Fonds - University Research Forests fonds

Since the inception of the University of British Columbia's Dept. of Forestry in 1921, the forest surrounding the campus at Point Grey has provided a valuable outdoor laboratory. By the late 1930s, however, the inadequacy of the campus forest to serve as an experimental or research forest was recognised. Malcolm Knapp began to investigate new sites for suitably forested areas within a reasonable distance from the campus. A site near Haney was selected and in 1943 the area was removed from Garibaldi Park and leased to the University for a period of twenty-one years. The Provincial Government deeded the University Research Forest outright to UBC in 1947. An appeal to the forest industry in 1947 resulted in the provision of funding to construct living and working accommodations for forestry students, instructors and research workers in the Research Forest at Loon Lake. The first summer camp for forestry students was held in 1948. Students were required to complete four weeks of practical work at the Research Forest between their third and fourth year. In 1985 and 1986 the UBC/Alex Fraser Research Forest was established in the Cariboo region of British Columbia near Williams Lake. The establishment of this research forest served to address the need for research that was specific to the interior forests of BC, and also establishes another forestry camp.