Mountain Legacy Project

Capturing change in Canada's mountains

Mountain Legacy Project

Capturing change in Canada's mountains

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About Mountain Legacy Project

At the Mountain Legacy Project we explore all that changes in Canada’s mountain landscapes. Working with the world’s largest collection of systematic historical mountain photographs, we follow the footsteps of intrepid surveyors to retake the original images. We engage university researchers, managers, practitioners and keen mountain folk in understanding the how and why ecosystems, landscapes, human communities change over time. Based in the School of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria, our work since 1998 involves repeat photography, archival research, image interpretation and analysis, software development, and making these images widely available.

RECENT NEWS

Who do we want to be here?

by Charles Hayes | Oct 1, 2019

The story of ecological change in the Canadian mountain west over the last century provides powerful, poignant testimony about our very different histories and roles in the dramatic changes of the last century. The most important question becomes: who do we want to be here?

The Collection

A vast collection of historical mountain photographs created between 1861 and 1958 by surveyors establishing national and provincial boundaries, creating topographic maps, and exploring geological resources

Starting with a series of historical digital images, we puzzle out the exact location of the original surveyors. This is the first step in a chain of complex arrangements that places a repeat photography crew on a mountain summit or ridge… read more

MLP Works

Since its beginning in 1996 MLP Works has provided access to the publications, articles, media, and other scientific and creative products generated through use of MLP techniques and images.

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Explore

Explore is a map-based search tool designed to allow anyone with a modern web browser to view, compare, and download MLP’s vast collection of historic and repeat images.

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Analysis

Every image pair can be explored in depth with the Image Analysis Toolkit. IAT supports side-by-side image visualization, including categorization, annotation, scaling, cross and wipe fades, classification statistics, and more.

View the Image Analysis ToolKit

“In much of the Canadian west these are the first images of these landscapes and a vital baseline for studies of change over the last century. They are invaluable to conservation projects that seek to understand and/or restore pre-settlement landscapes and their dynamic ecosystems.”

Brian Luckman

Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography

University of Western Ontario

“In much of the Canadian west these are the first images of these landscapes and a vital baseline for studies of change over the last century. They are invaluable to conservation projects that seek to understand and/or restore pre-settlement landscapes and their dynamic ecosystems.”

Brian Luckman

Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography

University of Western Ontario

Galleries

The vast size of our collections means that diamonds—remarkable images that cue into contemporary concerns or historical fascination– are often buried. We present curated galleries that emerge from the work of our teams, whether driven by research questions or personal fascination. Check back regularly for new presentations.

View Mt. Robson and Mt. Assiniboine Provincial Parks: examining 100 years of landscape change

BC's Mt. Robson and Mt. Assiniboine Provincial Park like you've never seen before - Really - that's because many of the historic images (1911, 1913, 1916) featured in this interactive web report are little-known or have not been seen since they were taken over 100 years ago.

View Muskwa-Ketchika and the Finlay River: Looking back to look forward

View In his Footsteps: Repeating a Classic J.J. McArthur Station

View All Galleries

Mountain Legacy Project

Mountain Legacy Project

About Mountain Legacy Project

RECENT NEWS

Who do we want to be here?

The Collection

MLP Works

Explore

Analysis

“In much of the Canadian west these are the first images of these landscapes and a vital baseline for studies of change over the last century. They are invaluable to conservation projects that seek to understand and/or restore pre-settlement landscapes and their dynamic ecosystems.”

“In much of the Canadian west these are the first images of these landscapes and a vital baseline for studies of change over the last century. They are invaluable to conservation projects that seek to understand and/or restore pre-settlement landscapes and their dynamic ecosystems.”

Galleries

View Mt. Robson and Mt. Assiniboine Provincial Parks: examining 100 years of landscape change

View Muskwa-Ketchika and the Finlay River: Looking back to look forward

View In his Footsteps: Repeating a Classic J.J. McArthur Station

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