Sam Coggins

Sam has been a volunteer BVRC board member since 2020, serving as the board chair since 2021. His education includes a technical diploma in forestry and woodland management and a bachelor’s degree and PhD in forestry from the University of British Columbia. Sam’s work experience includes over 20 years in research, academia, provincial and First Nations governments, consulting, and industry.

Sam’s research background includes developing remote sensing systems to detect low-level bark beetle infestations, impacts of wildfire severity on forests, slate mining restoration in north Wales, and forest restoration in Thailand. He has been employed as Director, Investigations for the Forest Practices Board and as Director, Lands and Resources for Kitselas First Nation. His consulting work includes governance and technical support for many First Nations as well as forest tenure management throughout British Columbia.

Sam also volunteers for the Forest Professionals of British Columbia on the Audit and Practice Review committee and as an adjunct professor at the UBC Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship.