The SEC permits us to omit from this registration statement the information required under Item 1 (Plan Information) and Item 2 (Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information) of Form S-8. We deliver documents containing this information to our plan participants in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933.

The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" the information we file with them. This means we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered part of this Registration Statement, and later information filed with the SEC will update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by contacting us at the following:

Investor Relations Department
Boise Cascade Corporation
P.O. Box 50
Boise, Idaho 83728-0001
208/384-6390
e-mail:  bcweb@bc.com

The securities covered by this Registration Statement consist of a maximum of 75,000 shares of the company's $2.50 par value common stock, together with the related common stock purchase rights.

The consolidated financial statements of Boise Cascade Corporation as of December 31, 2002, and for the year then ended, have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent auditors, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The consolidated financial statements of Boise Cascade Corporation as of December 31, 2001 and 2000, and for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2001, also incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, were audited by other auditors who have ceased operations. Those auditors expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements in their report dated January 29, 2002. These financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the authority of that firm, at that time, as experts in accounting and auditing.

The legality of the issuance of the common stock is being passed upon for us by John W. Holleran, our Senior Vice President, Human Resources, and General Counsel. As of April 30, 2003, Mr. Holleran was the beneficial owner of 5,524.8683 shares of our common stock and 1,193.2202 shares of our Convertible Preferred Stock, Series D, in the Employee Stock Option Plan. Mr. Holleran holds options to purchase shares of our common stock under a company stock option plan and holds stock units under the 2001 Key Executive Deferred Compensation Plan.

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware authorizes the company to indemnify its directors and officers under specified circumstances. Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws provide that we shall indemnify, to the extent permitted by Delaware law, our directors, officers, and employees against liabilities (including expenses, judgments, and settlements) incurred by them in connection with any actual or threatened action, suit, or proceeding to which they are or may become parties and which arises out of their status as directors, officers, or employees. The company has agreements with each director to indemnify him or her to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors and officers pursuant to the above provisions, we have been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933. These provisions are, therefore, unenforceable.

Our directors and officers are insured, under insurance policies maintained by the company, against certain expenses incurred in the defense of actions, suits, or proceedings and certain liabilities which might be imposed as a result of such actions, suits, or proceedings, to which they are parties by reason of being or having been directors or officers.

Not applicable.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

The Board of Directors
Boise Cascade Corporation:

We consent to the use of our report incorporated by reference herein and to the reference to our firm under the heading "Interests of Named Experts and Counsel" in this Registration Statement.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Boise, Idaho
May 14, 2003

Each person whose signature appears below appoints George J. Harad and John W. Holleran, and each of them severally, acting alone and without the other, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact with authority to execute in the name of each such person and to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, together with any exhibits and other documents, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement necessary or advisable to enable the company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations, and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, which amendments may make such other changes in the Registration Statement as the aforesaid attorney-in-fact executing the same deems appropriate.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Boise, state of Idaho, on May 14, 2003.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on May 14, 2003.

Dated: May 14, 2003

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Filed with Registration Statement on Form S-8
___________________

          1.         Plan Administration and Eligibility.

                     1.1     Purpose. The purpose of the 2003 Director Stock Compensation Plan (the "Plan") of Boise Cascade Corporation (the "Company") is to encourage ownership of the Company's common stock by its nonemployee directors.

                     1.2     Administration. The Executive Compensation Committee or any successor to the Committee (the "Committee") shall have final discretion, responsibility, and authority to administer and interpret the Plan. This includes the discretion and authority to determine all questions of fact, eligibility, or benefits relating to the Plan. The Committee may also adopt any rules it deems necessary to administer the Plan. The Committee's responsibilities for administration and interpretation of the Plan shall be exercised by Company employees who have been assigned those responsibilities by the Company's management. Any Company employee exercising responsibilities relating to the Plan in accordance with this section shall be deemed to have been delegated the discretionary authority vested in the Committee with respect to those responsibilities, unless l imited in writing by the Committee. Any Participant may appeal any action or decision of these employees to the Company's General Counsel and may request that the Committee reconsider decisions of the General Counsel. Any interpretation by the Committee shall be final and binding on the Participants.

                     1.3     Participation in the Plan. Directors of the Company who are not employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries are eligible to participate in this Plan.

          2.         Stock Subject to the Plan.

                     2.1     Number of Shares. The maximum number of shares of the Company's $2.50 par value Common Stock ("Common Stock" or "Shares") which may be issued pursuant to options granted under this Plan shall be 75,000 Shares, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.4.

                     2.2     Nonexercised Shares. If any outstanding option under this Plan for any reason expires or is terminated without having been exercised in full, the Shares allocable to the unexercised portion of the option shall again become available for issuance under options granted pursuant to this Plan.

                     2.3     Share Issuance. Upon the exercise of an option, the Company may issue new Shares or reissue Shares previously repurchased by or on behalf of the Company.

          3.         Options.

                     3.1     Option Grant Dates. Options shall be granted automatically to each participating director on December 31 of each year (or, if December 31 is not a business day, on the immediately preceding business day) (the "Grant Date").

