Gerry Thompson walked the talk! Not only did he truly value and speak up for the natural environment, but he also gave enormously of his time, energy skills and knowledge to support a wide range of fish and wildlife habitat enhancement projects in the Kootenays.
The long-time conservationist and professional biologist passed away at his Wynndel home in the Creston Valley on Feb. 4, 2011.
Thompson served for several years up until his death as a public representative on the steering committee for the Fish and Wildlife Compensa-tion Program (FWCP) in the Columbia Basin. His service went far beyond his work on the committee. He actively participated with other volunteers and FWCP staff in carrying out many conservation projects. One of his most unusual challenges was the construction and placement of 27 massive cedar chimney nest boxes, each more than 3.6 meters (12 feet) long, to enhance the population of Vaux’s swifts in the Kootenays. This took several weeks of his effort in his woodworking shop but the project turned out successfully.
He also used his carpentry skills to help build 35 nest boxes for the endangered western screech owl in the region.
“His enthusiasm was contagious,” said FWCP senior wildlife biologist John Krebs. “Even within the last few months of Gerry’s life, despite being ill, he was out there shovelling gravel into Boulder Creek to improve spawning habitat for kokanee. He was tireless in his work to help the environment. He was an inspiration to many people. Though some projects took weeks to complete, I know the end result gave Gerry immense satisfaction because he knew his work was benefiting wildlife. That was his bottom line!”
Though born in Kamloops in 1940, Thompson spent most of his youth in Rossland. After graduating from the University of British Columbia with a B.Sc. in wildlife management, he started his career as a district wildlife biologist in Sudbury with the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests. In 1969, he joined the Alberta Fish and Wildlife division, where he spent the rest of his career in several key roles. As a regional fisheries biologist and then a regional director, Thompson played a key role in overseeing the conservation of fish and wildlife values in the face of extensive development of Kananaskis Country adjacent to Banff National Park. He also completed his M.Sc. in aquatic ecology at the University of Calgary and subsequently served as the regional fish and wildlife director in four of the five resource management regions in Alberta.
Thompson retired in 1995 and moved with his wife Suzan to the Creston Valley where, as a volunteer, he continued to strongly support conservation efforts in B.C.
“Gerry was one of the most dedicated biologists I ever had the pleasure of working with, both in terms of his commitment to conservation biology on the job, as well as off the job,” said longtime friend and work colleague Dennis McDonald. “He was an avid outdoorsman in every way and, with the exception of his family, it was the love of his life. He was a man meant for wildlife conservation!”
A celebration of life for Thompson will be held at 1:30 p.m. on May 22, at the Wynndel Community Hall.