Suzanne Simard conducts scientific research on what we cannot easily see — specifically the synergies and complexities of our natural world and the development of sustainable land stewardship practices that both conserve and protect the environment.
A professor of Forest Ecology in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at the University of British Columbia, her research is centered on understanding the vital relationships between plants, microbes, soils, carbon, nutrients and water that underlie the adaptability, resilience, and recovery of ecosystems.
She is particularly known for her work on below-ground networks that connect the creatures of the forest, and how these are fundamental to the complex adaptive nature of ecosystems. She strives to communicate this research so that it is understandable and usable to all people. To that end, she is dedicated to empowering people with science-based knowledge and tools to manage and heal the land from human impacts.