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Megadroughts are notable manifestations of the American Southwest, but not so much of the European climate. By using long-term hydrological and meteorological observations, as well as paleoclimate reconstructions, here we show that central Europe has experienced much longer and severe droughts during the Spörer Minimum (~AD 1400–1480) and Dalton Minimum (~AD 1770–1840), than the ones observed during the 21st century. These two megadroughts appear to be linked with a cold state of the North Atlantic Ocean and enhanced winter atmospheric blocking activity over the British Isles and western part of Europe, concurrent with reduced solar forcing and explosive volcanism. Moreover, we show that the recent drought events (e.g., 2003, 2015, and 2018), are within the range of natural variability and they are not unprecedented over the last millennium., Central Europe experienced long-lasting droughts during the Spörer and Dalton solar minima around AD 1450 and 1800 that were more severe and extensive than those observed in the 21st century, according to palaeoclimate reconstructions.

April 1, 2013 - March 31, 2014

April 1, 2012 - March 31, 2013

Dean's message (John L. Innes). Graduate student symposium. Faculty celebrates International Women’s Day. They had three minutes... Lifetime Achievement Award. Faculty Strategic Plan finalized. Nicholas Coops receives Killam Research Fellowship. Silviculture challenge. Exploring forestry and conservation in China. Our children and the forests. Tracking sockeye salmon. Reducing the oil sands footprint. Expectatons of REDD+ in Nepal. Grin and bear it ! Measuring forest carbon in BC. Innovation in the forest sector. Rusts never sleep. Development & alumninews: To learn more, get out of town. New award supports transfer students from China. TLA supports forestry students for over 50 years. Reunions and events. Alumni in action. Making a difference. Are you Linked in?

Dean's message (John L. Innes). Undergraduate enrolment at an all-time high! Wood Products Processing alumni employment survey. New appointments. Is cultural diversity essential for biodiversity? (Kate Kirby). Relating shape to human aesthetic evaluations. (Angela Liu). Glacier retreat and its downstream consequences. The role of urban trees in campus sustainability. (Ira Sutherland). Woodfuels and native forest degradation in Chile. (Rene Reyes). A stressful tale, Intergenerational effects of stress in sockeye salmon by (Natalie Sopinka). Working with Indigenous communities. Is beauty always in the eye of the beholder? Lightweight and looks great! Development & alumninews: Urban futures research project receives foundation support. Paul Heller Fellowship – 25 years of support continues. Creating an exciting new nexus for Indigenous forestry. Reunions and events. Alumni in action. New course-based masters is off to a great start.

Dean's message (John L. Innes). MegaFlorestais 2012. Maja Krzic receives Soil Science for Society Award. Undergraduate enrolment and graduation at an all-time high. Forests and floods: Decades of scientific investigation gone awry. Legality requirements and the Chinese wood products industry. Measuring a tree’s carbon footprint. Aboriginal forestry: Visioning and payment for ecosystem services in Canada. Navigating a path through climate change. A day in the life of a field biologist (by Martha Essak). Estimating moose habitat suitability from satellite-derived indicators. 2 degrees, 2 years, 2 countries and twice the experience. Development & alumninews: Start a Knowledge Evolution with Research. John Richardson and Forest Management. Nicholas Coops and Remote Sensing. Jack Saddler and Biofuels. Private philanthropy can help. Reunions. Events. Class of 1961 creates a legacy program student award. Making a difference. A tribute to Irving (Ike) K Barber 1923 – 2012. (by Bill Bourgeois).

April 1, 2011 – March 31, 2012

Dean's message (John L. Innes). New Forest Biomaterials and Biochemicals Research Network. Hosny El-Lakany elected to CIFOR Board. Minister of Forests addresses students. Doctoral student wins prize. Forestry Advisory Council welcomes two new members. An extraordinary experience in Japan. Conserving coastal giant salamanders. Observing biodiversity from space. Extreme disturbance, reclamation and forest resilience. Online profiles. Fostering climate change adaptation. Human choices impact native birds and plants. Promoting sustainable management of Cameroon’s Model Forests. Driving innovation in the advanced wood products industry. A new course in visualizing climate change. UBC’s Research Forests: the business of change. Alumni news. Making a difference. Electronic versus paper? International Year of Forests 2011.

