Commemorating Two Forest Pioneers in Ontario N · 2014-08-12 · Commemorating Two Forest Pioneers...
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12 janvier/février 2011, vol. 87, n o 1 — The foresTry ChroniCle OLD GROWTH FORÊTS ANCIENNES orfolk County in southwestern Ontario is living testimony to two of the first Canadian foresters that prac- tised all the aspects of their profession, beginning more than a hundred years ago. Dr. Edmund J. Zavitz started the St. Williams Forestry Station in 1908 and Dr. James H. White, the first forestry graduate of a Canadian university (Uni- versity of Toronto) initiated extensive tree planting trials near Turkey Point about the same time. Their work guided reforestation in southern Ontario for generations, with results now evident in every County. Provincially, as Chief Provincial Forester, Zavitz initiated greatly improved forest fire control methods and White led many original provincial forest resources surveys. Few of today’s practising foresters would have met these men. The Cana- dian Institute of Forestry honoured White in 1946 for his work with a com- memorative plaque and cairn in the Turkey Point Forest, which was renamed the J. H. White Forest. At the 100 th anniversary celebration of the St. Williams Nursery, keynote speaker Ken Armson noted that the plaque for Dr. White had become obliv- ious through the development of a provincial park at the original location and also that there was no memorial for Dr. Zavitz, even though Zavitz has often been called “The Father of Reforesta- tion in Ontario”. Members of the local Port Rowan/South Walsingham Her- itage Association and the Southern Ontario Section of the CIF/IFC accepted Ken’s challenge to find a way to honour both pioneers. A small commit- tee was formed to pursue the project. A new, more prominent location at Turkey Point has been selected for Dr. White’s original plaque. A site has also been selected on the “Picnic Grounds” of the former St. Williams Forestry Sta- tion where a new memorial will be installed for Dr. Zavitz, naming the cur- rent “Nursery Tract” of the St.Williams Conservation Reserve “The Dr. Edmund J. Zavitz Forest”. It will be close to the grave of Colonel Arthur Pratt, M.P.P., one of the other founders of the Station. The cost of the project is esti- mated to be approximately $10 000. To date, members of the CIF/IFC’s South- ern Ontario Section have donated $1,000; another $1000 has come from the CIF/IFC’s FACT fund. A private donation of $1000 has also been made. If all goes as planned, the official unveil- ing of the memorials will be August 14, 2011 during the “Forest Fest” to be held at the former Forestry Station, now named “The St.Williams Nursery and Ecology Centre”. Members of the Canadian forestry community, forest-related businesses and the general public are invited to participate in this program by making donations to the “Memorial Fund” c/o Port Rowan South Walsingham Her- itage Association, PO Box 193, Port Rowan, ON, N0E 1M0. For further details, please contact Dolf Wynia, chair of the fundraising committee at 519 875 3350 or [email protected]. Time is of the essence as, unfortunately, almost every week there are fewer foresters that will remember these pioneers. A list of contributors will be displayed in the Forest Interpretive Centre at the Nurs- ery, which some will remember as the “Museum” and which is now operated by the Heritage Association. Commemorating Two Forest Pioneers in Ontario N Dolf Wynia (L) and Paul Smith, President of the Port Rowan/South Walsingham Heritage Association in front of the St. Williams Forest Interpretive Centre with the salvaged plaque re-naming the Turkey Point Forest the J. H. White Forest in 1949. The Forestry Chronicle Downloaded from pubs.cif-ifc.org by Canadian Forestry Institute on 01/22/13 For personal use only.
Transcript of Commemorating Two Forest Pioneers in Ontario N · 2014-08-12 · Commemorating Two Forest Pioneers...
12 janvier/février 2011, vol. 87, no 1 — The foresTry ChroniCle
OLD GROWTH FORÊTS ANCIENNES
orfolk County in southwesternOntario is living testimony to two of
the first Canadian foresters that prac-tised all the aspects of their profession,beginning more than a hundred yearsago. Dr. Edmund J. Zavitz started the St.Williams Forestry Station in 1908 andDr. James H. White, the first forestrygraduate of a Canadian university (Uni-versity of Toronto) initiated extensivetree planting trials near Turkey Pointabout the same time. Their work guidedreforestation in southern Ontario forgenerations, with results now evident inevery County. Provincially, as ChiefProvincial Forester, Zavitz initiatedgreatly improved forest fire controlmethods and White led many originalprovincial forest resources surveys.
Few of today’s practising foresterswould have met these men. The Cana-dian Institute of Forestry honouredWhite in 1946 for his work with a com-
memorative plaque and cairn in theTurkey Point Forest, which wasrenamed the J. H. White Forest.
At the 100th anniversary celebrationof the St. Williams Nursery, keynotespeaker Ken Armson noted that theplaque for Dr. White had become obliv-ious through the development of aprovincial park at the original locationand also that there was no memorial forDr. Zavitz, even though Zavitz has oftenbeen called “The Father of Reforesta-tion in Ontario”. Members of the localPort Rowan/South Walsingham Her-itage Association and the SouthernOntario Section of the CIF/IFCaccepted Ken’s challenge to find a way tohonour both pioneers. A small commit-tee was formed to pursue the project.
A new, more prominent location atTurkey Point has been selected for Dr.White’s original plaque. A site has alsobeen selected on the “Picnic Grounds”
of the former St. Williams Forestry Sta-tion where a new memorial will beinstalled for Dr. Zavitz, naming the cur-rent “Nursery Tract” of the St.WilliamsConservation Reserve “The Dr.Edmund J. Zavitz Forest”. It will be closeto the grave of Colonel Arthur Pratt,M.P.P., one of the other founders of theStation. The cost of the project is esti-mated to be approximately $10 000. Todate, members of the CIF/IFC’s South-ern Ontario Section have donated$1,000; another $1000 has come fromthe CIF/IFC’s FACT fund. A privatedonation of $1000 has also been made.If all goes as planned, the official unveil-ing of the memorials will be August 14,2011 during the “Forest Fest” to be heldat the former Forestry Station, nownamed “The St.Williams Nursery andEcology Centre”.
Members of the Canadian forestrycommunity, forest-related businessesand the general public are invited toparticipate in this program by makingdonations to the “Memorial Fund” c/oPort Rowan South Walsingham Her-itage Association, PO Box 193, PortRowan, ON, N0E 1M0. For furtherdetails, please contact Dolf Wynia, chairof the fundraising committee at 519 8753350 or [email protected]. Time is ofthe essence as, unfortunately, almostevery week there are fewer foresters thatwill remember these pioneers. A list ofcontributors will be displayed in theForest Interpretive Centre at the Nurs-ery, which some will remember as the“Museum” and which is now operatedby the Heritage Association.
Commemorating Two Forest Pioneers in OntarioN
Dolf Wynia (L) and Paul Smith, President of the Port Rowan/South Walsingham HeritageAssociation in front of the St. Williams Forest Interpretive Centre with the salvaged plaquere-naming the Turkey Point Forest the J. H. White Forest in 1949.
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