UVic Geography

New research by UVic geographers explores the conflict around fishing restrictions in the Salish Sea, introduced to help endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales.

The recently published Guide to the Berries of the Northwest Territories, which includes contributions from UVic Geogs Noémie Boulanger-Lapointe and Megan Francisco, documents traditional knowledge and scientific insights to monitor berry species and guide respectful harvesting.

The Canadian Space Agency has appointed Dr. Maycira Costa (UVic Geography, SPECTRAL Remote Sensing Lab) to its Earth System Science Advisory Committee.

Congrats Maycira!

New research led by Sophie Norris provides the most comprehensive global estimates of glacier erosion to date. Using machine learning, the team analyzed over 180,000 glaciers and found that most erode between 0.02 and 2.68 millimetres per year—roughly the width of a credit card.

Indigenous-led energy projects in Canada are offering lessons for communities and policymakers in Australia. Christina Hoicka is among the experts highlighting how access to ownership can ensure that the energy transition advances both climate goals and Indigenous autonomy.

New research from UVic Geography explores how drone technology can support dust storm mitigation and ecological restoration in BC’s hydroelectric reservoir landscapes.

Lindsay Chase, Director of Planning for the District of Saanich and longtime planning educator, has been named a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners: Canada’s highest honour in the field.

Congrats Lindsay!

Dr. Noémie Boulanger-Lapointe has received an NSERC Discovery Grant and a Northern Research Supplement for her project, “Berry species in a changing Arctic: spatial distribution and trophic interactions.”

Congratulations Noémie!

UVic Geography professor Dr. Jutta Gutberlet has been awarded a prestigious SSHRC Insight Grant for her project on climate adaptation and just transition strategies for waste pickers in Brazil.

Congratulations Jutta!

UVic Geog profs CindyAnn and Reuben Rose-Redwood examine the risks faced by international students engaging in political activism.

Read the full piece in The Conversation.

A new study conducted in northern Quebec found that denser shrub cover significantly reduces the growth, fruit production, and ripening of key berry species like crowberry and blueberry, while cranberry shows surprising resilience.

Kelp forests fringe Canada’s coastline, but their full role in climate regulation remains largely unknown. A new study led by UVic researchers presents the first national assessment of Canadian kelp ecosystems, revealing their potential to capture and store significant amounts of carbon in the ocean

New research by Dr. Sophia Carodenuto examines how smallholder cocoa farmers in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are impacted by contract formalization at the “first mile” of global cocoa supply chains.

Graduate students at USP explored the social and environmental impacts of plastic pollution through a participatory field course led by UVic Geography professor Dr. Jutta Gutberlet and Dr. Sylmara Gonçalves Dias.

Read the full study here: periodicos.ufabc.edu.br/index.php/di...

Two scholarships are now open to students pursuing studies in environmental awareness, conservation, and natural history:

Both scholarships are due by June 30, 2025.

To apply and learn more about eligibility criteria, visit: bcnature.org/scholarships/

Recent cougar sightings in Saanich highlight the importance of understanding how wildlife move through urban spaces. Geography professor Christopher Bone, reminds the public that cougars are highly risk-averse and typically avoid people—unless drawn in by easy food sources.

Congrats to UVic Geography’s Maleea Acker on receiving a $65,500 grant from CEWIL Canada!

The funding supports GEOG 380: Community Mapping — a hands-on, community-engaged course that connects students with local organizations to create meaningful change.

New research led by UVic geography professor Dr. Noemie Boulanger-Lapointe, in collaboration with international partners, highlights the crucial role that herbivores play in maintaining Arctic soil health.

Through UVic Geography's ENBS initiative, researchers and artists across Canada collaborated with communities to explore how creative expression can deepen engagement with climate resilience. Learn more at engagewithnbs.ca

A recent study led by UVic researchers examined 27 cities to understand how urban governments are initiating and participating in regional renewable energy projects.

Read more at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Plant diversity dynamics over space and time in a warming Arctic - Nature Warming temperatures and interactions between plants are the main drivers of changes in Arctic plant communities in response to climate change, and there is no evidence of overall biotic homogenizatio...

Dr. Noémie Boulanger-Lapointe, professor in UVic’s Department of Geography, is part of an international team of researchers behind a new Arctic study examining long-term changes in plant diversity in response to climate change.

Read more about the study in Nature.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A new collaborative research project from UVic Geography PhD candidate Brooke Hayes is examining how locally sourced organic waste can be transformed into a viable, sustainable fertilizer alternative.

A journey around the Americas — powered by ocean science, remote sensing, and open-access research.

This 14-month sailing expedition is collecting real-time data on ocean health, atmospheric conditions, and the changing state of kelp forests from Alaska to Cape Horn.

New research from UVic Geographers brought together First Nations communities from British Columbia and the Yukon with Maasai participants from Tanzania to support Indigenous-led environmental stewardship and facilitate cross-cultural exchange.

Join the UVic Geography Department at Science Rendezvous Victoria this Saturday, May 10, for a FREE day of hands-on STEM fun!

📍UVic & Camosun | ⏰ 10:00 a.m. start.

No registration needed — just bring your curiosity!

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is offering up to four scholarships of $1,500 each to students who intend to pursue a career in fish culture, recreational fisheries management, or fisheries enhancement, conservation, or research in BC.

Applications are due by May 31, 2025

We’re happy to announce that Geography’s very own Chris Bone has received one of the Spring 2025 Above and Beyond Award from the Faculty of Social Sciences!

Congrats, Chris!

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The Caroline Gibson Scholarship in Marine Studies is open for applications from April 21–May 23, 2025!

Three $3,500 scholarships will support graduate students researching topics related to marine science, policy, education, protection, or management in the the Salish Sea.

New research from the University of Victoria’s SPECTRAL Remote Sensing Lab is examining the long-term dynamics of canopy-forming kelp in the Broughton Archipelago, a remote and ecologically diverse region on British Columbia’s Central Coast.