Dean's message (John L. Innes). Climate change conference in China. Research cooperation agreement signed with the China Green Carbon Foundation. Double-take in Melbourne Airport. UBC Forestry students in Finland. Joint course development with the University of Melbourne. Towards a greener REDD ,A commentary by (Hosny El-Lakany). Economic development in Africa through wood products manufacturing. A Brazilian’s journey with biofuels. 3-D X-ray images of wood. Power to the people: Community forestry in Brazil and Mexico. The Spirit Bear: A swirl of scientific, management and ethical issues. Bioenergy or biodiversity? Woody debris structures and forest mammals. Can a forest power itself? Biomass energy for Loon Lake. Alumni news: Alumni in action. Reunions and events.

Dean's message (John L. Innes). Learning by experience. Forestry Co-op. Faculty member awards. New dual forestry masters program. Promoting the importance of forests. Record enrollment in the Faculty of Forestry. Major new forestry award. Networking amongst Forestry Deans. Links with India strengthened. Can lodgepole pine provide its own nitrogen? The changing face of preservative-treated wood. Understanding rock climbers’ attitudes to the environment. Tree cavities – a vital wildlife habitat. Woodpeckers and Aspen. Woodpecker Legacies. Decay Legacies. Breeding without breeding – the rest of the story (Dr Yousry El-Kassaby). Indigenous perspectives on climate change adaptation. Innovative communication of science for graduate students. Development & alumninews. (Emma Starritt Director of Development). Private foundation supports student work experiences. Student award captures alumnus’ beliefs and hopes. New staff contact. Reunions and events. Alumni in action. Making a difference. New Master of Sustainable Forest Management degree.

April 1, 2010 – March 31, 2011

Collaborating with China: forestry higher education. Complementing trade relationships between China and Canada. Opportunities for sustainable forest management and forest certification in China. An emission trading program for China? Net primary productivity and climate change in China’s subtropical forests. Atmospheric pollution and forest management in China’s forests. From a global hydrocarbon economy to a carbohydrate based society in the Asia-Pacific. Africa Forests Research Initiative on Conservation and Development. Wood anatomy of Xanthocyparis vietnamensis – a new conifer species in Vietnam. Cavity-nesting communities in the subtropical Atlantic forest of northern Argentina. Mangrove recovery after hurricanes in Belize. Awards.

Dean's message (John L. Innes): future directions for the Faculty of Forestry. Commonwealth Forestry Congress. The Asia Pacific Forestry Net. Commonwealth Forestry Association. The Faculty of Forestry at IUFRO 2010. Workshop on traditional forest knowledge. Forestry Advisory Council welcomes two new members. Capacity building with India’s Forest Service. Forestry students to help protect the Sumatran elephant and tiger populations. Science meets entertainment. New course-based programs. Haida Gwaii Semester breaking new ground in forestry education. Climate change adaptation, facilitating action on the ground. Forests are about people! The Meldrum Creek Fire: observations from the Alex Fraser Research Forest. HIV / AIDS and forest resources in Malawi. Understanding the effects of climate change on freshwater ecosystems. The International Energy Agency’s Bioenergy Task 39 and its role in forestry. IUFRO Scientific Achievement award winners Yousry El-Kassaby and Shawn Mansfield. Alumni news. Award profile.

April 1, 2009 – March 31, 2010

April 1, 2008 – March 31, 2009

Creating great graduates. Joe Bennett. Sierra Curtis-McLane. Ana Xavier. Arash Jamali. Aya Murakami. Toktam Sajedi. Kate Kirby. Trevor Lantz. Trevor Jones. Nicholas Soverel. Antje Wahl. Olaf Schwab. Babita Bains. David Jack. Psychology of the environment. Evaluating community forest tenure. Estimating tensile stresses during wood drying. Wood Products Processing co-op presentation evening.

