Showing 11 results

This series consists of special use permit files relating to forest lands. The Forest Branch, and its successor agencies, approved these permits to give municipalities, companies and individuals the authority to use Crown forest land for a variety of land uses. Some of the permitted uses include logging, recreation, agriculture, fisheries and housing.

The records date from 1889-2011 and were created and maintained by the Victoria Forest Office. The records deal with all regions of the province. The records are arranged by special use permit number which consists of the prefix S, or SUP, and a sequential number. Note that this order may not be exact, particularly for later records.

The files contain copies of the permit, applications for a permit, correspondence, sketches and maps of the area covered by the permit, receipts for the lease payments, reports, and clearance forms. Some documents in the file have been stamped with 6-7 digit correspondence register numbers and references to the “O” lands file number.

The ministry maintained a register and index that provides additional information for each file. This index listed the following information: file number, district, forest, applicant/holder, function, location, atlas reference, date received, date cleared and comments. Although the original registers have not been transferred to the archives, the ministry provided the archives with scans of the registers.

There were multiple government offices responsible for managing these records between 1931 and 1992.

The following ministries and offices were responsible for the creation of these records:
1931-1945 Forest Branch (1931-1945)
1945-1979 Forest Service (1945-1979)
1979-1986 Ministry of Forests (1979-1986)
1986-1988 Ministry of Forests and Lands (1986-1988)
1988-2005 Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)
2005-2010 Ministry of Forests and Range (2005-2010)
2010-2011 Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands (2010-2011)

The records have been classified as 19570-25 of the Forests ORCS (schedule 881261).

This series consists of Timber Inspector reports to Minister of Lands and Chief Forester, March 1911 to December 1912.

This series consists of Forest Branch timber investigations and inspections files, 1913-1915. Records include correspondence and reports from Nelson, Prince Rupert, Vancouver and Vernon Forest Districts. Includes file on early logging railroads, Vancouver Forest District.

This series consists of Chief Forester reports, memoranda and correspondence with B.C. Lumber Commissioner regarding timber marketing and export policy; semi-official correspondence with District Foresters of Vancouver and Cranbrook Forest Districts; and preliminary report on grazing of livestock on Crown lands.

This series contains subject indexes to the "O Series" of correspondence, ca.1918-1972 and two file directories, 1979-1981 and 1983. Box 1 contains a photocopy of an alphabetical card index to the "O series" of correspondence. Box 2 contains a file directory (updated to 1972) for "O Series" correspondence files arranged as general files, working plans, engineering, farm woodlot applications, public sustained yield units, tree farms and tree farm licences and a Forest Service file directory, 1979-1981 and a Ministry of Forests file directory, 1983. Indexes to forestry correspondence, 1918-1983

This series consists of Forest Branch Spruce Permit files, numbers 1-330 and unnumbered.

This series consists of experimental forest sample plot studies created by the research division of the Forest Branch from 1924-1938. The records track the growth, inventory, availability and volume of timber in a particular area referred to as a sample plot. This includes tracking the ratio of height and width of a tree relative to its age to estimate growth rates in various types of ecosystems. The records contain descriptive information of the plot’s soil, topography, ground cover, previous logging, location and vegetation.

One study from 1924-1930 referred to as project number 11 or ME 11 which relates to Douglas fir. The other study conducted around 1938 relates to red alder trees. Plots were located around Vancouver Island, the lower mainland, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast and other areas of the south coast. Records include statistics, tables, graphs and field notes.

Thie series consists of an extensive collection of stock shots, depicting a wide range of B.C. Forest Service and Ministry of Forests activities and related subjects. Compiled from footage shot for a variety of purposes, the material was retained for potential use as stock footage in BC Forest Service and Ministry of Forests film productions and TV spots. Some footage was also loaned out for TV news use.

This series consists of the operational records of the Forest Surveys and Inventory Division. Records include procedures, operations, policy, and field manuals relating to forest management, forest protection, forest surveys and inventory, grazing and range administration, engineering, and accounting, 1942-1981; Civil Service Commission descriptions for positions in the B.C. Forest Service, 1950-1970; and letters of instruction and circular letters to Forest Officers, and miscellaneous correspondence, 1943-1977. There is also a report of forest inventory work from 1955 with maps.

CALL NUMBER: T1871:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Reginald V. Stuart : the B.C. Forest Branch, 1914-1927 (part 1) PERIOD COVERED: 1910-1927 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1960-01-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Arrived in Vancouver in 1910 from Golden. Worked for Robert Filberg at Golden, 1919. Description of Vancouver in 1910. Clearing land in Vancouver. Stuart's early work history. Went to work at Powell River in 1911. Stuart enumerates the major logging companies on the South Coast and on Vancouver Island. Logging methods and technology in 1911. Wages and working conditions. Woods jobs. Stuart's work as accountant and scaler. TRACK 2: Forestry officials prior to the formation of the B.C. Forest Branch. Logging methods. The establishment of the B.C. Forest Branch under H.R. MacMillan in 1912. Stuart joined Forest Branch in 1914. Attempted political interference with the operation of the Forest Branch. Resistance to the ideas of forest management. Stuart's territory as a ranger. CALL NUMBER: T1871:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Reginald V. Stuart : the B.C. Forest Branch, 1914-1927 (part 2) PERIOD COVERED: 1914-1940 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1960-01-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Anecdotes about Stuart's days as a ranger along the lower coast. Story of the resale of Hastings sawmill timber lease. Economic factors in the development of the forest industry. The low price of timber. Stuart worked for the Forest Branch, 1914-27. Reminiscences of the Chief Foresters: H.R. MacMillan, Martin Grainger, P.Z. Caverhill. TRACK 2: More on the career of M.A. Grainger. Comments on P.Z. Caverhill, Chief Forester in 1920s and 1930s. Stuart becomes manager of the Loggers Association, 1927. Public relations problems of the Forest Branch, 1920s. The first use of aircraft by the Forest Branch, 1917. Early air crashes near Vancouver. The first use of radios by the Forest Branch, 1920. Favourable comments on T.D. Pattullo. (End of interview)

