SDG 15
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Key Stats
Progress on SDG15:
Between 1977 and 2025 the University of Alberta’s Department of Renewable Resources has hosted 94 Forest Industry Lectures.
Since 2003, the University of Alberta Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences has hosted 23 Bentley Lectures in sustainable agriculture.
2025 Research Impact
- № relevant publications: 484
- № citations: 2,284
Sample courses
- ENCS471 - Practical Case Studies in Rangeland Management and Conservation
- ENCS473 - Environmental and Conservation Policy
- BIOL366 - Northern Ecology
- BIOL367 - Conservation Biology
Videos
Are prairie hares doomed by climate change?
Institutional Stewardship Initiatives
Food Services at Augustana Campus and Aramark on North Campus are implementing sustainable food policies. These policies focus on supporting local food, reducing waste, and ensuring responsible sourcing.
City of Edmonton Drainage Services Bylaw
The U of A Utilities Group operates (North Campus) or manages (remaining campuses) the storm and sanitary system for the university; wastewater is then sent for treatment at local municipal facilities. Wastewater treatment is subject to Bylaw 18093 (drainage bylaw). Water quality standards and guidelines ensure the protection of ecosystems, wildlife and human health.
Integrated Pest Management Program
The university has 118 hectares of grounds and gardens, of which 81 per cent is under an Integrated Pest Management program (IPM). IPM strives to reduce reliance on pesticides and to integrate preventative measures and alternative control technologies.
See more SDG 15 institutional stewardship initiatives
Research Institutes, Centres & Projects
Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute
The Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) detects large changes in biodiversity in Alberta with the annually updated Biodiversity Intactness Index and Human Footprint Inventory. This research provides ongoing, relevant, scientifically credible information on Alberta's living resources to meet the information needs of government planners, industrial developers and local communities.
Resilient Forests
Productivity and sustainability of our forest ecosystems and operations are reliant on a healthy and resilient forest. However, forest health and local communities that depend on the forest industry are both under constant threat from changes in climate and climate-induced insect outbreaks. The pace of these changes is outstripping the ability for trees to adjust to these threats. Likewise, traditional tree improvement methodologies are too slow to provide well-adapted seedlings for reforestation and achieve healthy forests for the future. Thus, Resilient Forests proposes to integrate rapidly emerging technologies (genomics and metabolic profiling) and mathematical models into existing tree breeding programs to select pest resistant and drought tolerant trees.
See more SDG 15 research institutes, centres and projects