HISTORY

The first edition of the Forestry Handbook for British Columbia was produced by the Forest Club in 1953. The Forest Club was formed in 1928 as a non-profit undergraduate activity group within the Forestry Department (later to become the Faculty of Forestry) at the University of British Columbia. Second, third, and fourth editions were produced in 1959, 1971, and 1983. The Forest Club later changed its name to the Forestry Undergraduate Society. All proceeds from the sale of Handbooks have been used for subsequent updates of the book.

The 1953 Forestry Handbook was the first comprehensive forestry text of its kind in North America. Its purpose was to provide basic guidelines for all aspects of forestry practice. For over fifty years, the Forestry Handbook has been one of the most widely used forestry reference texts in BC, serving not only practicing foresters but the general public, local technical institutes, public and government libraries and school boards throughout the province. Perhaps more importantly, the Forestry Handbook has come to represent the technical face of BC forestry to many professionals and students from other parts of Canada, the USA and overseas.

ALL NEW FIFTH EDITON (2005)

The latest edition of the Forestry Handbook (Fifth Edition) became available in June of 2005. This new edition is 30% larger than its predecessor, boasting 773 pages and 145 figures in a hard cover binding. The inside back cover of the book contains a full colour biogeoclimatic map of the province.

Of the twenty eight chapters in the new Forestry Handbook, several are complete rewrites of earlier material and others cover topics that are new to this edition. View a complete table of contents. 

The Forestry Handbook for British Columbia (Fifth Edition) can be purchased from the Faculty of Forestry at UBC. Each book is $CDN 45 plus shipping charges.