Local author and historian Catherine Marie Gilbert earned a third place prize Lieutenant Governor’s award for historical writing, for her non-fiction book, A Journey Back to Nature, a history of Strathcona Provincial Park.
The writing award was presented by the BC Historical Federation at their AGM during the gala and closing ceremony June 4.
“It was a thrill to receive the news,” Gilbert said. “And to be in such good company as fellow award winner and historian Barry Gough, whose writing I love and admire.”
Published by Heritage House Publishing of Victoria in 2021, her award-winning book is also a B.C. bestseller, and tells not only the story of Strathcona Park, but ties together many underlying stories of the park’s inhabitants, nearby communities and Vancouver Island and how the relationships between people, industry and recreation have influenced the park’s development.
The award recipients were chosen by a three-member panel of judges from 24 books published in 2021 and submitted for the competition.
Gilbert won $500 to go along with the honour.
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For the past year and a half, Gilbert has been working on the life story of Canadian activist and environmentalist David (Walrus) Garrick in Alert Bay.
Her subject was with Greenpeace in its years of inception, was involved in numerous environmental campaigns throughout Canada since the 1970s and is known for his work identifying culturally modified trees on the BC coast.
She hopes to have the book completed by the fall of 2023.
editor@campbellrivermirror.com
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