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Forest History in Northern BC

Overview of Northern BC Archives collections on forestry and the forest industry.

Overview

The impact of natural resource developments, especially forestry and the forest industry, on Northern British Columbia's environment, people, economy, and culture is a strong teaching and research focus at UNBC. It is also one of the Northern BC Archives' (NBCA) largest subject areas for acquisition. Our collections on forest history in Northern BC are constantly expanding. This guide provides an overview of NBCA's holdings on this subject and includes collections from research and model forests such as Aleza Lake Research Forest and the McGregor Model Forest; collections from mills such as the Northwood Pulp & Timber Ltd. and Cornel Neronovitch Logging and Sawmills; photograph collections such as those by Parker Bonney; and a collection of oral histories involving the forest industry in the Upper Fraser.

Image: 2012.13.1.13.14 - Forest


Add to Our Collections

Much of the history and development of this province is tied to its forests. We want to further expand our collections to show the importance of forestry as well as their impact on communities to the history of Northern BC. If you, your family, or your organization have materials that could expand this area of our collections, we would love to hear from you. Please visit our page on donations for more information and contact us if you have any questions.

Digital Forestry Collections

Title screen of

The Mark of Progress

Video created by the British Columbia Forest Service and first played for a live audience in 1959 in Prince George, BC.

Accession # 2016.5.3.16.1

Log raft guided through log boom by a boom boat and workman

Columbia Cellulose Company, Limited fonds

Photographs, maps, and technical drawings from the Columbia Cellulose Company, Limited covering the period of 1959-1970.

Image: 2012.05.01.03.01 - Log raft guided through log boom by a boom boat and workman

District Officers meeting at Aleza Lake Experimental Station

Aleza Lake Research Forest fonds

The entirety of the Aleza Lake Research Forest fonds has been digitized including 3.71 m of textual records, 419 photographs, 76 maps, 5 technical drawings, 2 architectural drawings, and 6 computer disks.

Image: 2007.1.25.6.12 - District Officers meeting at Aleza Lake Experimental Station

Forest Cover Series, Map 93 J/1, Giscome

Aleza Lake Research Forest Society fonds

View digital materials from the Aleza Lake Research Forest Society fonds including documents, maps, oral history, and photographs.

Image: 2006.18.5.06 - Forest Cover Series, Map 93 J/1, Giscome

Upper Fraser Historical Geography Project

Upper Fraser Historical Geography Project

Listen to the life stories of residents of the Upper Fraser communities. These forestry-based settlements thrived in the early 20th century, but as forestry practices changed so did the land and people of the Upper Fraser.

Woods Division - Logs/Log Decks - Dumping at Hyu Creek; decks on Fraser

Northwood Pulp and Timber Ltd. Photographs

Photographs illustrate a wide variety of Northwood Pulp & Timber Ltd. operations and events between 1963 and 1996.

Image: 2001.26.1.1515 - Woods Division - Logs/Log Decks - Dumping at Hyu Creek; decks on Fraser

Forest Ranger Camp

Parker Bonney Photograph Collection

Collection consists of 599 images depicting forestry expeditions undertaken by Bonney with the BC Forest Service in the first half of the 20th century.

Image: 2003.13.1.1.016 - Forest Ranger Camp - Parsnip River

Workers cutting timber with portable sawmill

Cornel Neronovitch Logging and Sawmills Collection - 2014.2

View 27 photographs and a film relating to logging operations in the Tabor Lake and Dewey, BC area in the 1950s.

Image: 2014.2.1.16 - Workers cutting timber with portable sawmill

Learning Resource Kit

Aleza Lake Research Forest: Learning Resource

This learning resource emphasizes primary source analysis utilizing resources from UNBC's Northern BC Archives & Special Collections and beyond on the subject of the Aleza Lake Research Forest and Aleza Lake townsite about 65 km east of Prince George.

Collections beyond NBCA

University of British Columbia


Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum

An industrial heritage attraction in a spacious park-like setting where Prince George's captivating history is revived back to an era when the railway and forestry were the region's lifeline.

Visit the CBCRFM Website, Facebook Page, and YouTube Channel for more information.