Wildlife unseen casualty as forests burn in worst wildfire season of the century
Wildlife unseen casualty as forests burn in worst wildfire season of the century June 15, 2023 CSFS Associate Matthew Mitchell (land and food systems) commented on how wildfires affect Canada’s wildlife. “It can affect their lungs, it can change blood chemistry, lower oxygen levels, and so then you can also have effects on the immune […]
Most honey in America is fake — here’s why that matters
Most honey in America is fake — here’s why that matters June 2, 2023 CSFS Associate and biochemistry and molecular biology professor Dr. Leonard Foster said that it’s hard to know how much of the honey in America is fake. “The best way to make sure that you’re getting real honey is to buy directly […]
B.C. scientists bracing for a deadly bat fungus
B.C. scientists bracing for a deadly bat fungus May 15, 2023 CSFS Associate Dr. Matthew Mitchell (Land and Food Systems) and Aaron Aguirre (Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability) will spend the summer collecting data on bats in Metro Vancouver. White-nose syndrome, a deadly fungal disease, has spread across Canada from the east and north […]
Bats in Vancouver: The secret city nightlife
Bats in Vancouver: The secret city nightlife May 12, 2023 CSFS Associate Dr. Matthew Mitchell (Faculty of Land and Food Systems) talks about his research this summer on bats in Vancouver, white-nose syndrome and bat populations across the province. “They’re really under threat. We have 16 species of bats in BC and half of those […]
Bats in Vancouver: UBC researchers to study secret city nightlife
Bats in Vancouver: UBC researchers to study secret city nightlife May 8, 2023 They live among us and eat pesky insects, but unless you’re armed with an ultrasonic microphone you may never notice our nocturnal neighbours: bats. CSFS Associate Dr. Matthew Mitchell (Faculty of Land and Food Systems) and Aaron Aguirre (Institute for Resources, Environment […]
Special agents, Rubik’s cubes, and how to solve the climate crisis
Special agents, Rubik’s cubes, and how to solve the climate crisis May 4, 2023 In a recent TEDx talk, CSFS Associate Dr. Kai Chan (Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability) shares stories of triumph and challenge in international policy for nature, and finding the real key to a better future on Earth: you. “You’re all experts […]
Global food production may decline by 9% owing to climate change, says expert
Global food production may decline by 9% owing to climate change, says expert April 21, 2023 A study conducted by CSFS Associate, Dr. Navin Ramankutty, Director of the Institute for Resources Environment and Sustainability, found that staple crops like rice and wheat are under threat from climate change. At a national seminar in India, Dr. […]
B.C. beekeepers brace for another challenging season after difficult winter
B.C. beekeepers brace for another challenging season after difficult winter April 11, 2023 CSFS Associate and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology professor Dr. Leonard Foster (Michael Smith Labs) discussed how B.C.’s bee colonies will fare this year. “My personal guess is we’ll be slightly better than last year, but that has to be taken with a grain of salt […]
Limiting nutrient pollution in organic cropping systems
Limiting nutrient pollution in organic cropping systems April 6, 2023 In the 40th episode of Organic BC’s podcast, CSFS Director Sean Smukler talks about his recent research and about organic practices that can lead to nutrient pollution in air and waterways, versus ones that tend to limit such outcomes. Listen to the full podcast episode […]
Guaranteeing food for all (a letter)
Guaranteeing food for all (a letter) April 3, 2023 Various UBC and international researchers, including CSFS Associate Dr. Jennifer Black, co-signed a letter arguing that guaranteeing the right to food and a living income through real living wages, together with adequate social security provision, is essential to ending the need for charitable food aid in […]