Paul

Griffiths

Scientific Advisor

Biography

Paul holds a PhD in karst science earned through his studies via the University of Nova Gorica’s Karstology program at the Karst Research Institute in Slovenia, named the UNESCO Chair for Karst Education in 2014. The subject of his doctoral research was BC’s karst management framework.

His post-secondary education began with a BSc at the University of Victoria. Upon finishing his undergraduate studies in 1973, Paul spent close to the next 20 years employed in the BC forest industry sector, first as an environmental biologist, and then a corporate environmental and industrial hygiene manager.

Although his experience with karst has spanned much of the globe, most of his work has been carried out in the karst of the BC Coast and some Interior regions. From about 1977, he began to do consulting and contract studies in karst-related issues, and natural resource management of karst in BC. This work grew into many karst inventory and karst field assessment projects over the decades. His clients included varied government agencies and crown corporations, First Nations, forest agreement holders, and energy project proponents.

As a member of a task force for karst established by the BC Government in 1997, Paul helped to develop the provincial karst inventory standards, vulnerability assessment procedures, operational practice guidelines, and the related training and extension activities. This was followed by contributing to the development of specific legislation for karst and monitoring to determine whether standards and practices had achieved the desired level of protection for karst.

Paul continues to be actively involved in all facets of karst resource planning and management especially in areas of karst education and training in BC.