Philip J. Burton, Ph.D., R.P.Bio., is a forest ecologist who now splits his time between Smithers and Prince George, B.C. He was born in Saskatchewan, where he obtained his B.Sc. in 1978. After graduate studies in the United States, he worked as a mine reclamation consultant in Alberta and taught silviculture at the University of British Columbia until 1995, when he moved his family to Smithers.
Phil is interested in all aspects of vegetation dynamics and forest regeneration, and has published more than 40 scientific papers and book chapters on these topics. He and his wife, Carla, have also conducted research on the production of native grass and legume seed, the biology of berry-producing shrubs, forest stand edge effects, and various aspects of ecological restoration. He recently led the editorial team for the book, Towards Sustainable Management of the Boreal Forest (2003, NRC Research Press, Ottawa) and held a Bullard Fellowship in Forest Research at Harvard University.
Phil's current research is looking at the recovery dynamics of forests affected by mountain pine beetle and fire, and the natural disturbance regimes of northern British Columbia. Dedicated to the integration of conservation biology and bioregionalism in forest planning and practices, Phil is an adjunct professor at the University of Northern British Columbia.
Phil was a founding director of the Northwest Institute, and also of the Wilp Sa Maa'y Harvesting Cooperative and the B.C. Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration. He enjoys skiing, cycling, canoeing and gardening as time permits.