Baskerville, Gordon

ENCAENIA, CEREMONY C, 29 MAY 2008
GORDON BASKERVILLE
to be Doctor of Science (Forestry)

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of forestry education at UNB. As part of the celebrations, we are pleased today to honour Dr. Gordon Baskerville. A Manitoba native, Gordon graduated in forestry from UNB in 1955, winning the Canadian Institute of Forestry Gold Medal. This proved to be a good predictor of a successful career. Since that time he has had many close associations with New Brunswick, and UNB, all the while having a strong influence on forestry in the rest of Canada.

Following receipt of his master's and doctoral degrees at Yale, Gordon returned to New Brunswick employed by the Canadian Forest Service as researcher and program director. For 15 years he was part of a major study on balsam fir at Green River. His work on how forests grow and are shaped by natural agents, notably the spruce budworm, resulted in many reports and published papers that have repeatedly been cited by other researchers. Gordon became famous for his creative analysis, innovative thinking and writing ability. However, these talents were not always appreciated. It appears that when he submitted his first report to his direct supervisor, the man took one look at it, tore it in half and didn't say a word! In spite of this, Gordon managed to survive and in fact flourish in the federal bureaucracy.

He returned to UNB in 1975, where he served as a professor for four years, -and at the some time chaired the Provincial Task Force on Spruce Budworm control, a most formidable undertaking. He subsequently returned to the government as an assistant deputy minister in the Department of Natural Resources. An expert in forest management, and an innovator in the use of computers, including the application of geographic information system technology, his work led to legislation that has been the foundation for forestry in this province for the last 22 years. Gordon has been credited with helping to revitalize the forest industry at a critical time in New Brunswick's history. The results of his work stand as the accepted standard for the management of public forests in most provinces in Canada.

In 1983, Dr. Baskerville returned yet again to UNB, this time as dean of the faculty. Among the innovations introduced on his watch was the promotion of problem-based learning, which has established the faculty as a leader in forestry and forest management education. As he had done all through his career, he continued to publish prolifically (his list of papers runs to five single-spaced pages), to act as an editor of forest research journals, and to serve on a wide range of government and industry committees and task forces in New Brunswick, P.E.I., Maine and British Columbia. His reputation was such that he was frequently asked by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council to serve on grant selection and other committees. In 1987 he was again honored by the Canadian Institute of Forestry, this time with its award for outstanding achievement.

In 1993, Gordon left UNB to join the faculty of forestry at the University of British Columbia as head of the forest resources management department. While there he played a major role in drafting a complete revision of forest policy in that province.

Although he retired from UBC in 1997, he remained active for another six years as a consultant to various groups in the public and private sector. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada since 1994, he was honoured again, just last year, with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the New Brunswick Forest Profession.

This distinguished c.v. does not of course describe the whole man that is Gordon Baskerville. While generally among foresters, what happens in the field stays in the field, I have been able to determine that Gordon has another creative side, as a prankster. It appears that while he worked at Green River, the vehicle manager was a somewhat irksome individual. By getting the cap off the back of one of the four-wheel-drive trucks to float in the lake, and with creative positioning of flashlights under water, the man was convinced that the vehicle was sunk in the lake. One can imagine the victim's reactions, both when he thought the truck was lost, and when he realized he'd been had.

Gordon Baskerville has made significant contributions, and has earned high respect, across all sectors of the forestry community: scientific, academic and “the real world”. His influence has been felt not only here in New Brunswick but also nationally and internationally. He has brought honour on himself and to UNB, and for this reason we are proud to grant this honorary degree today.

From: Honoris Causa, UA Case 70