The University of British Columbia
UBC - A Place of Mind
The University of British Columbia
UBC News
  • Home
  • Arts & Humanities
  • Business, Law & Society
  • Science, Health & Technology
  • University News
  • Services for Journalists
  • Contacts
  • Services for Faculty
Home / 2013 / May / 01 / New life in old growth forests
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

New life in old growth forests

May 1, 2013 - by Heather Amos

ubcr201305_CM5457BA

A hobbyist bird watcher from Spain, Carlos Molina completed a master’s in Forestry and is moving to Prince George for work. Martin Dee Photograph

Carlos Molina arrived from Spain to be among the first Master’s of Sustainable Forest Management graduates

A birder, mountaineer and backcountry skier, Spanish-born Carlos Molina is a natural for the West Coast. But it wasn’t the call of the wild that brought him to B.C.—it was Europe’s economic crisis.

In 2008, at the height of the financial meltdown, Molina began looking for a change. He had a degree in forest engineering from Universidad Politecnica de Madrid and was trying to get a job in the industry.

It was a bad time for any young graduate and unfortunately for Molina, the situation didn’t get any better. Unlike Canada, Spain’s economic crisis deepened.

“The government lowered salaries, increased taxes and cut services. Unemployment skyrocketed,” he says.

“Being outdoors and in nature has been the main drive that took me into forestry in the first place.”

Most forestry in Spain is government operated. Molina says people were being laid off left and right, and whenever there was a job posting, he was competing with experienced foresters.

“It was just impossible to find a job.  So after four years without any success, I said ‘I’m out of here.’”

Because of his training as a forest professional, Molina was familiar with B.C.’s industry. He also had a friend who had come to UBC’s Faculty of Forestry for a PhD. So when he heard about a new one-year master’s in Sustainable Forest Management, he applied to be part of the inaugural class.

“When I got accepted, I didn’t even think twice,” says the graduate, who packed up and moved to another continent even though it was hard to leave his country, relatives and the familiarity of home to try something new.

On his first day in Vancouver exploring Jericho Beach, Molina saw a bald eagle fly by. For a hobbyist bird watcher from Spain, he was mesmerized watching the eagle dive down and catch its dinner.

“Being outdoors and in nature has been the main drive that took me into forestry in the first place,” he says.

Molina says that finding the right balance between protecting nature and managing forest resources has always been his professional aspiration and is what he appreciated about the master’s program. He’s also come out of the program with the one thing he wanted more than anything else— a job in forestry.

This May, Molina will move to  Prince George to begin a career as a forester in training. His girlfriend Aitana Ortiz de Zarate is moving  from Spain to join him.

For more information about  the program: cbm.forestry.ubc.ca/master-of-sustainable-forest-management-msfm-degree

Find other stories about: Faculty of Forestry, learning, studentlife, sustainability

“Being outdoors and in nature has been the main drive that took me into forestry in the first place.”

Making a Difference

COVID-19
Learn how UBC is rallying to support Canada's response to COVID-19.

Find UBC Experts

An information source that gives journalists access to UBC’s expertise.

Explore

  • Arts & Humanities
  • Business, Law & Society
  • Science, Health & Technology
  • University News
  • Q&As
  • Media Advisories
  • Latest News

Media Resources

  • Media Contacts
  • UBC Experts
  • UBC Photos
  • Filming on Campus

Tweets by @ubcnews

My Tweets
Subscribe & receive news by e-mail View UBC's Okanagan News Room
    
Public Affairs
310 - 6251 Cecil Green Park Road
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z1
Tel 604 822 6397
Fax 604 822 2684
Website http://news.ubc.ca
Email public.affairs@ubc.ca
Find us on
    
Back to top
The University of British Columbia
  • Emergency Procedures |
  • Terms of Use |
  • Copyright |
  • Accessibility
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.