Research that matters – right here, right now. When do you know research is useful? Why research matters to the forest systems of BC. Forestry research applied at Stanley Park. The applications of windthrow research. Research that is “win-win” for ecological and socioeconomic values. Towards more aesthetic forestry. Today’s forests, tomorrow’s climate: Tools for management and conservation. Forest-dependent communities in transition. Helping make forest management sustainable. Wood biomass for greenhouse heating. Understanding the causes of our declining salmon populations. New masters in forest management.

Investing in the future: graduate education and research in the Faculty of Forestry. Monika Singh. Ajith Chandran. Wellington Spetic. Natalia Vidal. Jocelyn Campbell. Julie Deslippe. Mariano Amoroso. Julia Dordel. Shyam Paudel. Patrick Waeber. Budding Czech geneticist finds his stride at UBC Forestry. Shedding light on alpine bird ecology. Estimation of stand productivity from multi-angular optical remote sensing. Can trees be engineered to increase their levels of cellulose? The path to graduate studies for Florian Noll.

April 1, 2007 – March 31, 2008

Our Changing Climate. The fate of tree populations in a changing climate. Fueling the future – poplar is popular at UBC. Climate-induced variability in forest growth capacity. Climate variability, climate change and streamflow. Climate warming and salmon fisheries – a game of double jeopardy. Sequestering carbon through soil fertilization. Will the water be there?: an exploration of climate change and the future of water resources in the Okanagan region. Northern forest management in a changing climate. Meeting BC’s carbon reduction targets with resilient communities.

Stanley Park’s recovery. An ill wind? Stanley Park after the storm: unnatural disturbance. Log and timber frame construction research and training at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. Supplement: New MBA sustainability and business specialization at UBC. The first annual UBCV-UW Grand Silviculture Challenge.

April 1, 2006 – March 31, 2007

Making smarter conservation decisions for migratory species. Honeycomb panels – how do they stack up? Mapping in Haida Gwaii / Queen Charlotte Islands. Breeding without breeding: an opportunity or a pipe dream? Kissing the sky: evaluating new remote sensing technologies at Aleza Lake Research Forest. Hot in my backyard: using visualizations to bring the science of climate change into our everyday lives. Biodegradeable roads.

Wood Science at UBC. Modeling the seismic response of timber structures. Life cycle assessment of windows. Improved competitiveness in British Columbia’s value-added wood sector. Picking the glue from the wood. Pith location affects hem-fir drying. Forest-based biorefining at UBC. Improving particleboard quality.

April 1, 2005 – March 31, 2006

Percy Barr’s research forest legacy. UBC’s research forests: in for the long haul. Ambrosia beetle research at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. Finding a measure of certainty through forest management planning. Long term projects at the UBC Research Forests – 80 years and still growing. A tribute to the Loon Lake cabins – historic structures about to come down. Pogue’s partial cutting experiment keeps going......and going. Worlds of experience for international students at UBC’s research forests.

Biofuels and bioenergy – challenges and opportunities. Measuring public forest preferences. Possible forest futures: addressing the complexities of multi-value ecosystem management. Sustainability, biodiversity, and western governance. Forestry remote sensing: the view from above. BC Forum on Forest Economics & Policy. North American Forest Ecology Workshop 2007.

Future forest ecosystems. The future of BC’s forests – a global context. Changes in ecosystem processes and management. Species and genetic selections in a changing climate. Alternative management paradigms and their ability to respond to changes. Wildlife biodiversity and MPB in interior forests. MPB impacts on watershed hydrology. Will nitrogen fertilization of mature lodgepole pine stands help them withstand MPB attack? Faculty research talks.

April 1, 2004 – March 31, 2005

Where have all the fish gone? Value-added at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. UBC’s Timber Building Technology Group. Symposium promotes dialogue on global changes. Putting education to work in the Haliburton Forest. The 1937 historical air photo project for Haida Gwaii. Forests and Society – a new masters program. Dean’s diary. Fifth Edition Forestry Handbook goes to press.

Forestry as an asset to the community. Forestry and frogs. Fuels from wood: forest products for the 21st century. Forestry degree a ticket to adventure. Site mapping of the Alex Fraser Research Forest. Awards. Dean’s diary.

