Our Team

Dr. Brad Stelfox established Forem Technologies and the ALCES Group in 1995 and is the architect and developer of the ALCES model. He is an adjunct professor at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, and the Department of Environmental Design, University of Calgary. Brad's research and teachings focus on the interface between human land uses and regional landscapes. The major development stream of Forem has been ALCES (A Landscape Cumulative Effects Simulator), a program gaining rapid acceptance by governments, industry, the scientific community, and NGO's to explore issues between landscapes, land uses (agriculture, forestry, oil and gas, mining, human populations, tourism, and transportation sectors), and ecological and economic integrity. Dr. Stelfox has received the Alberta Emerald Foundation Award (2004) and the Alberta Science and Technology Award (2003) for his contributions with the ALCES model in advancing understanding of land use sustainability issues and in seeking solutions that balance economic, social, and ecological indicators.

Brad and his wife Sarah live in Calgary. When Brad is not working on the ALCES model or guest lecturing on land use issues, he is likely on horseback exploring the mountain trails of Alberta's east slopes.

Matt is an ecologist interested in applying a systems dynamics approach to communicate land use concepts and develop pragmatic solutions to natural resource management challenges. Over the past ten years, Matt has developed and applied simulation tools to explore the future effects of land use in a variety of landscapes from the Mackenzie Watershed in northwestern Canada to the Mbaracayu Biosphere Reserve in Paraguay.  Recent projects have focused on applying ALCES to inform the development of land-use plans that appropriately balance ecological and socioeconomic objectives.  Matt is also an ecologist for the Canadian Boreal Initiative, and has a Masters of Science in Conservation Biology from the University of Alberta. Matt lives in Ottawa with his wife and two children.  When not at work Matt can be found running trails, or after his kids.

Justin Straker is a soil scientist and forest ecologist, and a principal of the Integral Ecology Group in Victoria, British Columbia. Justin has over 15 years of experience in applied terrestrial ecology, focusing on three primary areas:

 1.       terrestrial reclamation of industrial disturbances, including design, implementation, assessment, review and regulatory inspection of reclamation and reclamation-research programs for the mining and forestry sectors;

2.       terrestrial environmental-effects research/biomonitoring programs, including  design and implementation of studies on the effects of industrial atmospheric emissions and fugitive dusts (acidifying emissions, nitrogen and metals) on terrestrial ecosystems; and
3.       assessment of the interactions of human land uses and other ecosystem components, including development of land management frameworks and State-of-Environment reporting. 

In his work, Mr. Straker has provided technical advice and research support to industry, government and stakeholder clients throughout western Canada, and in Quebec and Peru.

Ann Garibaldi has more than fifteen years of experience related to ethnobotany, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), traditional use studies and vegetation ecology. She has worked extensively with indigenous communities in Alberta, British Columbia and Alaska on social-ecological issues in changing environmental systems.

Ann’s work explores processes to support meaningful and respectful dialogue between indigenous communities, government, industry and the private sector, with an emphasis on the interface between traditional knowledge and western science. Ann has brought her expertise and training in botany (B.Sc. Ohio University) and Ethnobotany (M.Sc. University of Victoria) to bear on issues related to: TEK and Traditional Land Use in mine reclamation processes; forest harvest management practices that support traditional land use; biodiversity and wildlife habitat reclamation and land management decisions, and more. Her approach emphasizes community participation in defining the project intent and outcomes, and she is committed to inclusive relationships with communities with whom she works. Ann has developed and executed multiple training courses on TEK discourse and applications. She has authored the book Medicinal Flora of the Alaska Natives (Garibaldi 1999) and sits on the Ethnobotany Advisory Board with the University of Alaska.

Tim is a professional forester with 21 years of work experience in the Canadian forest industry.  Through his career he has steadily advanced in roles of increasing responsibility; both in technical areas and in management.  His particular focus is on applying spatial modeling to strategic forest management planning.  Through the clever application of GIS, statistics, and spatial modeling, Tim has provided consistent value to projects.  As an objective, visionary thinker, Tim always provides practical solutions that balance the long term needs of clients. 

When not working or spending quality time with his family in Peace River Alberta, Tim can be found hunting the vast northern forest or tackling some extreme DIY construction projects.

Shawn Francis is a landscape ecologist and land use planner with sixteen years of professional experience. He has worked throughout western and northern Canada, leading or participating in a number of land use and resource planning, impact assessment, First Nations training, ecological land classification, cumulative effects assessment and land-use modeling projects. His focus with the ALCES Group is the application of land use models to support decision-making in land-use planning processes. Shawn completed his M.Sc. at the University of Alberta in 1996, investigating fire ecology and natural disturbance patterns in southwest Yukon. Following his graduate degree, he was the manager/senior ecologist for an environmental consulting firm in Whitehorse, Yukon that provided services to northern governments, industries and First Nations. Following this position, he was the Coordinator/Senior Land Use Planner for the North Yukon Planning Commission where he guided the development of the first approved regional plan in Yukon. Over the past five years he has supported a number of ALCES Group projects, including the Alberta Land Use Framework.

Shawn and his family currently live in Drumheller, Alberta, where he is an active member of the Drumheller Municipal Planning Commission.