BC Forest Discovery Centre

G.E. (Gerry) Wellburn, a collector, was the founder of the Centre which opened in 1965 as the Cowichan Valley Forest Museum. It was later known for a time as the BC Forest Museum. ==Collection==

There are indoor and outdoor exhibits spread over a site, including operating steam and diesel rail equipment plus logging trucks. There are forest and nature trails, picnic area, playground, gift shop and a concession. At the Centre visitors can explore a reconstructed logging camp, forest fire lookout tower and the ranger's station. The centre has its own heritage railway, a train pulled by a century-old steam locomotive which was once used in the filling in of the North Vancouver harbour. Along the route is one of the first pre-fabricated school houses, a trestle over Somenos Lake and an operational water wheel. The Forest Discovery Centre has seven steam locomotives in its collection: • Mayo Lumber Company No. 3 Shay (class B) (was on loan to Kettle Valley Steam Railway 1995–2009) • Hillcrest Lumber Company No. 1 Shay (class B) ( gauge) • Bloedel Stewart and Welch Shay (class B) No. 1 () • Shawnigan Lake Lumber No. 2 Climax (class B) ( standard gauge) • Hillcrest Lumber Company No. 9 Climax (class B) ( standard gauge) – the only operational Climax locomotive in Canada) • Cowichan Valley Railway No. 24 Vulcan 0-4-0T "Suzie" ( gauge) • Cowichan Valley Railway No. 25 Vulcan 0-4-0T "Samson" ( gauge) In addition, these diesel locomotives are also part of the collection: • Cowichan Valley Railway No. 23 "Sandy" Plymouth • Cowichan Valley Railway No. 27 "Handy Andy" speeder • British Columbia Forest Products No. 9 Whitcomb Locomotive Works ( 0-4-4-0 diesel) File:Bloedel Stewart & Welch steam locomotive 1 Shay at Forest Museum Duncan BC 16-Jul-1995.jpg|Bloedel Stewart & Welch No. 1 (Shay) File:Hillcrest Lumber Company steam locomotive 9 Climax at Forest Museum Duncan BC 16-Jul-1995.jpg|Hillcrest Lumber Company No. 9 (Climax) File:Cowichan Valley Railway diesel locomotive 23 (Sandy) Plymouth 8-ton DLC6 at Forest Museum Duncan BC 16-Jul-1995.jpg|Cowichan Valley Railway No. 23 "Sandy" Cowichan Valley 25.jpg|Cowichan Valley Railway No. 25 "Samson" File:Hillcrest Lumber Company steam locomotive 1 Shay on Somenos Lake trestle at Forest Museum Duncan BC 16-Jul-1995.jpg|HLC No. 1 Shay over Somenos Lake trestle ==Site==

The site has a reconstructed fire watch tower, which offers a commanding view of the site and nearby Somenos Marsh. The Centre borders the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Refuge and Ducks Unlimited pond. Many types of water fowl and other birds can be found in this area. Red-eared slider turtles can be found sunning in the field next to the marsh. ==See also==