Data set consists of lab data for sites Y04-01 to Y04-04. Original data set created in 2004; an update was provided in March 2023 but horizon designations were not updated to be consistent with the paper.

For July 1-7, 2009, Dr. Paul Sanborn did the first soils field research at the Fort Selkirk volcanic field in central Yukon, with helicopter support and funding from the Yukon Geological Survey.

Initial findings were published in the 2009 edition of Yukon Exploration and Geology, but this paper did not include most of the laboratory data:
Sanborn, P., 2010. Soil reconnaissance of the Fort Selkirk volcanic field, Yukon (115I/13 and 14). In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 2009, K.E. MacFarlane, L.H. Weston and L.R. Blackburn (eds.), Yukon Geological Survey, Whitehorse, Yukon. pp. 293-304. https://emrlibrary.gov.yk.ca/ygs/yeg/2009/2009_p293-304.pdf [Note that in Fig. 1, the labels for Camp 1 and Camp 2 on map are transposed; Camp 1 should be to the east of Camp 2.]

The Lost Chicken Mine, a placer gold mine in eastern Alaska, approximately 120 km west of Dawson City, Yukon, is an important fossil locality for the late Pliocene (approximately 2.5 – 3.0 million years ago). A comprehensive account of the stratigraphy and paleontology of this site was given by:
Matthews, J.V., Jr., J.A. Westgate, L. Ovenden, L.D. Carter, and T. Fouch. 2003. Stratigraphy, fossils, and age of sediments at the upper pit of the Lost Chicken gold mine: new information on the late Pliocene environment of east central Alaska. Quaternary Research 60: 9-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0033-5894(03)00087-5

Dr. Paul Sanborn visited the site on July 20, 2004, as part of a group led by Duane Froese (Professor, University of Alberta). The group concentrated on a single exposure (~ 2 m thick) straddling the Lost Chicken tephra, a volcanic ash bed (2.9 ± 0.4 myr) which is a major stratigraphic marker at the site. Sanborn described, photographed, and sampled this exposure, and obtained a basic set of characterization data. Intact samples were collected but thin sections were never produced.

This external hard drive contains back-up files from Gary Runka and Joan Sawicki's computers. The digital files consist of personal, professional, and business records. Includes textual documents (PDF and Word format), spreadsheets (Excel), digital images (JPEG), and email backup files.

Drawing depicts visual notes taken at the 2020 Public Health Summer Institute with the theme "Think Globally, Act Locally: Public Health and the Anthropocene". Themes related to the COVID-19 pandemic are depicted.

The David Davies Railway Collection encompasses all facets of railway history specifically in the province of British Columbia and the Yukon territory. The collection consists of research material accumulated over the course of more than fifty years, and includes monographs, periodicals, articles, clippings, railway timetables, photographs, maps and plans, and excerpts. Material covers public, tourist, and private (industrial) railways, including: CPR, KVR, E&N; CNR, CNoR, GTPR; and PGER, BCR. The collection excludes material regarding streetcar systems and rapid transit, but includes long distance electric interurbans.

Fonds consists of the research and professorial records of Dr. Joselito Arocena, a founding faculty member of UNBC. Arocena was an internationally-recognized soil scientist and UNBC’s first Canada Research Chair. His records demonstrate his accomplishments as an academic and researcher, as well as his many and varied interdisciplinary research endeavours. Also included are selections from Arocena’s extensive photographic slide collection which illustrate his teaching, research projects, and personal interests.

This fonds illustrates the writing career of Canadian author Ann Walsh. Types of records included in this fonds include: published and unpublished short stories, manuscripts, correspondence, grant applications, photographs, audio and video recordings, contracts, book reviews, plotting notes, speaking notes, promotional materials and workshop materials.

Photograph depicts a steam locomotive pulling 1 railroad car.

Photograph depicts a steam locomotive in action. There are snowy fields in the foreground and mountains in the background.

Photograph depicts steam locomotive # 163

Photograph depicts 2 steam locomotives approaching, three tracks, and a switch in the foreground, trees in the background.

Photograph depicts a train on a wooden trestle. The track is above and inlet with a steep rock cliff between the ocean and the tracks.

Photograph depicts the last car on a train. One man is standing on a step, there is an outdoor viewing deck at the end of this railroad car.

The Kluane Lake area of SW Yukon was a continuing focus of Dr. Paul Sanborn's research for more than a decade, and generated several productive collaborations. Key themes included biological soil crusts in boreal grasslands, and interactions between aeolian sediment deposition, slope processes, and fire in boreal grassland and forest soils.

