was that you went out as a compass man, and after a couple of years they figured you knew enough to be a cruiser. They then wanted to try out a [university] graduate as a Ranger, and I asked to be the one”. Lorne spent a successful year as a Ranger before moving to the Kamloops District office as a Junior Forester. Reminiscent of today, Lorne recalls that they
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contined from front page
Loon Lake Dock below the student centre
The opening of the Gymnasium marked the completion of renovations to the Student Centre, which have seen the overnight accommodation capacity of the building double from 24 to 48. With the addition of the Gymnasium, that was added between the old wing (formerly known as the ‘Yacht Club’) and the new wing, the new computer lab and the beautiful common room on the second floor, generously furnished by Ikea Canada, the recreational and educational opportunities now available at Loon Lake have taken a great leap forward. More recently a new dock, supported by the Canadian Cancer Society and Ronald MacDonald House Charities, has been added to the Student Centre’s foreshore, making this a wonderful facility for UBC students and Camp Goodtimes Campers, as well as for the many school, conference and community groups that visit the centre each year. Construction of the next major project at Loon Lake, the Walter C. Koerner Forestry Centre began in September 2005, and is expected to be completed in July 2006. The Koerner Centre will add a further 40 beds to Loon Lake and will be available as a conference and retreat facility for forestry, community and corporate groups, as well as Alumni class reunions! The building will have a forestry focus, featuring historical photos revealing the faces of the foresters
and early day forestry practices that were instrumental in the shaping of the Loon Lake Research and Education Centre today.
Yes, I would like to support the Faculty of Forestry
Name:
Address for tax receipt:
I would like to make a tax-deductible donation of $ to the Loon Lake Redevelopment Fund. (Please make cheques payable to “The University of British Columbia”). I would like my gift to be directed to a specific department, program or scholarship fund (please specify). I would like my gift to remain anonymous. Please return to: Development Office Faculty of Forestry c/o Erin Cederberg University of British Columbia, Forest Sciences Centre 2005 – 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 Tel: 604–822–8787
Lost in the woods
When you move let us know so that we can update your address. Alumni without current contact details are listed at http://www.forestry.ubc.ca/alumni/lostinwoods.html
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40th Reunion of the Class of ’65 – September 2005
On September 13th-15th, 2006 the Class of ’65 had a grand reunion in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island where they took the time to catch up on each others’ lives. A total of 50 people were part of the festivities, which included a welcoming soiree at Don and Leigh McMullan’s place. A vigorously contested bocce ball took place on the second day and although the winning team was Frank and Margot Leslie, the second place team of Bruce and Liana McIntyre vowed they would be champions at the next reunion! Each grad spoke of upcoming plans for the next three years (and there were many plans to travel to warmer climates in the winter months…). Special thanks to the Reunion Co-conveners, Bob & Morraine Beard and Don & Leigh McMullan. A special thanks to Morraine who organized a beautiful Annual for 40th. The next Reunion will be organized by Sandy Gray and Dave Shaw and is set to take place at Harrison Hot Springs in September 2008, so please mark it on your calendar!
Submitted by Bob Beard, Class of ‘65 The Faculty of Forestry would also like to sincerely thank the Class of ’65 for their generous donation of $500 towards Loon Lake – and to invite everyone back to see the renovations and new buildings during the Annual Spring BBQ in April 2006.
Congregation morning tea – May 29th
On Monday, May 29th, 2006 graduating Faculty of Forestry students (undergraduate and graduate) will celebrate their achievements at a convocation ceremony at the Chan Centre. To recognize our graduating students and to enable parents, alumni and guests to visit with these students on their ‘home turf’, the Faculty of Forestry will be holding a Congregation Morning Tea reception following the convocation ceremony. The reception will be from 11am – 12pm in the Atrium on the main floor of the Forest Sciences Centre. You are very welcome to join us in celebrating with our newest group of alumni as they prepare to enter the forestry sector. If you are interested in attending please contact Erin Cederberg at 604-822-8787 or erin.cederberg@ubc.ca
Upcoming reunions
Below are some of the upcoming reunions for 2006. If you are planning a reunion and would like us to help get the message out to your classmates, please let us know and we will include in our next issue of Alumni & Development News.
