Thanks to Acadian Timber Corp. and its largest shareholder, Macer Forest Holdings Inc., forestry and environmental management (ForEM) students at UNB will be able to employ the latest digital tools.
The $2.5 million investment is being made as part of the McKenna Institute’s drive in support of the digital transformation of New Brunswick’s economy. A portion will be used to renovate space in the forestry and environmental management building to create a welcoming learning environment and access to new technologies, including computers and software. The renovated digital forestry lab will be home to 60 new workstations with updated teaching technology and improved room infrastructure.
The gift will also support the establishment of a new digital ForEM stream within UNB’s existing master of forestry professional degree program, including curriculum development, instructors, research practicums and study or research stipends to build enrollment momentum and awareness of the program.
Digital forestry students will collaborate on applied projects focused on modelling forest growth, operational planning, or environmental monitoring on Acadian Timber lands, using tools such as remote sensing, digital twinning, and AI-driven decision support.
UNB’s faculty of forestry and environmental management is the only one of its kind in the Atlantic region. This makes Acadian Timber’s investment both timely and strategic, says Dr. Paul J. Mazerolle, president and vice chancellor at UNB.
“This isn’t just an investment in future foresters: it is an investment in the future of forests, the future of Canadian industry, and the future of our world, which is inextricably bound to sustainable forest management. We are deeply grateful to Acadian Timber for ensuring UNB has the resources it needs to operate at the leading edge of forestry innovation in the era of AI and machine learning.”
It’s all about positioning New Brunswick to take advantage of emerging economic opportunities, says The Hon. Frank McKenna, founder of the McKenna Institute at UNB. “This historic initiative will help position New Brunswick as a hub for sustainable, data-driven forestry while advancing the transformative impact of digital education in legacy industries.”