Research results appeared in these publications:
Marsh, J., Nouvet, S., Sanborn, P., and Coxson, D. 2006. Composition and function of biological soil crust communities along topographic gradients in grasslands of central interior British Columbia (Chilcotin) and southwestern Yukon (Kluane). Canadian Journal of Botany 84: 717-736. https://doi.org/10.1139/b06-026

Pautler, B.G., Reichart, G.-J., Sanborn, P.T., Simpson, M.J., and Weijers, J.W.H. 2014. Comparison of soil derived tetraether membrane lipid distributions and plant-wax δD compositions for reconstruction of Canadian Arctic temperatures. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 404: 78-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.03.038

Sanborn, P. and A.J.T. Jull. 2010. Loess, bioturbation, fire, and pedogenesis in a boreal forest – grassland mosaic, Yukon Territory, Canada. 19th World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World 1 – 6 August 2010, Brisbane, Australia. http://www.iuss.org/19th%20WCSS/Symposium/pdf/0120.pdf

The 2003 field work with Darwyn Coxson was a pilot study to assess the types and distribution of biological soil crusts in boreal grasslands in the Kluane Lake area. Eight sites were visited at which the team sampled the crust and the uppermost A horizon immediately underneath it. Note that site numbers Y03-03, -04, -05, -06, -07, -09, -10 and -12 were indicated as sites 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 12 in Table 1 of Marsh et al. (2006). Additional crust sampling was conducted at two additional sites (“Peninsula”, “Silver City”) in 2004; details of sampling methods and site locations are in Marsh et al. (2006).

Results from 2009 field work were presented in Sanborn and Jull (2010), along with soil charcoal radiocarbon dates from 2003-2008 sampling which were used to reconstruct fire history in the Kluane Lake area. The 2003 (a single site at Silver City), 2004, and 2008 field work consisted of a reconnaissance of grassland and forest sites across a range of aspects and slope positions in order to recover buried soil charcoal.

File consists of a presentation folder containing the Official Report of Debates of the Legislative Assembly (Hansard) from Wednesday, February 12, 2014 Afternoon Sitting (Volume 5, Number 2) which includes a tribute to Gary Runka. Also includes a DVD.

File consists of research material regarding Pacific Great Eastern Railway and BC Rail Dease Lake extension. Predominantly consists of photocopy reproductions, excerpts from books, and clippings from periodicals. Includes the following works: "PGE/BCR: Dease Lake Extension - First 25 Years, 1968 to 1993"; PGE/BCR Dease Lake Branch Progress at end of 1974; "Dease Lake or Bust: BC Rail's Takla Sub, a Socred Mega-Project, Lives On" by Johnson; and "To Alaska or Bust on a Mixed Train: Was BCR's Dease Lake line too late...or too early?" by Patterson and McMillan. Also includes a map of the Dease Lake extension annotated by Davies.

File consists an audio recording of an oral history with Harry Coates recorded by Barbara Coupe.

File consists an audio recording of an oral history with Harry Coates recorded by Barbara Coupe.

File consists of research material regarding Granville Island street railway operations of BC Hydro Railway. Predominantly consists of photocopy reproductions, excerpts from books, and clippings from periodicals. Includes the following works: "The Granville Island Switching Operations of the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority Railway" by Sochowski and "BCER Granville Island: Extension of Industrial and Interurban Lines within Vancouver City" by Davies.

This fonds illustrates the life and work of G. Gary Runka and his contributions to the province of British Columbia. Gary Runka was the first General Manager of British Columbia's Agricultural Land Commission and helped establish the provincial Agricultural Land Reserve. After transitioning from a government career to private consulting, Runka provided comprehensive professional services through his land consultancy business, G.G. Runka Land Sense Ltd., offering land capability and environmental assessments, integrated resource management, land and water use conflict resolution, and interdisciplinary land use planning. Described by colleagues as one of BC's most highly respected agrologists and influential land use planners, Runka had a 52-year career working on (or against) an incredible number of landmark projects in British Columbia, such as the Site C Project. Gary Runka’s partner in life and vocation, Joan M. Sawicki, worked with Gary on many of these projects—as well as her own; her contributions are also represented throughout the records of this fonds.

Gary Runka's deep connection to the land is evident from his earliest papers on aerial photo interpretation, his work with the Canada Land Inventory, through his speeches and his work establishing the BC Agricultural Land Reserve and in his subsequent consulting career through G.G. Runka Land Sense Ltd. Gary Runka's influence and legacy was recognized in the tributes paid after his death, including the post-humus award as the Real Estate Foundation's "Land Champion" for 2014.

