Established in 1908, the St. Williams Forestry Station was the first reforestation project in Canada.  Its purpose was to convert blow sands of Norfolk County back into woodlots and to grow seedlings for distribution to other areas.  Its development and success was due in large part to three gentlemen, LtCol. Arthur C. Pratt, Walter F. McCall, and Dr. Edmund J. Zavitz.  They secured the land and convinced the Ontario Government that soil conservation was critical and could be achieved through reforestation.

Throughout its history, the nursery has produced millions of bareroot reforestation seedlings.

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• Deforestation in Norfolk County

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  Sandy soil and deforestation conditions in Norfolk County which lead to the creation of the St. Williams Forestry Station.

• Planting

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• Seedlings

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  Seedlings

• Seedlings

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  Seedlings at the St. Williams Forestry Station, c. 1950s.

• Weeding

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  Weeding, c. 1950s.

• Seedlings

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  Seedlings.

• Walking Through Forestry Station in Winter

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  Man walking through rows of mature trees at the St. Williams Forestry Station during winter.

• Aerial View of the Forestry Station

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  Aerial view of the forestry station. The foreman's house is partially visible on the right-hand side of the image. The building which is now Canada's First Forestry Station Interpretive Centre can be seen bottom centre.

• Superintendent's House

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  Aerial view of the St. Williams Forestry Station, featuring the Superintendent's house in the centre of the image, c. 1950s.

• Department of Land and Forests Site Visit, c. 1950s.

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  A group of men examine the trees during a Department of Land and Forests site visit to the Forestry Station in the 1950s.

• Department of Land and Forests Site Visit, c. 1950s.

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  Group of men engage in discussion during a Department of Land and Forests site visit to the Forestry Station, c. 1950s. The wooden shade slates covering seedlings in the bottom left of the image were made at the saw mill on site at the Forestry Station.

• Touring the Forestry Station

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  Man and boy tour the Forestry Station in St. Williams, ON., circa 1950s.

• Forestry Station Tool Display

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  Exhibition of tools of the trade, seeds, etc. on display during a Forestry Station open house, c. 1950s.

• Ontario Historical Designation Plaque

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