In his book ‘Exploring Prince George’, Mike Nash explains that the area’s name goes back to 1919 when William Ferguson acquired a 120-acre parcel of land. The remains of Ferguson’s first trapper’s cabin can still be found by the lakeside, and a larger cabin built in 1928 is also located along the lake. Years later, the Killy family donated the reserve to the Nature Trust of British Columbia.
Various groups have contributed to the development and maintenance of the Ferguson Lake Trail, including the Prince George Naturalists Club, the City of Prince George, and the downtown Rotary Club.
The Prince George Naturalists Club has a long history of support for the Ferguson Lake Nature Reserve. The City of Prince George established the Reserve in the summer of 1990 following recommendations from regional biologists Dave King and Dennis Ableson to preserve the only lake in the city able to support a fish population (Shane Lake in Forests for the World had not yet been developed as a fishing lake).
In 1991, the Club formally agreed to undertake a four-season survey of the Reserve for the City of Prince George. Past President Sandra Kinsey sent a 10-page letter with supporting maps to the City summarizing the findings of the survey. The letter itemized an extensive list of plant and animal species found in the Reserve. The Park was created with wide community support. The Killy family donated the site to the Nature Trust of British Columbia. Other organizations involved in maintaining and developing the Reserve include the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Spruce City Wildlife, and the Downtown Rotary Club of Prince George. Full details can be found here
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