This abridged version of the original 558-page book published by Rocky Mountain Books in the fall of 2015, has been specially prepared for the University of Victoria Library and Special Collections to showcase and curate the Ian McTaggart Cowan Collection of field notes, photographs, documents and television shows that was donated to the university by Ann and Mikkel Schau. 

Rocky Mountain Books have generously supported this abridged version by Briony Penn. Cowan’s long career culminated in his last appointment as Chancellor of the University of Victoria in 1979, making the university a fitting resting place for the collection and this curated digital introduction to his life from 1910-2010.

The writing of The Real Thing focused on the first half of Cowan’s century-long life, during which he wrote the majority of his field notes and scientific publications and developed his television series. The University of Victoria Library's collection also includes documents and field notes from 1960s onwards but remains terra incognita—ripe for future researchers of environmental history.

Acknowledgements

Sitka Foundation

Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation

BC Conservation Foundation

Cowan Family

BC Conservation Data Centre

BC Ministry of Environment

BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

The Nature Trust of BC

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Canadian Wildlife Federation

Royal BC Museum

BC Nature

University of British Columbia - Zoology

Beaty Biodiversity Museum

Boreal Forest Initiative (DUC)

Kootenay Wildlife Heritage Fund

Meyer zu Erpen & Associates

BC Arts Council

Nature Vancouver

World Wildlife Fund

BC College of Applied Biology

BC Wildlife Federation

Association of Professional Biologists (BC)

Victoria Natural History Society

University of Victoria

University of Victoria Libraries

University of Victoria Special Collections and Archives

Dancehall Players

Rocky Mountain Books

Avis Canada (Victoria)

Private donors