The G. Gary Runka fonds has been divided into the following nine series:
1) Personal Records
2) Speeches & Publications
3) Professional Records
4) Agricultural Land Commission
5) Land Sense Ltd.
6) Client Files
7) Maps
8) Photographs
9) Digital Records

File consists of documents relating to the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway (PGE), which predominantly consist of photocopy reproductions, excerpts from books, and clippings from periodicals. Includes a chronology of the history of PGE, a list of sub-contractors who completed the Squamish sub-division, "PGE/BCR: Dease Lake Extension First 25 Years, 1968 to 1993", and "P.G.E.R. 1914 to 1923: Progressive Dates of Commencement of Passenger Service".

Photograph depicts Cayla Runka, Gary Runka, and Shaundehl Runka.

Photograph depicts Gary Runka hiking on Southern Vancouver Island.

File consists of maps of the Pacific Great Eastern (PGE) and BC Rail (BCR) trackage in British Columbia, which consist of photocopy reproductions and hand drawn works by Davies. Includes maps of PGE/BCR track in various B.C. cities (Fort St. John, Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Squamish, 100 Mile House, Lillooet, Fort Nelson, Williams Lake, West Vancouver, Quesnel); maps of PGE/BCR track at various times (1973, 1986); and maps of the Dease Lake extension.

Forest soil sulphur research was a continuing interest for Dr. Paul Sanborn for more than 30 years, beginning at UBC in the mid-1980s when he took a graduate course in Forest Soils from Dr. Tim Ballard. Among the things that he learned was that soils in much of BC were deficient in sulphur (S). Simultaneously, he became aware of the large amount of research on prescribed fire in BC forests, with broadcast burning being the main method of site preparation across much of the province at that time.

Sanborn undertook various projects in this area of research:

1. UBC Postdoctoral Project on effects of prescribed fire on sulphur in forest soils (1988-90)
2. Cluculz retrospective study (E.P. 886.10) with the BC Ministry of Forests and UNBC
3. Sulphur stable isotope tracer study (E.P. 886.15) with the BC Ministry of Forests and UNBC

Photograph depicts Gary Runka and Joan Sawicki on a BC central coast beach.

Document is a research installation layout map for the Kenneth Creek site of the Sulphur stable isotope tracer study (E.P. 886.15).

Data sets for the Sulphur stable isotope tracer study (E.P. 886.15) include:

• 03-095 UNBC PS-For.xls Particle size analyses (Kenneth Creek 0-20 & 20-40 cm)
• 03-096 UNBC PS-For.xls Particle size analyses (Holy Cross 0-20 & 20-40 cm)
• 082037.xls XRF elemental analysis (Holy Cross pedon)
• 082038.xls XRF elemental analysis (Kenneth Creek pedon)
• 084996.xlsx XRF elemental analysis (HC & KC parent materials)
• EP 886 15 S isotope data (2001-2005) - foliage_completed (Feb 18).xls Pine foliage d34S (total S & total SO4-S)
• EP 886.15 2003 Foliage & Soil Chemistry Summary.xls
• EP 886.15 Foliar Analyses (selected) 2001-2006.xls Total N & S, SO4-S
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross & Kenneth Creek 2005 foliage.xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross & Kenneth Creek 2006 foliage.xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2001 FH (S516FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2001 Foliage (T727FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2001 Litter (S515FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2001 Mineral Soil (0-20 cm) (S507FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2002 Foliage (T785FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2003 FH (S642FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2003 Foliage (T836FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2003 Litter (S641FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2003 Mineral Soil (0-20 cm) (S643FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2004 FH (S702FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2004 Foliage (T904FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2004 Litter (S701FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Holy Cross 2004 Mineral Soil (0-20 cm) (S703FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2001 FH (S521FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2001 Foliage (T727FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2001 Litter (S520FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2001 Mineral Soil (0-20 cm) (S508FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2001 Mineral Soil (20-40 cm) (S509FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2002 Foliage (T785FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2003 FH (S645FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2003 Foliage (T837FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2003 Litter (S644FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2003 Mineral Soil (0-20 cm) (S646FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2003 Mineral Soil (20-40 cm) (S647FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2004 FH (S705FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2004 Foliage (T905FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2004 Litter (S704FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2004 Mineral Soil (0-20 cm) (S706FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Kenneth Creek 2004 Mineral Soil (20-40 cm) (S707FINL).xls
• EP 886.15 Sample Inventory.xls Listing of MoF Lab Job No.'s
• Fertilizer March 2003.xls d34S data for commercial fertilizer S sources
• hc_2002.xls Initial (2002) pine tree measurement data - Holy Cross
• kc_2002.xls Initial (2002) pine tree measurement data - Kenneth Creek

Document is a research installation layout map for the Holy Cross Creek site of the Sulphur stable isotope tracer study (E.P. 886.15).

