As a final-year student in the Master of Landscape Planning program at the Faculty of Environmental Sciences (CZU, Prague), I have had the incredible opportunity to spend time abroad as part of my studies. Last year, I completed an Erasmus study stay in Naples, Italy, which required me to extend my studies and finish my state exams in May 2025. Having completed all my subjects back home, I decided to make the most of this "gap year" by pursuing an internship in Canada. I applied in October and left the Czech Republic in December to join the University of Saskatchewan.
I’m currently registered as a Visiting Research Student at the University, where my main focus is research under the guidance of my supervisor. The work here is very flexible, allowing me to shape the research according to my interests and what skills I want to develop. When I first arrived, we had a discussion about my academic goals, and together we decided on a research topic.
I now work in an office at the School of Environment and Sustainability, but on some days, I also visit various study lounges and libraries. The university provides many opportunities to improve writing and academic skills, which is especially helpful for research papers, theses, and dissertations.
Exploring the Impact of Urban Sprawl on Forest Biodiversity: My Research in Canada
My research here is focused on evaluating the impacts of urban sprawl on urban forest biodiversity in Saskatoon. To do this, I am using GIS software to analyze Landsat satellite data spanning a 30-year period. By creating the ENVI vegetation index, I’m able to identify biodiversity hotspots and track how they have evolved over time.
Currently, I am analyzing the most significant areas where urban forest biodiversity is either declining or increasing. With this data, I will be able to predict the future state of these areas over the next 30 years, projecting trends based on historical data. The final result will include statistical data, map outputs, and a proposal for potential improvements.
