Current graduate students

The research group that Prof. Stephen Murphy leads studies restoration and conservation generally. The projects that the group undertakes cover a wide subject area and have a variety of partners. Prof. Murphy updates us on the latest activity in his dynamic group - restoration, conservation, policy, practice, endangered species, ecology, earthworms, pollen, life, and death. What more can you ask for?

Republishing an article published in The Conversation written by SERS professor Robert Gibson.

Amendments to Canada's Impact Assessment Act are being drafted in response to a Supreme Court ruling in October 2023 where a majority of justices concluded that some aspects of the federal Impact Assessment Act reached too far into provincial jurisdiction. Drafting amendments to Canada's Impact Assessment Act will be a difficult assignment. Officials need to respect Canada's Constitution and also apply new knowledge and act on new imperatives. Challenges include not only bringing the laws into constitutional compliance but also meeting 21st-century needs for assessments and decision-making in the lasting public interest.

Dustin Garrick has been appointed director of the University of Waterloo’s Collaborative Water Program for a two-year term, effective January 1, 2024. Dustin is University Research Chair in Water and Development Policy, associate professor in SERS and is a Water Institute member.

Established in 2013, the Collaborative Water Program is unique at the University of Waterloo and globally for its interdisciplinary approach and focus on learning through hands-on experience. The aim is to train the next generation of water leaders and equip them with the job-ready skills needed to understand and address complex water challenges.

The number of solar-powered water pumps is increasing in lower and middle income countries. While the technology presents important opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, an article published in Science co-led by SERS professor Dustin Garrick suggests that anticipated emissions reductions are complex to calculate and solar pumps are likely to increase groundwater depletion as farmers gain access to cheap, clean energy.

The School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability (SERS) and The Long Point Biosphere Region Foundation have signed a letter of intent setting out a framework to pursue new projects together, exploring collaboration in education, public outreach, and research on sustainability, conservation, and the protection of biodiversity, 

Monday, October 30, 2023

Success in the Greenbelt

SERS master's student Rosalind Synder has been collecting positive stories related to land in Ontario's Greenbelt. A favorite is the Alderville Black Oak Savannah project initiated by Mississauga Anishinaabeg biologist and artist Rick Beaver and managed by the Alderville First Nation. The project centres on restoration of a rare Tallgrass Prairie and Savannah ecosystem. Since its start over 20 years ago, the Alderville Black Oak Savannah has been almost fully restored. In addition to ecological restoration, the project ensures community access to traditional foods and medicinal plants.

The Fedy research group tries to understand the distribution and abundance of wildlife populations. Most of our research focuses on applied questions relevant to the management of wildlife populations. Collecting data for this research requires field work in remote locations making the planning and execution challenging at times. Is it worth it?