                     3.2     Option Price. The purchase price per share for the Shares covered by each option shall be $2.50 (the "Option Price").

                     3.3     Number of Option Shares. The number of Shares subject to options granted to each participating director on each Grant Date will be the aggregate number of Shares determined by the following formulas:

                               3.3.1     Compensation Shares. The number of option Shares equal to the nearest whole number determined by the following formula:

                               3.3.2     Dividend Equivalent Shares. The number of option Shares equal to the nearest whole number determined by the following formula:

                               3.3.3     Definitions. For purposes of determining the number of Shares granted under this Section 3.3, the following definitions will apply:

                                            3.3.3.1   "Compensation." A Participant's fees, otherwise payable in cash, for services rendered by a Participant as a director of the Company during a calendar year. Compensation shall not include any amounts paid by the Company to a Participant that are not strictly in consideration for personal services, such as expense reimbursements.

                                            3.3.3.2   "Dividend Equivalent." The aggregate dollar value, determined each year, equal to the product of (i) the number of Shares subject to options held by a director pursuant to this Plan on each respective Record Date during the year plus 1/2 the number of Shares to be granted under Section 3.3.1 for the year in which this calculation is being made, multiplied by (ii) the value of the dividend per Share paid by the Company for each respective Record Date.

                                            3.3.3.3   "Elected Portion of Compensation." A dollar amount determined each year for each director equal to the dollar amount of the percentage of his or her Compensation, if any, which the director has irrevocably elected, in writing, to have paid in the form of options granted under this Plan. This written election must be received by the secretary of the Company on or before December 31 of each year and shall specify a percentage, up to 100%, of the director's Compensation for the following year to be paid in the form of options under this Plan. Eligible directors initially elected or appointed to office as directors of the Company after adoption of this plan may make a written election under this paragraph withi n 30 days following their initial election or appointment to office, which election shall be effective for Compensation amounts earned during the calendar year of their initial election or appointment to office.

                                            3.3.3.4   "Fair Market Value." The closing price for Shares as reported by the New York Stock Exchange or another generally accepted pricing standard chosen by the Company, in each case on the Valuation Date.

                                            3.3.3.5   "Record Date." Each date declared as a record date by the Board of Directors for the purpose of determining shareholders eligible to receive a dividend to be paid on Shares.

                                            3.3.3.6   "Valuation Date." July 31, or if Fair Market Value is not available on July 31, the immediately preceding business day for which Fair Market Value is available.

                     3.4     Director Terminations. If a director participating in this Plan retires, resigns, dies, or otherwise terminates his or her position on the Company's Board of Directors, the director shall be granted, on December 31 of the year in which the termination occurs, an option for Shares under this Plan equal in value to (i) the Elected Portion of Compensation and (ii) the Dividend Equivalent. For purposes of this Section 3.4, fixed Compensation amounts (e.g., annual retainer and committee chairperson fees) shall be prorated through the date of termination.

                     3.5     Written Agreements. Each grant of an option under this Plan shall be evidenced by a written agreement, which shall comply with and be subject to the terms and conditions contained in this Plan.

                     3.6     Nonstatutory Stock Options. Options granted under this Plan shall not be entitled to special tax treatment under Section 422A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

                     3.7     Period of Option. No option may be exercised within 6 months of its Grant Date, provided, however, that options held by or granted to a director shall be immediately exercisable upon (i) that director's retirement because of age, disability, or death, or (ii) the occurrence of any of the events described in Section 3.11, except as federal and state securities laws may otherwise limit a director's ability to resell the Shares acquired upon the exercise until 6 months after the Grant Date. No option shall be exercisable after expiration of 3 years from the date upon which the option holder terminates his or her position as a director of the Company.

                     3.8     Exercise of Options. Options may be exercised only by written notice to the secretary of the Company, and payment of the exercise price may be made by any permissible method specified in the written agreement. Options may be exercised in whole or in part.

                     3.9     Options Not Transferable. Each option granted under this Plan shall not be transferable by the optionee otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as defined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder. No option granted under this Plan, or any interest therein, may be otherwise transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated by the director to which the option was granted during his or her lifetime, whether by operation of law or otherwise, or be made subject to execution, attachment, or similar process.

                     3.10    Exercise by Representative Following Death of Director. A director, by written notice to the Company, may designate one or more persons (and from time to time change such designation), including his or her legal representative, who, by reason of the director's death, shall acquire the right to exercise all or a portion of an option granted under this Plan. Any exercise by a representative shall be subject to the provisions of this Plan.