CALL NUMBER: T1887:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): C.D. Orchard : forestry in British Columbia, 1920-1958 (part 1) PERIOD COVERED: 1893-1925 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Orchard born 1893 in Wakefield, N.B. Became a teacher in N.B. Comments on the development of forestry education. Entered forestry at UNB. In Canadian Armed Forces, 1914-19. Returned to forestry at UNB. Obtained job in BCFS in 1920. Met forester Charles S. Cowan and Chief Forester M.A. Grainger. Orchard's introduction to the Forest Branch. Early survey and cruising methods. Field work in Vernon. Working conditions in the Forest Branch. Cruise of the Kelowna watershed, 1920. Work along the Nass River, 1921. TRACK 2: More on cruising in the Nass River area, 1921022. Forest Branch work. Indians in the Nass country. Aiyansh. Comments on timber sales and forest management. Orchard put in charge of all forest surveys. Timber cruising methods. The development of forestry education. CALL NUMBER: T1887:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): C.D. Orchard : forestry in British Columbia, 1920-1958 (part 2) PERIOD COVERED: 1912-1961 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: History of the B.C. Forest Branch: H.R. MacMillan, the first Chief Forester, 1912; early personnel; early forest inventories in B.C.; early organization of the Forest Service. Orchard becomes; District Forester in Cranbrook in 1924. Conditions in Cranbrook. Assistant District Forester in Nelson, 1925. Comments on Chief Forester P.Z. Caverhill. Forestry conditions in B.C., 1910-40. Early timber leases. Comments on the Fulton Commission, 1909-10. Comments on Martin A. Grainger, secretary to the commission and later Chief Forester. Letter from H.R. MacMillan about Grainger and A.W. Ross, Minister of Lands. The Nelson Forest District in the mid-1920s. TRACK 2: More on the forest district especially about forest fires. Orchard becomes District Forester in Prince George, 1927. Transportation in the Prince George district. A forester's problems: fires and accounts. Attempted political interference in the Forest Branch. Patronage in the Public Service. Conditions in Prince George. Internal Forest Branch matters. Orchard moved to Victoria office, 1930. Patronage appointments of some staff. Orchard's duties. CALL NUMBER: T1887:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): C.D. Orchard : forestry in British Columbia, 1920-1958 (part 3) PERIOD COVERED: 1912-1958 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Forest Branch finances: Forest Protection Fund and annual allotments. Changes in Forest Branch function: forest protection before 1940 and forest management afterwards. Problems of the Depression. Staff shortages. Forest Branch equipment. Fire pumps. Orchard become head of Forest Service research, 1932. More on Depression problems. Chief Forester P.Z. Caverhill dies, 1935. E.C. Manning becomes Chief Forester and Orchard Deputy Chief Forester, January 1936. Comments on Caverhill and Manning. Manning a promoter of parks. Parks turned over to Forest Branch in 1939. Parks to Recreation and Conservation in 1957. More on Manning. Manning dies in an air crash and Orchard becomes Chief Forester, 1941. Problems presented by WW II. The new job. TRACK 2: Problems of WW II. Forest industry profiteering. Labour problems. The perception of management problems in the early 1940s. The idea of sustained yield develops in the 1940s. Experiments in small log production. Role of Bob Filberg in these experiments. Political pressures on the Forest Service. Socreds susceptible to industry pressure. More on sustained yield. Orchard's memorandum on sustained yield, 1942. Private debate on forest management, 1942-43. Gordon Sloan appointed Royal Commissioner to look into forest management, 1943. The Sloan Commission. CALL NUMBER: T1887:0004 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): C.D. Orchard : forestry in British Columbia, 1920-1958 (part 4) PERIOD COVERED: 1943-1958 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Sloan Commission hearings, 1943-45. Orchard becomes Deputy Minister of Forests, 1945. Orchard continues as Chief Forester. Problems of wartime. Sloan's report in 1945 supports sustained yield. Evolution of the Forest Management License concept. E.T. Kenney becomes Minister of Lands and Forests, 1944. Comments on Kenney. Amendments to the Forest Act, 1946 and 1947. Disagreements with J.V. Fisher, Deputy Minister of Finance. Opposition to FMLs. Problems with the license system. Negotiations for early FMLs. TRACK 2: Forest management experiences elsewhere. Orchard's faith in the forest management system. The second Sloan Commission, 1955-56. Forest Service takes returning WW II veterans. Comments on UBC Faculty of Forestry. Ranger school at Green Timbers. Construction of ranger school. Comments on Fred Mulholland. Progress in the forest industry. Integration in the forest industry and reasons for it. Post-war production trends. Defense of forest management policies. Forest Service roads. CALL NUMBER: T1887:0005 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): C.D. Orchard : forestry in British Columbia, 1920-1958 (part 5) PERIOD COVERED: 1912-[no date] RECORDED: [location unknown], 1961 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Forestry work under the Silvicultural Fund. Fund ended in 1956. The second Sloan Commission into forestry, 1955-56. The Socred takeover, 1952. Orchard's opinions of the Socred government. The Sommers case from Orchard's point of view. Summary of the accomplishments of the Forest Service from 1912. (End of interview)