Vale Distinguished Professor James Barrie Kirkpatrick AM 1946 – 2024

Vale Distinguished Professor James Barrie Kirkpatrick AM (12 Oct. 1946 – 21 Oct. 2024)

It is with great sadness we acknowledge the death of Distinguished Professor James Kirkpatrick AM on 21 October 2024. Professor Kirkpatrick was one of our most prestigious members and a significant contributor to the Royal Society. In 2019 he was awarded the Clive Lord Medal in recognition of his research on Tasmania’s natural environment, including conservation planning, forest conservation and world heritage assessment. He was presented with the medal at Government House on 16 March 2021 by the Governor Her Excellency the Honourable Kate Warner AC and his Clive Lord Lecture ‘Cyclic dynamics in Tasmanian high mountain treeless vegetation’ was delivered online (due to Covid restrictions) and can be viewed on the RST YouTube channel.

Professor Kirkpatrick was employed as a lecturer in the Geography Department at the University of Tasmania, in the early 1970s. In 1988 he was appointed Professor and served as Head of various academic units in the now Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences Department, where he remained for his entire UTAS tenure. He soon became the life-changing mentor and supervisor for so many students privileged to work with him and quickly spearheaded the scientific and academic charge for the recognition and protection of Tasmania’s unique biodiversity, ecosystems and geo-heritage. In 1997 he was awarded the National Eureka Prize for his outstanding 25-year contribution to knowledge and research on the ecology of endangered species and ecosystems. In 2003, Jamie was made a Member of the Order of Australia and in 2006, was awarded the Doctor of Science by the University, marking his distinguished original contribution to scientific knowledge and authoritative standing in conservation ecology. He was appointed a Distinguished Professor in 2009.

Professor Kirkpatrick was recognised internationally for his pioneering work on reservation planning methods but his research loves were alpine, alkaline pans, grassy and coastal ecosystems which kept him very much a field-based ecologist. His staggering academic output of over 500 research papers span a hugely diverse range of flora and fauna species, threatened communities, landscapes, policy and legislation, world heritage area, habitat loss, urbanisation, climate change, invasive pests, roadkill, and so much more. Professor Kirkpatrick had his first paper published in the Journal of Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, ‘Natural History of Curtis Island, Bass Strait’, in 1973, which began a publishing tradition he maintained almost annually for 50 years making him the Society’s most prolific and esteemed academic contributor. His final paper ‘Predicting Spatial Variation in the Upper Limit of Trees on the Alpine Mountains of lutruwita/Tasmania’ will be published in this coming Journal Volume 158 in December.

Professor Kirkpatrick served on numerous high-profile Boards, Councils and Committees while equally contributing scientific support to protest campaigns to protect Tasmania’s natural environment. He published a remarkable range of introspective nature books, the last three were launched at a special event held recently on the Hobart Domain on 12 October to coincide with his 78^th birthday. Jamie loved the Hobart Domain and conducted numerous conservation assessments and long-term research studies to guide its management and protection. During the launch, attended by over 150 guests, former Senator Christine Milne so aptly described Jamie as a towering figure in Tasmania, an anchor in academia and a fellow activist on the front line of nature conservation in Tasmania for the past half century. Though physically frail, Jamie responded with his trademark wit and candour touching all who were privileged to be there. Jamie was one of a kind. His legacy to nature conservation will live on in his landmark publications, the students he mentored across the ages and the enormous network of friends and colleagues who stand in awe and admiration at his contribution to nature conservation in Tasmania.

We extend our sincerest condolences to Professor Kirkpatrick’s wife Christina and his children and grandchildren.

Dr Sally Bryant AM
24 October 2024