William Pruitt (pictured right in 1966) has been described as a pack rat by some and a visionary by others – either way, this U of M biologist’s fascination with nature led him to keep everything from caribou hooves and coyote skulls to field notes, journals, slides and research papers related to his life’s work in the boreal forest.

Pruitt died in December of 2009, and his collection of papers has turned into a sizable and important gift to the U of M. “He was meticulous in his collection of data, and that can be used as a measure for (today’s) researchers to compare their own work with. The boreal forest is changing, so his raw data is useful,” says Shelley Sweeney, head of archives & special collections.” She adds that Pruitt’s family also established the Dr. William O. Pruitt Jr. Archival Fund to assist with the processing and digitization of his papers.

Prior to his passing, Pruitt, along with FortWhyte Alive, also established the William O. and Erna Pruitt Graduate Bursary to encourage master’s and doctoral science students who follow in his footsteps. Pruitt’s gift will help students better understand the natural history of the boreal forest. The Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative has also made a contribution to William O. and Erna Pruitt Graduate Bursary.

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