Inducted in 2014
Dirk van Loon – author, journalist, and naturalist – has provided Atlantic Canadians a forum for the multitude of voices and values emanating from the region’s forests, as publisher of the bimonthly magazine Atlantic Forestry Review. For over 20 years, Dirk’s passion for local, rural stories, and his grassroots approach, have informed and educated woodland owners, forest professionals, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone interested in understanding the issues influencing forestry. Dirk has always been interested in the stories that woodlot owners wish to tell: how they manage their properties and the innovation that often accompanies their successes. Dirk has also been active in promoting forest education through the creation of the Harrison Lewis Centre in 2008, which provides a field classroom and laboratory for research groups, courses, workshops, seminars, and a variety of presentations related to rural environments and natural history. Dirk’s career has been dedicated to providing information, thoughtful commentary, a space for public discourse, and a greater awareness of the importance of forests to our Maritime way of life.