Email: erin.pearson[at]mun[dot]ca

Supervisor:
Dr. Carissa Brown and Dr. Joel Finnis

Research Groups:
Northern EDGE Lab

Previous Education:
BSc (Honours) Forestry
University of New Brunswick (2020)

Forest Resources Technician
College of the North Atlantic (2018)

Research Project Description:
Urban forests provide cities and the citizens living within them with a variety of ecosystem services, and help to mitigate the effects of ongoing climate change. However, the ability of urban forests to adapt to climate change and maintain the services they provide is dependent on the ecological integrity of the ecosystem. The objective of my research is to assess how the ecological integrity of urban forests on the island of Newfoundland vary based on their adaptation to differing climate regimes and levels of urbanization. I will additionally look at how urban forests may influence the ecological integrity and seedling recruitment of peri-urban environments and nearby natural areas.

Research Interests:
• Boreal forest ecology
• Biogeography
• Climate change
• Species range dynamics

Awards and Distinctions:
UNB – Faculty of Forestry Senior Project Award (2020)
UNB – Viscount Richard Bennett Prize (Forestry) (2019)
UNB – W. T. Whitehead Memorial Prize (2019)
Canadian Institute of Forestry – Gold Medal Award (2018)
Canadian Institute of Forestry, Institute of Chartered Foresters, Duchy of Cornwall – Prince of Wales Forest Leadership Award (2018)