FRST 351: Interior Field School (aka “Fall Camp”)
2024 to be held at Gavin Lake Camp
at Alex Fraser Research Forest
Saturday August 24 to Saturday August 31, 2024
Calendar Description:
FRST 351 (2) Interior Field School –
Field study at an interior B.C. location concentrating on land use, management and silviculture.
Fees will be assessed to meet expenses. Prerequisite(s): FRST 201.
- Notes:
FRST 351 is a required course for all forestry students enrolled in the Forest Resources Management, Forest Operations, and Forest Science Major programs. - FRST 351 is a prerequisite for FRST 305 (Silviculture).
- Students in the Natural Resource Conservation programs and other sustainability programs at UBC are welcome to take this course as an elective. (You will be wait-listed until the students who require the course are registered – we’ll let you know if we have room by the end of June).
Objectives:
- To develop an understanding of the diversity of BC forests, forest management and conservation practices and community issues.
- To provide background and understanding for conservation and management courses taken during the 3rd and 4th year of the students’ academic program.
2024 Dates and Duration:
We will begin camp after dinner at 7:00 pm on Saturday August 24, 2024 at the Gavin Lake Forest Education Centre camp BC, UBC Alex Fraser Research Forest, 1-hour east of Williams Lake BC. Field school finishes at 1 pm on Saturday August 31, 2024, followed by the return drive to Vancouver. You will stay in cabins at Gavin Lake camp for the duration of camp, with breakfast and dinner in the dining hall, and lunch in the woods.
General Schedule and Daily Travel:
We will have a fleet of 15-passenger vans and 24-passenger buses at Gavin Lake.
Here is the draft schedule:
Saturday August 24 Arrive and check-in at Gavin Lake Forest Education Centre starting at 3 pm
Sunday August 25 Gavin Lake – Soil, plant, measurement refresher, silvicultural systems
Monday August 26 Gavin Lake – SBS zone ecology + management, silviculture + forest health
Tuesday August 27 Knife Creek – IDF zone ecology + management, mule deer, ranching
Wednesday August 28 Gavin Lake – ICH zone ecology + management, silviculture + forest health
Thursday August 29 Gavin Lake – Harvesting operations, navigation skills, silviculture exercise
Friday August 30 Williams Lake – Manufacturing, community forests and wildfire resilience
Saturday Sugust 31 Gavin Lake – Celebration of learning, finish by 1 pm and depart for home
Topics:
The following topics will be presented by professors and local experts:
- Ecology/Silvics/Genetics
- Entomology/Pathology/Fire
- Silviculture/Operations/Wildlife conservation
- Community Forestry/Social-Ecological systems
Evaluation:
You will be expected to collect data during each day of the field school. Daily assignments include group and individual components and are due each evening. Basic forestry skills that you need when entering third year and practicing as a professional make up the required skills matrix. You must successfully complete all skills at camp to pass field school. Faculty and staff will assess your skills and sign as you demonstrate competency on each skill. If your first attempt is not successful, attend one of the evening tutorials, then arrange for a second assessment.
Your field notebook will be submitted to the TA for marking at the end of camp. Keep it neat, organized and complete. This is good practice in developing professionalism in structuring and recording your observations and activities. In particular, make sure your notes are organized by date and place, and that speakers are correctly identified. Indenting, sketching, and labels all help to make your notes more meaningful for future reference. Write the answers to daily questions in your field notebook under that day’s entry.
| Skills and Assignments | Due By | Points |
| Site Assessments in the SBS Zone | Tuesday 9 pm | 10 |
| Site Assessments in the IDF Zone | Wednesday 9 pm | 10 |
| Site Assessments in the ICH Zone | Thursday 9 pm | 10 |
| Ecology and Silviculture Exercise | Thursday 9 pm | 15 |
| Community Forests + Wildfire Resilience | Saturday 1 pm | 10 |
| Forest Health Specimen | Saturday 1 pm | 10 |
| Field Book | Saturday 1 pm | 20 |
| Skills Matrix + Participation | Saturday 1 pm | 15 |
Hints for Success
Please take the opportunity to interact with and ask questions of the numerous instructors and resource people available during this course. The relatively high “teacher-to-student” ratio should be to your advantage! We expect everyone to contribute to group discussions, and every individual has to present some element during the field examinations.
