Work of the Geographical Branch, Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Canada, in Baffin Island, 1961–64

• Published in: Polar Record
• Main Author: Ives, J. D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1964
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Ecology; Geography, Planning and Development; Baffin Island; Canada; Baffin; Polar Record
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247400067012; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247400067012

The Geographical Branch is the smallest of six branches of the Canadian Government's Department of Mines and Technical Surveys. Its staff comprises thirty professional geographers and has a total establishment of eighty-five. In addition it has positions for thirty-three students and nine university geographers during the summer field season. As the Branch's responsibilities embrace the full range of geographical studies of Canada, the world's third largest country by area, it has to be selective in its approach. Thus, in 1960, the Baffin Island Project was initiated as its first long-term programme of co-ordinated research in physical geography and allied fields in the natural sciences. This programme is the prime responsibility of the Branch's Division of Physical Geography, which contains about one third of the total professional staff.