Photograph depicts Gary Runka backpacking in South Tweedsmuir Provincial Park.

File consists of a speech given by Gary Runka entitled "Managing Conservation Lands to keep Nature's Pulse Beating" for the BC Trust for Public Lands.

Commentary on this speech by Barry Smith of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands:
"GGR's was the opening address at the workshop. While this speech is focused on the issue of Best Management Practices (BMP), comments about the ALR are woven into the presentation. This copy of the speech appears to be a draft version and includes several hand-written amendments with some points crossed out.

In the opening, mention is made of the grounding that the 2008 document "Taking Nature's Pulse: the Status of Biodiversity in British Columbia" has provided the workshop.

This speech provides an historical overview of the broader provincial context of BMP's drawn from 40 years of GGR's experience. The following is a selection of his comments:

• BMP's are part of the "tool kit" of policy and management mechanisms that have been experimented with over the decades to try to rationalize human economic activities with the needs of other species and overall ecosystem well-being.
• Historically the 1960s and 70s Canada Land Inventory program that emerged from the Resources for Tomorrow conferences was a significant benchmark mapping land capability for agriculture, forestry, recreation, wildlife and waterfowl use (of which GGR was centrally involved).
• Within BC, using the CLI, the 1973 Land Commission Act authorized the establishment of a provincial zone to protect those sacred lands with the biophysical capability to grow food.

One point was not used in the speech (crossed out). The speaking notes, however, include a reference to the Land Commission legislation originally having a complimentary conservation objective that had since been removed. GGR makes the point that still having the conservation function may have contributed positively to current struggles to preserve natural habitat. Regardless, it is noted that the concept of the ALR has been a unique, effective and, most importantly a lasting management practices tool for conserving lands identified as biophysically significant.

A further selection of points made:

• We need to evolve BMP tools that are adaptable yet resilient in the face of changing knowledge, climate change and ever-evolving social priorities.
• Traditionally, planning has been most associated with local governments in the form of official community, regional and neighbourhood plans and as an outgrowth of the ALR - Agricultural Area Plans.
• Environment Farm Planning - by agreeing to engage in the conservation planning process, participating farmers and ranchers have qualified for funding to carry out farm improvements benefitting conservation and biodiversity.
• The work of the Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust is outlined (p. 8)
• "My final words of wisdom are - Be focused and be pragmatic"
• "Many of the best intentions to standardize land management practices for conservation lands have been great on paper - but never quite make it on the ground."
• And, if BMP are not implemented effectively on the ground, they cannot play the critical role they need to play in 'keeping nature's pulse beating'."

During the 1980s, Agriculture Canada pedologists Scott Smith (retired from Summerland Research Station, formerly based in Whitehorse) and Charles Tarnocai (retired from Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa) had a large field program which addressed the trends in soil development in the central Yukon. Across this region, particularly between Whitehorse and Dawson City, the land surfaces and surficial deposits vary greatly in age due to the differing extents of glaciations over the past ~2 million years.

This work built on a pioneering study from the previous decade:
Foscolos, A.E., N.W. Rutter, and O.L. Hughes. 1977. The use of pedological studies in interpreting the Quaternary history of central Yukon Territory. Bulletin 271. Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa. 48 p. https://doi.org/10.4095/103066

Tarnocai and Smith presented their results in two publications:
C. A. S. Smith, C. Tarnocai, and O. L. Hughes. 1986. Pedological investigations of Pleistocene glacial drift surfaces in the central Yukon. Géographie physique et Quaternaire, 40 (1): 29–37. https://doi.org/10.7202/032620ar
Tarnocai, C. and C. A. S. Smith. 1989. Micromorphology and development of some central Yukon paleosols, Canada. Geoderma 45 (2): 145-162. https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7061(89)90047-5

Tarnocai and Smith shared the unpublished data and soil samples from this work with Dr. Paul Sanborn, and this resulted in a student project published as:
Daviel, E., P. Sanborn, C. Tarnocai, and C.A.A. Smith. 2011.Clay mineralogy and chemical properties of argillic horizons in central Yukon paleosols. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 91: 83-93. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjss10067