The indomitable spirit of Bert Irvine is at the heart of Nechako Country, a story that provides a glimpse into a simpler world in simpler times. After Bert moved his young family from Barrhead in northwestern Alberta to Vanderhoof in central British Columbia, the upper Nechako country and Nechako River became integral parts of their lives. Bert's life was and still is intertwined with the wilderness, and the country itself is a major player in this tale.

Spanning 1934 to 2005, a period of unprecedented and fast-paced change, the story focuses largely on the '50s and '60s. As the wilderness way of life continues to be replaced by a new world of high technology, and the wilderness itself is pushed back and badly bruised, Nechako Country provides a window into the past and a lifestyle that has all but vanished. In part the story of one man's journey through life as a trapper, guide-outfitter and jack-of-all trades, it is also a history of the upper Nechako valley, its people and the tortured Nechako River, the lifeblood of this beautiful area.

June Wood was born in Winnipeg but moved with her family to Vanderhoof, BC in 1953, when she was eight years old. Her father, Bert Irvine, bought a trap line and guiding territory southwest of Vanderhoof on the Nechako River, and it was there that June developed her deep bond with the river and with nature in its entirety. June and her husband of over 40 years, Denis, lived in the northern BC communities of Smithers and Quesnel before moving back to the Upper Nechako Country where they have a small nature-based tourism operation. They have two grown sons, Neal and Russel, and three grandchildren.

June Wood's profile page