April 1, 2003 - March 31, 2004

Where have all the flowers gone? New enzymes for biotechnology. Holistic housing. Research Forests address urban wildfire issues. BC Forum on Forest Economics and Policy to hold symposium on 27 January. The forest’s hidden half. Dean's diary. New appointment.

Culturally modified trees: a case study for education. Ron Trosper joins the Faculty of Forestry. Gordon Prest retires from UBC: Pamela Perreault joins the team. First Nation UBC graduate lured back to school. Detecting the undetectable: using satellites to help control the Mountain Pine Beetle. Life, design, solutions, and teaching. Dean’s diary.

From the Dean's desk. Forest grazing – an example of integrated resource management. Forest Sciences Department news. Chain of custody tracking for certified forest products. Wood Science Department news. Structural analysis of backspars used in cable logging. Forest Resources Management Department news. Faculty news. International programs. First Nations summer forestry camp. Forestry alumni appeal 2003. Undergraduate enrolment. Conservation research symposium.

From the Dean's desk. Changing paradigms in forestry. Forest Sciences Department news. Wollemi noblis, the wood anatomy of the dinosaur pine. Wood Science Department news. Projecting road networks for strategic planning. Forest Resources Management Department news. The first Canadian large-scale tree genomics project. Italian furniture design exhibition opens. Non-timber forest products at Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. New conservation series begins .... Jubilee Lectures continue to draw crowds.

April 1, 2002 - March 31, 2003

From the Dean's desk. Efficiency improvement in the Canadian wood industry. Wood Science Department news. Verification of a Landsat predictive map of mountain pine beetle attack. Forest Resources Management Department news. Why is everyone looking upstream? Forest Sciences Department news. Faculty mourns death of Gene Namkoong. Faculty Development Officer position available. Jubilee Lecture Series. Peter Marshall, RPF, named as vice-president of the ABCPF. Education and extension activities. Invitation to all alumni.

From the Dean's desk. Optimizing resin usage for strand-based wood composites. Wood Science Department news. Forest carbon accounting at the forest management unit scale. Forest Resources Management Department news. Conifer defense against insect pests. Forest Sciences Department news. Faculty news. Undergraduate enrolment. J. Harry G. Smith (1925-2002). Redevelopment of Loon Lake Outdoor Education Centre. Jubilee Lectures Continue. Burgess-Lane Lecture.

April 1, 2001 - March 31, 2002

From the Dean's desk. Survey of the western hemlock looper in the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. Forest Sciences Department news. If you had funds to spend on forest conservation, where would you spend it? Forest Resources Management Department news. Populus – weed or to seed? Wood Science Department news. NSERC Strategic Grant successes. Wood Products Processing Program wins award. Fish enhancement efforts at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. Recent public lectures. Upcoming ... Public Lectures.

From the Dean's desk. Spacing effects on wood quality. Wood Science Department news. Do clearcut-heated streams cool when they flow back into the forest? Forest Resources Management Department news. Kermode bear genes revealed. Forest Sciences Department news. Faculty news. 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Forestry. Undergraduate enrolment. Celebrating 10 years of success.

April 1, 2000 - March 31, 2001

From the Dean's desk. Population viability assessment in land use plans. Forest Sciences Department news. Japanese building codes impact B.C. coastal mills. Wood Science Department news. Taper equation research. Forest Resources Management Department news. New appointment. Centre for Forest Gene Conservation established. Conservation Volunteers Program update. Tony Kozak's "bash." Growth spurt in Forestry scholarships. Forestry and eco-tourism can co-exist. Upcoming international conference...The Nature and Culture of Forests: Implications of Diversity for Sustainability, Trade and Certification - May 8-12,2001. Upcoming lecture...Science in Service to Society: The Role of Research. Recent event...Burgess-Lane lecture.

From the Dean's desk. Interdisciplinary model aids forest ecosystem planning; Wood Science Department news; Representational validity of landscape visualizations. Forest Resources Management Department news. Fishy behaviour: migration tactics of adult salmon. Forest Sciences Department news. Faculty news. 50th Anniversary of the Faculty of Forestry; Jubilee Lecture Series continues. Commercial thinning at the MKRF.