Yancun (Walter) Yan
Forest Analyst
Vancouver,BC
Summary
Experienced Forester specializing in forest estate and carbon budget modeling. Proficient in programming, machine learning, geospatial analysis, life cycle assessment. Dedicated to utilizing data-driven solutions to optimize forest carbon management, improve environmental impact assessments, support ESG initiatives, and make a meaningful contribution to global climate change mitigation.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
2
2
Languages
Work History
President & Founder
Forestry AI International Society
06.2023 - Current
- Led multi-national forestry AI projects across Canada, China, Nigeria, collaborating with academia, industry, and NGOs to develop cutting-edge forest monitoring tools using remote sensing and deep learning
- Directed the development of free online courses and certification programs, equipping forest students and professionals with machine learning skills for practical forestry applications
- Organized high-impact webinars and online workshops, engaging scientists and industry leaders to showcase AI-driven innovations in forestry
- Scaled the organization to 100+ members and 3,800+ LinkedIn followers, building a global community at the intersection of AI and forestry
- Designed and established the official website, branding, and marketing materials, strengthening the organization's online presence
Graduate Research Assistant - Forest Modelling
University of British Columbia
09.2022 - Current
- Built forest inventory databases and generated timber carbon yield curves for the Prince George Timber Supply Area (TSA)
- Built and integrated forest estate, carbon budget, and harvested wood product (HWP) carbon models to simulate and optimize timber supply and climate change mitigation potential of the forest sector in the Prince George TSA
- Ran 5,000+ model simulations to assess forest management impacts on carbon dynamics, analyze trade-offs between timber supply and carbon benefits, and evaluate HWP contributions to carbon management strategies
- Provided data-driven recommendations to optimize forest management strategies, maximizing the climate change mitigation potential of BC forest sector
Forest Analyst
Forsite Consultants Ltd.
05.2023 - 08.2023
- Built forest inventory databases and generated timber yield curves for the BC Sunshine Coast TSA
- Built forest estate and carbon budget models to optimize timber supply while assessing the carbon benefits of the Sunshine Coast TSA forest ecosystem
- Conducted timber supply analysis and authored professional forest management reports, providing data-driven insights to support sustainable carbon forestry decision-making
Undergraduate Research Assistant - Forest Modelling
University of British Columbia
05.2022 - 08.2022
- Built forest inventory databases and generated timber yield curves for UBC Malcolm Knapp and Alex Fraser research forests
- Built forest estate and carbon budget models to optimize the timber supply while assessing the carbon benefits of both research forest ecosystems
Undergraduate Research Assistant – Environmental Management
University of British Columbia
10.2020 - 10.2021
- Designed, conducted, and analyzed 1,250+ survey responses to assess public awareness and perceptions of climate change, environmental protection, and sustainable development in the Min River Watershed, Fujian, China.
- Processed and analyzed Landsat satellite imagery (1985–2020) to evaluate temporal geospatial changes, developing a decision-support system model to guide climate-adaptive policy-making and regional governance.
International Business Manager
Shaoxing Fuxing Textiles and Garments Co.
05.2019 - 05.2020
- Negotiated and secured business contracts with five international clients, generating over C$20,000 in net profit
Education
Master of Science - Forestry
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC 05.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Forestry
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC 05.2001 -
Skills
Programming (Python, R, SQL, VBA, Git)
Forest Estate Modelling (Patchworks, Woodstock, ws3, FSOS)
Carbon Budget Modelling (CBM-CFS3, GCBM, libcbm)
Growth and Yield Modelling (TIPSY, VDYP, TASS, FVS)
Geospatial Analysis (ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, Google Earth, ENVI)
Machine Learning (CNN, RNN, Transformer, Random Forest)
Teaching Assistantships
Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia
- 2022-2024, FRST 422 – Mathematical Modelling for Forest Resources Analysis, 3 credits
- 2022, FRST 423 – Forest Management Planning, 6 credits
Faculty of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University
- 2021, Remote Sensing in Ecosystem Management (Bilingual), 3 credits
- 2020, Remote Sensing in Forestry (Bilingual), 3 credits
Awards
- 2022-2025, International Tuition Award, C$12,000
- 2024, Canfor Corporation Fellowship in Forest Ecosystem Management, C$2,500
- 2023, VanDusen Graduate Fellowship in Forestry, C$4,500
- 2022, Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Award, C$10,000
- 2021, Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Award, C$10,000
- 2021, United Benefit Group Fujian Forestry Scholarship, C$8,000
Publications
- Harnessing Backpack Lidar Technology: A Novel Approach to Monitoring Moso Bamboo Shoot Growth, Published, Forests, 10.3390/f16020371
- Evolving Environmental Awareness and Shifts in Management Priorities: A Socioeconomic Lens on the Min River Basin, China, Published, Frontiers in Environmental Science,10.3389/fenvs.2023.1257089
- Determinants of Public Participation in Watershed Management in Southeast China: An Application of the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework, Published, Land, 10.3390/land13111824
- Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Variations in Vegetation Cover and the Driving Factors in Zhejiang Province, China, from 2000 to 2022, Under Review, Remote Sensing
- Forest Management and Carbon Dynamics: How Harvested Wood Products Affect Forestry Decision-Making in British Columbia, Canada, Manuscript, Canadian Journal of Forest Research
Presentations
- An Innovative Mathematical Modelling Framework to Simulate and Optimize the Climate Change Mitigation Potential of the Forest Sector in British Columbia, Canada | International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) World Congress 2024, Stockholm, Sweden, 06/24
- An Innovative Methodology Framework to Optimize the Climate Change Mitigation Potential of BC Forest Sector | International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology Conference, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, 06/23
- To Simulate and Optimize the Wood Supply and Climate Benefits of Canadian Forest Sectors: A Novel Mathematical Modeling Framework | UBC Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition,Vancouver, BC, Canada, 03/22
Timeline
President & Founder
Forestry AI International Society
06.2023 - Current
Forest Analyst
Forsite Consultants Ltd.
05.2023 - 08.2023
Graduate Research Assistant - Forest Modelling
University of British Columbia
09.2022 - Current
Undergraduate Research Assistant - Forest Modelling
University of British Columbia
05.2022 - 08.2022
Undergraduate Research Assistant – Environmental Management
University of British Columbia
10.2020 - 10.2021
International Business Manager
Shaoxing Fuxing Textiles and Garments Co.
05.2019 - 05.2020
Master of Science - Forestry
University of British Columbia
05.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Forestry
University of British Columbia
05.2001 -
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