BC Forest Discovery Centre

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The BC Forest Discovery Centre, located in Duncan, chronicles the history of logging in British Columbia, Canada. Its mission is to be British Columbia's foremost interpreter and presenter of the forest community – past, present and future.

G.E. (Gerry) Wellburn, a collector, was the founder of the Centre which opened in 1964 as the Cowichan Valley Forest Museum. It was later known for a time as the BC Forest Museum.

There are indoor and outdoor exhibits spread over a hundred acre site, including operating steam and gas rail equipment plus logging trucks. There are forest and nature trails, picnic area, playground, gift shop and concessions. At the Centre visitors can split shakes, saw logs and make paper. The tour includes a complete logging camp with blacksmith shop and sawmill.

The Centre has its own heritage railway, a train pulled by a 1920s steam locomotive which was once used on a logging operation. Along the route is one of the first pre-fabricated school houses, and a trestle over Somenos Lake.

The site has a vintage fire watch tower, which offers a commanding view. The Centre borders the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Refuge.

[edit] Address

2892 Drinkwater Road
Duncan, British Columbia
V9L 6C2
Canada

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