We expect all students at Fall Camp to demonstrate professionalism, by being punctual and prepared for the days activities (including wearing appropriate field clothing and footwear), by fully participating in activities and discussions, and by contributing to the well-being and educational experience of everyone at field school. Marks will be deducted for inappropriate conduct or lack of engagement.
Safety Information
To improve your safety while at field school and for you to benefit fully from the course, we ask that you read the following points and communicate any necessary information or concerns to the teaching staff (lori.daniels@ubc.ca). Disciplinary issues during field school will be decided by the head instructor, Dr. Lori Daniels.
Health and Safety
Many of our field sites are at least a one hour drive to the nearest hospital. During field school you will be required to walk considerable distances in rough terrain. You need to bring clothing, rain gear and boots suitable for hiking and working off trails in the forest. Lists of required and recommended equipment is provided on the course website (https://frst351.forestry.ubc.ca/).
We will be touring harvesting and sawmilling operations which are inherently hazardous, be alert and follow instructions. Wear the personal protective equipment that is issued to you. Work with your crew, never alone, and make sure you are signed in at the end of each day. Inability to follow instructions or unsafe behavior may result in your expulsion from the field school.
There will be a first aid attendant present at field school. We will have standard first aid kits with us, but it is up to you to carry any specialized medication or equipment you may need. It is important that we know of any food allergies, allergies to bee and wasp stings, or other health conditions that you may affect you while at field school. Please inform Andrea Chan of the Forest and Conservation Sciences Department when you register of any medical conditions which may affect your safety or ability to perform in this course. If you are unsure of your medical fitness to participate in field school please contact your doctor.
Destructive, abusive or threatening behavior will result in immediate expulsion from the field school. Alcohol and cannabis may be consumed in moderation only after work hours. Due to wildfire and health risks, smoking of any substance is not permitted on the Research Forest, the Loon Lake Camp, or on any other worksites we will visit. If you are a smoker, you will need to consider alternatives (e.g., gum, patch). Vaping is permitted only in designated outdoor areas. Intoxication during work hours (daily until field work is complete and we have returned to camp) is unsafe and unprofessional. It will not be tolerated and may result in expulsion.
Due to wildfire and health risks, smoking of any substance is not permitted in the research forest, on worksites, or in UBC vehicles. If you are a smoker, you will need to consider alternatives (e.g., gum, patch). There are designated ourdoor smoking and vaping areas at the Gavin Lake camp. If you are a smoker, check with an instructor before lighting up. Bring a metal container for any cigarette butts.
Please do not bring dogs (or other pets) to field school.
Vehicles
Only appointed drivers can drive the UBC-owned and rented vehicles. If any student feels that a vehicle is being driven in an unsafe manner, this should be reported to a member of the teaching staff.
If you are driving your own vehicle, it must be operated in a safe and law-abiding manor.
UBC Student Accident Insurance
We will purchase Student Accident Insurance from UBC for each of you to cover the period from August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025. This coverage is specifically for students doing field work. It provides a $50,000 maximum benefit for death or severe injury while doing course work. It does NOT provide 24 hour coverage (e.g. if you go hiking on your own and fall off a cliff, you are not covered). You MUST be covered under BC Medical Plan or another province’s plan. For more information, contact UBC Treasury at 822-5850 or see the linked document.
Items Required for FRST351 Fall Camp – new additions are in italics. Please be efficient when packing: one main bag (duffle bag or small suitcase) + sleeping bag + day pack
- field gear = waterproof boots with a good grip, work gloves that you can write with, rain jacket and rain pants
- warm field clothes that you can layer, gloves for field work, it is often cold first thing in the morning, and sometimes it rains hard!
- flat sheet for over the mattress, sleeping bag, pillow, towel and toiletries – you will be staying in shared cabins in bunk-beds
- 2 x 1L water bottle, plastic container for your lunch
- day pack or cruisers vest
- hard hat (if you have one, otherwise we will supply it)
- school supplies (pencils, rulers, calculators, paper, etc.)
- if you have a phone or tablet with a GPS, download the free Avenza Maps Mobile app
- sun screen, sun glasses, sun hat, insect repellant, after-bite insect cream
- mask for COVID (e.g., triple layered) and wildfire smoke safety (e.g., N95)
- Plants of Southern Interior of British Columbia
- note, there is NO cell-phone coverage at Gavin Lake
Here is a document with Field Trip Clothing Tips and Suppliers.