NiCHE (The Network in Canadian History and the Environment/ Nouvelle initiative Canadienne en histoire de l’ environnement), the Canadian Forest Service, and the Forest History Society of Durham, North Carolina are embarking on a two-year collaboration to encourage and enhance the preservation of documentary and photographic records pertaining to the history of Canada’s forests. The project includes two major components:

(1) a survey and listing of official archives in each Canadian province that could take on forest history related collections;

(2) identification, inspection and description of forest history collections that should be preserved and efforts to place these records in appropriate repositories.

This project will require close working relationships with forest history associations and archives and libraries across Canada, with the librarian and archivist of the Forest History Society, and in all likelihood with some of those formerly engaged in the forest sector.

To implement this project, we will make a part-time appointment, for an initial period of twelve months with potential for renewal for a further twelve months. Applicants should demonstrate their suitability in regard to the following criteria.

Required: University degree. Previous archival research; or extensive experience in the forest products industry, the profession of forestry, or forest conservation, to provide the perspective needed to evaluate forest history documentation. Freedom and willingness to travel within Canada and occasionally to Durham, North Carolina to advance the project; fluency in one and functionality in the other of Canada’s two official languages; proven ability for productive interaction with persons with a wide range of backgrounds/experience; reliability; and the capacity to work independently and effectively.

Preferred: Advanced degree in history or related discipline or archival studies; experience in the use/inventorying/ classification of documents and photographs; familiarity with Canadian archives; knowledge of Canadian forest history.

In conducting the work of this project, the appointee will be supervised jointly by Dr Steven Anderson of the Forest History Society, and Professor Graeme Wynn of the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia. The maximum available salary is Can$2500 per month (Can $30,000 pa) for an average of approximately 20 hours of work per week. As this is a contract position, remuneration does not include benefits. There is a travel allowance commensurate with the needs of the project, and there is provision for reimbursement of basic incidental expenses.

Applicants should submit a copy of their CV, plus a statement of 1000 words or fewer detailing their interest in and particular qualifications for the position to both Steven Anderson (stevena@duke.edu) and Graeme Wynn (wynn@geog.ubc.ca) as soon as possible. Evaluation of applications will commence 1 October 2010 and continue until the position is filled. The position is available immediately and applicants should indicate the date at which they could commence this employment.

Further inquiries can be directed to either Steven Anderson or Graeme Wynn at the addresses above.

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Featured image: Hollow Rock Nature Park, Durham, North Carolina. Photo by Patrick Reynolds on Wikimedia Commons.