                     3.11    Acceleration of Stock Options. Notwithstanding Section 3.7, if, while unexercised options remain outstanding hereunder:

                               (a)     Any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities; provided, however, if such Person acquires securities directly from the Company, such securities shall not be included unless such Person acquires additional securities which, when added to the securities acquired directly from the Company, exceed 20% of the Company's then outstanding shares of common stock or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities, and provided further that any acquisition of securities by any Person in connection with a transaction described in Subsection 3.11(c)(i) shall not be deemed to be a change in control of the Company; or

                               (b)     The following individuals cease for any reason to constitute at least 66 2/3% of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on the date hereof, constitute the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's stockholders was approved by a vote of at least 2/3rds of the directors then still in office who either were directors on the date hereof or whose appointment, election, or nomination for election was previously so approved (the "Continuing Directors"); or

                               (c)     The consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company (or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company) with any other corporation other than (i) a merger or consolidation which would result in both (a) continuing directors continuing to constitute at least 66 2/3% of the number of directors of the combined entity immediately following consummation of such merger or consolidation and (b) the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least 66 2/3% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent t hereof outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, or (ii) a merger or consolidation effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities; provided, however, if such Person acquires securities directly from the Company, such securities shall not be included unless such Person acquires additional securities which, when added to the securities acquired directly from the Company, exceed 20% of the Company's then outstanding shares of common stock or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities, and provided further that any acquisition of securities by any Person in connection with a transaction described in Subsection 3.11(c)(i) shall not be deemed to be a chan ge in control of the Company; or

                               (d)     The stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or the consummation of an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets, other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to an entity, at least 66 2/3% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by Persons in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale;

then from and after the date on which any such event described in paragraphs (a) through (d) above occurs (which shall constitute a "change in control" of the Company), all options previously granted under this Plan shall be immediately exercisable in full.

                               For purposes of this section, "Beneficial Owner" shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

                               For purposes of this section, "Person" shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, except that such term shall not include (i) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, or (iv) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

          4.         General Provisions.

                     4.1     Effective Date. This Plan shall be effective January 1, 2003, subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company. Options may be granted under this Plan only after shareholder approval of this Plan.

                     4.2     Duration. This Plan shall remain in effect until all Shares subject to option grants have been purchased or all unexercised options have expired.

                     4.3     Amendment and Termination. The Committee may suspend or discontinue this Plan or revise or amend it in any respect, provided, however, that without approval of a majority of the Company's shareholders no revision or amendment shall (i) change the number of Shares subject to this Plan (except as provided in Section 4.4), (ii) change the designation of the class of directors eligible to participate in the Plan, (iii) change the formulas to determine the amount, price, or timing for the grants, or (iv) materially increase the benefits accruing to participants under this Plan. Moreover, in no event may these Plan provisions be amended more than once every 6 months, other than to comport with changes in the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or the rules and regulations thereunder. No amendment, modification, or termination of this Plan shall in any manner adversely affect the rights of directors holding options granted under this Plan without their consent.

                     4.4     Changes in Shares. In the event of any merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split, or other change in the corporate structure or capitalization affecting the Shares, appropriate adjustment shall be made in the number (including the aggregate numbers specified in Section 2.1) and kind of Shares or other securities which are or may become subject to options granted under this Plan prior to and subsequent to the date of the change.

                     4.5     Limitation of Rights.

                               4.5.1     No Right to Continue as a Director. Neither this Plan, nor the granting of an option under this Plan, nor any other action taken pursuant to this Plan shall constitute or be evidence of any agreement or understanding, express or implied, that the Company will retain a director for any period of time, or at any particular rate of compensation.

                               4.5.2     No Shareholders' Rights for Options. An optionee shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to the Shares covered by his or her options until the date of the issuance to him or her of a stock certificate therefor.

                     4.6     Assignments. The rights and benefits under this Plan may not be assigned except as provided in Sections 3.9 and 3.10.

                     4.7     Notice. Any written notice to the Company required by any of the provisions of this Plan shall be addressed to the secretary of the Company and shall be effective when it is received.

                     4.8     Shareholder Approval and Registration Statement. This Plan shall be approved by the Board of Directors and submitted to the Company's shareholders for approval. Directors may elect to participate in this Plan prior to (i) the effective date of the Plan, (ii) shareholder approval, and (iii) filing (and effectiveness of) a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering the Shares to be issued upon the exercise of options. Any options granted under this Plan prior to effectiveness of the registration statement shall not be exercisable until, and are expressly conditional upon, the effectiveness of a registration statement covering the Shares.

                     4.9     Governing Law. This Plan and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant hereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Delaware.

May 14, 2003


Securities and Exchange Commission
Attention:  Division of Corporation Finance
450 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20549

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am the Senior Vice President, Human Resources, and General Counsel of Boise Cascade Corporation, a Delaware corporation. In that capacity, I represent the company in connection with the preparation and filing with the SEC of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 relating to the registration of 75,000 shares of the company's common stock to be issued under the 2003 Director Stock Compensation Plan (the "DSCP"). I reviewed originals (or copies) of certified or otherwise satisfactorily identified documents, corporate and other records, certificates, and papers as I deemed it necessary to examine for the purpose of this opinion.

Based on the foregoing, it is my opinion that shares of common stock which are issued upon the exercise of stock options under the DSCP will, when sold, be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable.

I consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. I also consent to the references to me therein under the heading "Interests of Named Experts and Counsel." In giving this consent, however, I do not admit that I am within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933.

Very truly yours,

/s/ J. W. Holleran

John W. Holleran

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