Forest soil sulphur research was a continuing interest for Dr. Paul Sanborn for more than 30 years, beginning at UBC in the mid-1980s when he took a graduate course in Forest Soils from Dr. Tim Ballard. Among the things that he learned was that soils in much of BC were deficient in sulphur (S). Simultaneously, he became aware of the large amount of research on prescribed fire in BC forests, with broadcast burning being the main method of site preparation across much of the province at that time.
Sanborn undertook various projects in this area of research:
- UBC Postdoctoral Project on effects of prescribed fire on sulphur in forest soils (1988-90)
- Cluculz retrospective study (E.P. 886.10) with the BC Ministry of Forests and UNBC
- Sulphur stable isotope tracer study (E.P. 886.15) with the BC Ministry of Forests and UNBC