WG Burch Fonds
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University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections Finding Aid - W.G. Burch fonds (RBSC-ARC-1085) Generated by Access to Memory (AtoM) 2.2.1 Printed: June 07, 2016 Language of description: English University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, 1961 East Mall Vancouver BC Canada V6T 1Z1 Telephone: 604-822-8208 Fax: 604-822-9587 http://www.library.ubc.ca/spcoll/ http://rbscarchives.library.ubc.ca//index.php/gerry-burch-fonds W.G. Burch fonds Table of contents Summary information ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Administrative history / Biographical sketch .................................................................................................. 3 Scope and content ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Notes ................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Series descriptions ........................................................................................................................................... 4 , [Research material regarding forestry history], 1952-2008 ....................................................................... 4 , [Papers, speeches and correspondence], 1985-2008 .................................................................................. 6 , [Biographical material], 1924-2011 ........................................................................................................... 7 , [Career with British Columbia Forest Products] ..................................................................................... 7 , Genealogical research and childhood days ............................................................................................. 9 , Education and boyhood. ........................................................................................................................ 11 , Navy service .......................................................................................................................................... 12 , University and summer employment .................................................................................................... 15 , Career with British Columbia Forest Products ..................................................................................... 18 , Forestry issues ....................................................................................................................................... 40 , South Vancouver Island history, [n.d.], 1963-1971 ................................................................................. 41 , British Columbia Forest Products, [n.d], 1971 – 1987 ............................................................................ 41 , The Working Forest Project, n.d., 1994 .................................................................................................. 42 - Page 2 - RBSC-ARC-1085 W.G. Burch fonds Summary information Repository: University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections Title: W.G. Burch fonds ID: RBSC-ARC-1085 Date: 1924-2011 (date of creation) Physical description: 1.1 m of textual records and other materials Dates of creation, revision and deletion: Administrative history / Biographical sketch Note William Gerald Burch, known as Gerry Burch, was born on August 2, 1923. The son of a forest ranger, he grew up in Moyie, BC, and Trail, BC. After his secondary education, he went to study forestry at the University of British Columbia. His studies were interrupted by conscription into the navy in 1942, when he served as a sub-lieutenant on HMCS Eyebright. In 1945, he was demobilized and returned to his studies at UBC. He spent his university summers working for British Columbia Forest Products, which became his employer for most of his career. Burch was appointed Chief Forester in 1968, and Vice President of Timberlands and Forestry in 1976. He was also active in professional associations, serving for a time as President of the Canadian Institute of Forestry. Burch has been awarded with such distinctions as the Distinguished Forester Award and the Achievement Award from the Canadian Institute of Forestry. After retirement from BC Forest Products in 1988, Burch remained active in forestry as a consultant for Stewart & Ewing Ltd., as an adjunct faculty member at UBC in the faculty of forestry, and by collecting research, writing papers and giving speeches. Burch was the director of The Working Forest of British Columbia, a book published by I.K. Barber in 1995. Burch’s autobiography, Still Counting the Rings, was published in 2006. Custodial history Except for the materials in the Working Forest series, the fonds was donated in several accruals to the Vancouver City Archives between 2001 and 2005 by W.G. Burch, and subsequently transferred to Rare Books and Special Collections at the UBC Library in 2006. The materials in the Working Forest series were held by the Forest Alliance until they were transferred to Vancouver City Archives by Burch in 2001. They were included with the transfer of the rest of the W. G. Burch fonds to Rare Books and Special Collections at the UBC Library in 2006. University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections Page 3 RBSC-ARC-1085 W.G. Burch fonds Scope and content Many of the records in this fonds were used in relation to Burch’s autobiography, and therefore pertain to his childhood, education, navy service, and largely to his career as a forester. These records include genealogical research materials, photographs, educational certificates, navy service records, and textual documentation of his career and interests in forestry. It also reflects other projects undertaken by Burch, such as the Working Forest publication, a history of South Vancouver Island, as well as papers, research, correspondence, and speeches. The fonds is divided into four series: Biographical materials; Papers, speeches and correspondence; British Columbia Forest Products; South Vancouver Island history; and The Working Forest project. Notes Title notes • Source of title proper: Title based on the provenance of the fonds. Other notes • Publication status: published • Physical description: Includes ca. 770 photographs, ca. 4500 slides, ca. 3500 negatives, 10 cm of contact sheets, 3 maps, 10 compact discs and 2 cassette tapes. Series descriptions [Research material regarding forestry history] Date: 1952-2008 (date of creation) Scope and content: Series contains records pertaining to Gerry Burch's research on the history of the forestry industry in British Columbia. Burch's research was primarily done in his capacity as a member of the Forest History Association of British Columbia. The focus on this research is the biographical details of individuals employed by the Forestry Industry from 1930 to 1970 and features biographical notes, correspondence, photographs, and cassette tape recordings of interviews with individuals as conducted by Burch. Physical description: 29.5 cm textual records and other materials Arrangement: University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections Page 4 RBSC-ARC-1085 W.G. Burch fonds Title is based on the contents of the series. Physical description: Includes 31 photographs, 2 cassette tapes, and 3 compact discs. Alpha-numeric designations: Cassette Identifier: SPC-001, 002 Compact Disc Identifiers: SPCD-008 to SPCD-010 File / item list Ref code Title Dates Access status Container RBSC- File - Pictures of 2003 senior foresters 2003 ARC-1085-13-03 (former Chief Foresters) field trip RBSC- File - [Research material] [2003] ARC-1085-13-07 RBSC- File - [Material regarding Bob [ca. 2000] ARC-1085-13-08 Chrisholm] RBSC- File - [Material regarding Frank Pendl] [ca. 1985, ca. ARC-1085-13-09 2000] RBSC- File - [Forest history research notes] [1999-2003] ARC-1085-13-14 RBSC- File - Addendum to the file on Eustace [December, ARC-1085-13-15 - Smith 2005] 14-01 RBSC- File - Addendum to the biography of [ca. 2005] ARC-1085-14-02 Mike Wasyluk, logging camp cook RBSC- File - Addemdum to the aural biography [ca. 2005] ARC-1085-14-03 of Kenneth A. Hallberg RBSC- File - Addendum to the biography of Jack [ca. 2005] ARC-1085-14-04 W. Toovey RBSC- File - Addendum to the biography of S. January, 2006 ARC-1085-14-05 Neil McLean RBSC- File - [Research notes regarding Forestry [2008] ARC-1085-14-07 history] RBSC- File - Addendum to the biography of J.A. August, 2007 ARC-1085-14-08 K. Reid RBSC- File - Addendum to the biography of June, 2008 ARC-1085-14-09 R.R. Douglas RBSC- File - Addendum to John G. Murray April, 2007 ARC-1085-14-10 RBSC- File - Addendum to the biography of June, 2008 ARC-1085-14-11 Charles Johnson RBSC- File - Addendeum to the biography of June, 2008 ARC-1085-14-12 Thomas G. Wright RBSC- File - Added to tapes of F.L.C. Reed May, 2004 ARC-1085-14-13 RBSC- File - Addendum to the autobiography of February, 2011 ARC-1085-14-15 Kenneth Hallberg RBSC- File - Addendum to biography of G. November, ARC-1085-14-16 Lynum 2010 University of British Columbia Library Rare Books and Special Collections Page 5 RBSC-ARC-1085 W.G. Burch fonds RBSC- File - Addendum to the biography of May, 2010 ARC-1085-14-17 John Murray RBSC- File - ["An Early History of the Research [2006, 2008]