With a BSc. Environmental Resource Science and Biology from Trent University (1999), Christine Thüring has worked in restoration ecology and field botany, research, advocacy, and interpretation.  In 2001, saddened by the ceaseless fragmentation of habitat that she was working to protect, she turned her attention to the rooftop dimension. 

After interning with Bienger GmbH, an Optigrün-franchised green roof company in Germany, she went to Penn State University's "Centre for Green Roof Research" and earned a MSc. Horticulture (2005). She started her PhD in 2009 at the University of Sheffield, where she is helping to develop a native plant screening protocol for green roofs in different climate zones.

Christine combines her interests and expertise in ecology and rooftop greening in various expressions:

• Applied > Consultation, design and installation of green roofs (Germany, Austria, U.S., and Canada)
• Research > University of Sheffield (substrates, species, climate), Penn State (media types, depth, drought regimes), BCIT (native species, amendments), Collaborative
  
• Education > BCIT green roof courses, Course Development Committee for "Green Roofs for Healthy Cities'" 401 accreditation course: Plant and Substrate Selection for Green Roofs
  
• Organization > events advancing public awareness of green roofs include World Green Roof Congress (Basel, Switzerland); United Nations' World Urban Festival' (Vancouver, Canada), Green Roof Safari
  
• Advocacy > informing landscape architects and municipalities of appropriate native species for land and roof plantings; green roofs as urban environmental solutions; habitat conservation and climate change.
  

As a dual citizen of Switzerland and Canada, Christine lives and works internationally, constantly cultivating her culture, languages and roots.