Edward Max Nicholson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Max Nicholson
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| Born |
Edward Max Nicholson
12 July 1904 Kilternan, Ireland
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| Died | 26 April 2003 (aged 98) |
| Alma mater | Hertford College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Environmentalist, Ornithologist, government employee |
| Known for | Founder of the World Wildlife Fund |
Edward Max Nicholson (born July 12, 1904 – died April 26, 2003) was a very important person in protecting nature. He was an environmentalist, which means he worked to keep our planet healthy. He was also an ornithologist, someone who studies birds. Max Nicholson helped start the famous World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
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Max Nicholson's Early Life
Max Nicholson was born in Kilternan, Ireland. His family moved to Staines, England, in 1910. He became interested in nature after visiting a natural history museum.
Soon, he started birdwatching. From 1913, he kept a list of all the birds he saw. This showed his early passion for wildlife.
He went to Sedbergh School and then Hertford College at Oxford University. He studied history there. While at Oxford, he traveled to Greenland and British Guiana. He was a founder of the Oxford University Exploration Club.
At Oxford, he also organized bird counts. In 1928, he led the first national bird survey in Britain. This survey focused on the grey heron.
Helping Birds and Nature
Max Nicholson published his first book, Birds in England, in 1926. He wrote three more books about birds soon after. In his book The Art of Bird-Watching (1931), he talked about how birdwatching could help with nature protection.
This idea led to the creation of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) in 1932. He was the first treasurer of the BTO. Later, he became its chairman.
In 1947, he helped create the International Union for the Protection of Nature (IUPN). This group is now known as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
In 1949, he helped set up the Nature Conservancy in Britain. This was a government group for natural sciences. It helped protect national nature reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Max Nicholson became the Director General of the Nature Conservancy in 1952. He led the group until 1966. Under his leadership, the Conservancy became a key group for research. It showed how studying nature (ecology) was important for how we use land.
He also helped set up Monks Wood Experimental Station. This was one of the first places to study how chemicals affect wildlife.
In 1961, Max Nicholson, along with Sir Peter Scott and others, created the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This is one of the most famous conservation groups in the world. He also helped start the International Institute for Environment and Development.
In 1966, he started an environmental company called Land Use Consultants (LUC). He worked there until 1989. One of their first reports suggested that problems with recreation, traffic, and nature should be studied together.
From 1951 to 1960, he was a senior editor for "British Birds" magazine. He was also the chief editor for a huge bird book series called The Birds of the Western Palearctic (BWP). He worked on this project from 1965 to 1992. He was the only author who stayed with the project from start to finish. He wrote the habitat sections for all species in the nine volumes himself.
In 1976, he helped create Britain's first urban ecology park. He also helped set up the Trust for Urban Ecology. In 1978, he was important in starting the ENDS Report. This became a very important journal for people working on environmental policy.
He was the President of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) from 1980 to 1985. He also helped create the New Renaissance Group. He was a trustee for Earthwatch Europe. In 1995, he was a guest on the radio show Desert Island Discs.
Other Interests and Work
Max Nicholson had strong ideas about how a country should be run. His 1931 essay A National Plan for Britain led to the creation of an important group called Political and Economic Planning (PEP). This group is now called the Policy Studies Institute.
During World War II, he worked for the government. He helped organize shipping operations and convoys across the Atlantic Ocean. He was also involved in planning "Operation Overlord," the invasion of Europe. For his work, he received special awards.
From 1945 to 1952, he worked as a private secretary for Herbert Morrison, who was the Deputy Prime Minister. He also led the committee for the 1951 Festival of Britain.
Family Life
Max Nicholson married Mary Crawford in 1932. They had two sons, Piers and Tom. They later separated. In 1965, he married Marie Mauerhofer, known as Toni. They had one son, David. Max Nicholson passed away in 2003 at the age of 98.
Max Nicholson's Legacy
Every year on Max Nicholson's birthday, July 12, people walk a part of the Jubilee Walkway in London. They do this to celebrate his work in creating the route.
Two special sundials have been placed to remember him. One is at the WWT London Wetland Centre in Barnes, London. The other is at Sedbergh School in Cumbria, where he went to school.
Selected Books by Max Nicholson
- Birds in England (1926)
- How Birds Live (1927)
- The Art of Bird-Watching (1931)
- The System: The Misgovernment of Modern Britain (1967)
- The Environmental Revolution : A Guide for the New Masters of the World (1970)
