About the Friends of the Bugnet Plantation Society
La Société des Amis de la Plantation Bugnet/ Friends of the Bugnet Plantation Society was formed to promote awareness for the issues in the ongoing preservation and conservation of the Bugnet Plantation Historic Resource, as well as the cultural, historical and literary contributions that are M. Georges Bugnet’s legacy. Welcome to our website!
Our Mission
Georges Bugnet (1879-1981) was a French-Canadian pioneer, author, horticulturist and journalist. In 1954, he bequeathed a portion of his homestead to the Province. This land has the resources of the Ladoga pine trees, various fruit trees and plants that have survived the neglect of 64 years. The hardy rose cultivars that he developed are sought after internationally. The interest that this society has garnered has come from a diverse number of disciplines: foresters, historians, rose enthusiasts, literary and cultural preservationists, and from foresters from Iceland.
His literary works are an accurate historical record of the pioneering experience of this province. His books, eloquent and beautifully written, are available in English and French. His poetry was also published, and he was an editor and contributor to French-language newspapers in Alberta all his life long. He was also one of the founding members of the Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta in 1927; this organization has its head office at the Cité Francophone where we wish to hold our Pop-Up Celebration.
The Ladoga/Bugnet pine trees have been an ongoing project for forestry industry research for many years. The seeds for these hundred year old trees on the plantation came from the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden in 1916, and were gathered from a now unknown site near Lake Ladoga, from a plantation which was established by Peter the Great, Czar of Russia, at the beginning of the 18th century. At the Bugnet Plantation, these Scots pines, exceptionally fast growing, strong and straight, which were ideal for ship masts and timbers in 1700, are of a genotype which should be saved for future generations. In fact, the forestry program in Iceland is actively growing seedlings of these amazing trees for their afforestation project. The plantation west of Rich Valley, Alberta, has been neglected for many years, and the goal of our society is to safeguard it and assure that it continues to flourish. Alberta’s Historical Resources Conservation Management Branch is beginning to maintain it properly and we wish to assure that all Albertans learn about this historic plantation and the pioneering horticulturalist that developed it.
Plantation Bugnet Board Members 2019
Juliette Champagne (President)
Elaine Berglund (Vice-President)
Collette Berglund (Treasurer)
Peter Murphy(Director)
Leonard Nobert (Director)
Marie-Hélène Prescott
Alan Dunn