Until 1900, associated effort to advance forestry in Canada had relied
on the international American Forestry Association. In that year,
largely through the officials of the Dominion Forestry Branch (Mr. E.
Stewart), the Canadian Forestry Association was formed.
This Association has grown more and more vigorous, and having escaped
the period of sentimentalism which in the United States retarded the
movement so long, could at once accentuate the economic point of view
and bring the lumbermen into sympathy with their effort. In 1905, a
quarterly magazine, the Canadian Forestry Journal was started by the
Association, making its work of instruction and propaganda more
effective. The technical literature, as yet slightly developed is found
mainly in Bulletins of the Forestry Branch.
A most promising convention held in January 1906, with the Premier of
the Dominion presiding, participated by prominent officials and business
men, seemed to foreshadow the time when a real rational forest
management, at least in some parts of the Dominion would be inaugurated.
But it can hardly be said that the expectations were realized, and
another such convention was held in 1911, which may perhaps be followed
by better results.
In 1909, following the precedent of the United States, a Conservation
Commission was appointed for the Dominion under federal support, manned
by the leading officials and prominent representative men from all
provinces, and here the forestry interests may find at least educational
advancement. The first two years of the existence of this Commission
have, however, produced little advancement.
While the Ontario government had directly discredited the forestry
movement by abolishing its bureau of forestry, indirectly it laid the
foundation for a sure future, in 1907, by establishing in its provincial
University at Toronto a Faculty of Forestry, with full equipment. A year
later, the Province of New Brunswick also established a chair of
forestry in its University, while some time earlier, the Guelph
Agricultural College had introduced the subject of farm forestry in its
curricula. The latest development in educational direction is the forest
school organized in 1910 by the government of Quebec in connection with
its forest service for the purpose of educating its own agents.