caitmae@student.ubc.ca
Education
Honours Bachelor of Science – Environmental Science, University of Toronto (2023)
Research Interests
Growing up on a small horse farm nestled on the Niagara Escarpment instilled in me a great appreciation for the environment from a young age. Since then, my passion for the environment has continued to grow and has been nurtured throughout my education. After exploring various branches of sustainability, I have developed a keen focus on regenerative, sustainable food systems, soil health, and their connections to climate change mitigation. Specifically, I am interested in understanding how to better support and implement regenerative agricultural practices on a larger scale in hopes of fostering sustainable, climate-resilient communities with a socioecological focus.
Research
Within my Master of Science in Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems, I will be part of a project conducting research on organic regenerative climate-resilient vegetable production, taking place on the UBC Farm. The over-arching goal of the project is to reduce climate impacts associated with organic diversified vegetable production, while building resilience and profitability within the agricultural sector. Specifically, my component of the project explores the effects of tarping, tilling, and cover cropping practices on soil health, greenhouse gas emissions, and crop yield. Using our gathered data, we hope to provide sustainable management strategies that help promote the implementation of organic farming practices, while maintaining a focus on climate change mitigation and soil health.