In Memoriam: Ken Armson

In Memoriam: Ken Armson

It is with great sadness that Forestry announces the death of Ken Armson, an alumni and former professor of the Faculty of Forestry, and an active participant in all realms within the Ontario and Canadian forestry industries. Ken passed away on December 9th at the age of 97.

After serving as a trooper in World War II with the Canadian Army, he returned to Canada and graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry in 1951. Following a brief period with the Research Division of the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests, he rejoined the Faculty of Forestry as a professor and conducted research in forest soils and silviculture from 1952 to 1978. In 1954-55 on a leave of absence, Ken attended the Department of Forestry, Oxford University and received the Diploma in Forestry for his study of the nutrition of Scots pine.

In 1975-1976, he undertook a review of forest management in Ontario for the Ministry of Natural Resources and his report formed the basis for forest companies entering into forest management agreements (FMAs) whereby companies assumed full responsibility for planning and integrating harvesting and regeneration of the forests. From 1978 until his retirement in 1989, Ken left the Faculty for an appointment serving with the Ministry as a special advisor on forest regeneration, and later as Chief Forester, Executive Coordinator of Forests, and finally as Provincial Forester from 1986 to 1989. A major witness in the Class Environmental Assessment of Timber Management in Ontario (1988-1992), he was active in the development of standards for sustainable forest management with the Canadian Standards Association, culminating in the first standard in 1996. Always interested in history, Ken took the lead in 2009, founding the Forest History Society of Ontario and becoming its first elected president. In 2010 he was elected Fellow of the Forest History Society (U.S.).

An active member of the Canadian Institute of Forestry, the Ontario Professional Foresters Association, and the Ontario Forestry Association (now Forests Canada), he was a past president of the last two and a longtime member of the Society of American Foresters and the Soil Science Society of America. He was also the author of several books on forestry and more than a hundred scientific papers and articles.

In 1992 Ken was awarded an Honorary D.Sc. by Lakehead University and in 2016 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.

He was a long-standing friend to the Faculty and particularly proud to be an honorary member of the University forestry classes 5T4 and 6T0 and to take part in their class reunions. Ken was always happy to share his knowledge, patiently listen to countless questions, and assist our alumni and all those who sought his forestry expertise in any manner that he could. He will be deeply missed.

A special memorial lecture in honour of Ken is in the works and details will be broadcast at a later date.

Donations in Ken’s honour may be sent to: Forests Canada, 15 Maple Avenue, Unit #103, Barrie ON, L4N 2N6. The Forest History Society of Ontario (same address as Forests Canada above) or the charity of choice.