Class of 1955
Harry Gains is organizing the first reunion for the class of 1955 for the 12th and 13th September at Harrison Hot Springs. Activities will include a tour of the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest and Loon Lake, viewing of a sand castle competition and lots of opportunites for renewing old friendships. For further information, please contact Harry at 250-564-5978 or harry.gairns@telus.net
Class of 1968
Gerry Kramer is organizing a reunion for the class of 1968. The reunion will be held on Saturday May 20th in the Forest Sciences Centre atrium and will feature a luncheon and a tour of the building. For further information, please contact Gerry directly at gkramer@shaw.ca or 604-535-6892.
Contact us
Clare Keating-Husk, Forestry Alumni Officer Faculty of Forestry, 2424 Main Mall, UBC Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 604-822-3542, clare.keating-husk@ubc.ca Katrina Evans, Director of Development 604-822-8716, katrina.evans@ubc.ca Erin Cederberg, Development Coordinator 604-822-8787, erin.cederberg@ubc.ca Chloe Garthson, Loon Lake Development Coordinator 604-822-8787, cgarthson@forestry.ubc.ca
Class of 1956
Stan Chester is planning a reunion for the class of 1956 to be held the weekend of June 20th-22nd. The reunion will most likely be held outside of Vancouver, however the actual venue is still pending. For further details, please contact Stan directly at stanchester@shaw.ca or 604-921-9880.
Mark your calendars – two important Alumni events!
The Faculty of Forestry invites you to our
Annual Malcolm Knapp Research Forest Alumni and Friends Tour Dean’s Reception and BBQ
on Thursday April 27th, 2006 at The Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, Loon Lake Research and Education Centre 14500 Silver Valley Road, Maple Ridge, B.C.
and
All Faculty of Forestry alumni and friends are welcome to attend this enjoyable event for a day of reunion and celebration. The event will be held in conjunction with our 3rd year students annual Spring Camp, so it will also be a wonderful opportunity to talk to some of our students and professors to gain their perspective on forestry education today. The day will begin with a tour from 1:30 – 3:30pm of research sites, the new sawmill and log building training facility, and the student field activities. Bus transportation will be provided for the tour departing from the main gate of the research forest at 1:30pm. Following the tour, a reception will be held at 4:00pm in the new (almost complete!) Walter C. Koerner Forestry Centre. A team of 4th year students will give a presentation on a recent
research project they undertook with the Katzie First Nations, and you will have the opportunity to tour the new Koerner Centre and the other new facilities. The day will then be capped-off with a Dean’s BBQ at 5.30pm at the Loon Lake Dining Hall. The reception provides a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with fellow friends and classmates in the natural surroundings of Loon Lake and the forest. We look forward to seeing you on April 27th. For information and/or directions to the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest please call 604-463-8148 or visit www.mkrf. forestry.ubc.ca for a downloadable map. Please RSVP by Thursday, April 20th to Erin Cederberg at 604-822-8787 or erin.cederberg@ubc.ca.
10th Anniversary UBC Wood Products Processing Undergraduate Program Past, Present and Future
Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia
This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the UBC Wood Products Processing Program. Celebrations to highlight this occasion are scheduled for Friday, April 28, 2006 and all graduating alumni, current students and industry partners and friends of the WPP program are invited to come join in the festivities. This will include Receptions, Speakers and an Open House to be scheduled at the Centre for Advanced Wood Processing at UBC in Vancouver. The WPP program continues to produce top caliber graduates who have the skills, education and experience to fulfill the rising need for managers and engineers within the secondary and valued added wood products industry. Through the highly successful co-op program, many partner manufacturers representing various segments of the Canadian wood products industry have assisted in the development of a comprehensive and highly practical undergraduate program that creates skilled graduates who are highly regarded in the industry. Please join us in celebrating ten years of this innovative program that is producing top graduates. For more information please contact Ken Wong at 604.822.0639 or ken.wong@ubc.ca.