Lindsay Pryor
Encyclopedia
Lindsay Dixon Pryor AO
(26 October 1915 – 17 August 1998) was an Australian botanist noted for his work on Eucalyptus
taxonomy and his role in the landscape design of Canberra, including the foundation of the Australian National Botanic Gardens
.
; he attended Norwood High and the University of Adelaide
and later went on to study at the Australian Forestry School in Canberra. His father encouraged him to pursue a career in forestry, and Pryor is said to have wanted to become a forester from age 12. He graduated BSc in 1935 and was awarded a Diploma of Forestry in 1936. In 1936 he was appointed ACT
Assistant Forester, he worked under Charles Lane Poole
. In this position he surveyed the native vegetation of the ACT and in 1939 received his Masters in Science from Adelaide University for this work. He married in 1938, and he and his wife Wilma Pryor had four children - Elizabeth, Anthony, Geoffrey and Helen.
In 1939, Pryor was promoted to Assistant Research Officer in the Forestry and Timber Bureau and then to Acting Forester in 1940. He served as the ACT's forester until he was appointed the Director of Parks and Gardens in 1944. He carried on the work of Charles Weston, choosing and propagating native and exotic species to expand the range of vegetation in the growing city of Canberra. He continued development of the Yarralumla Nursery and worked on landscape design for the city; some of his many projects include Commonwealth
, Griffith and Telopea Parks, Westbourne Woods
and the grounds of the Australian National University
. Between 1945 and 1958 he was involved in planning and establishing the Australian National Botanic Gardens, including the main gardens in Acton
and at the Annexe at Jervis Bay
and an Alpine Annexe at Mount Gingera
, which has since been abandoned.
During his time as Director of Parks and Gardens he also initiated his own research on Eucalyptus
. Papers he published on the subject to 1958 were submitted to the University of Adelaide and he was awarded his Doctor of Science for his work on Genetics in Eucalyptus taxonomy in June 1958. His 1971 book, A Classification of the Eucalyptus, written with Lawrie Johnson was an important contribution to Eucalyptus taxonomy.
On 1 January 1958, Pryor became a Professor when he was appointed to the Foundation Chair of the Botany Department at the Canberra University College
. He moved to the Australian National University when UCU was incorporated with the School of General Studies of the ANU. On 30 September 1960, he became the first of the appointments to Chairs in Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology and Geology at the ANU. During his time at the University he traveled widely and advised more than 20 countries on forestry though the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, he also advised Australian governments and manufacturers. He retired in 1976, but he remained at ANU in several honorary roles until 1990.
He was a member of the first Advisory Committee for the Australian National Botanic Gardens in the 1980s, and in 1983 was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contributions to botany. He was also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and the Institute of Foresters of Australia, and a Member of the IUCN Commission on Ecology.
In 1995 the Friends of the ANBG unveiled a plaque in his honour beneath a Eucalyptus pryoriana tree. Posthumously he has been honored by the Government of the ACT; an arboretum named in his honour, the Lindsay Pryor National Arboretum
, is planned to undergo significant extensions in 2007 and beyond. A large collection of oral history created by Pryor is held at the National Library of Australia
. His contributions to the development of Canberra have been fully detailed in the 'A Pryor commitment: Canberra's public landscape 1944-1958', an MSc thesis by Bernadette Hince.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(26 October 1915 – 17 August 1998) was an Australian botanist noted for his work on Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
taxonomy and his role in the landscape design of Canberra, including the foundation of the Australian National Botanic Gardens
Australian National Botanic Gardens
The Australian National Botanic Gardens are located in Canberra and are administered by the Australian Government's Department of the Environment and Heritage....
.
Overview
Pryor was born in Moonta, South AustraliaMoonta, South Australia
Moonta is a town located on the Yorke Peninsula of South Australia, 165 kilometres north-northwest of the state capital of Adelaide. It is one of three towns known as the Copper Coast or "Little Cornwall" for their shared copper mining history....
; he attended Norwood High and the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
and later went on to study at the Australian Forestry School in Canberra. His father encouraged him to pursue a career in forestry, and Pryor is said to have wanted to become a forester from age 12. He graduated BSc in 1935 and was awarded a Diploma of Forestry in 1936. In 1936 he was appointed ACT
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
Assistant Forester, he worked under Charles Lane Poole
Charles Lane Poole
Charles Lane Poole was an English Australian forester who, introduced systematic, science-based forestry to Western Australia, was the Commonwealth's first Inspector-General of Forests and trained many of Australia's professional foresters at Australian Forestry School which he established in...
. In this position he surveyed the native vegetation of the ACT and in 1939 received his Masters in Science from Adelaide University for this work. He married in 1938, and he and his wife Wilma Pryor had four children - Elizabeth, Anthony, Geoffrey and Helen.
In 1939, Pryor was promoted to Assistant Research Officer in the Forestry and Timber Bureau and then to Acting Forester in 1940. He served as the ACT's forester until he was appointed the Director of Parks and Gardens in 1944. He carried on the work of Charles Weston, choosing and propagating native and exotic species to expand the range of vegetation in the growing city of Canberra. He continued development of the Yarralumla Nursery and worked on landscape design for the city; some of his many projects include Commonwealth
Commonwealth Park
Commonwealth Park is in Canberra, Australia, on the north side of Lake Burley Griffin. The annual spring Floriade festival is held in the park...
, Griffith and Telopea Parks, Westbourne Woods
Westbourne Woods
Westbourne Woods is an area of exotic tree plantings in the Canberra suburb of Yarralumla in the Australian Capital Territory.The woods were established by Thomas Weston as an experimental planting area in 1913 and cover 120 hectares. The names of the woods comes from Walter Burley Griffin's...
and the grounds of the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
. Between 1945 and 1958 he was involved in planning and establishing the Australian National Botanic Gardens, including the main gardens in Acton
Acton, Australian Capital Territory
Acton is a suburb of Canberra, Australia. Acton covers an area west of the CBD, bordered by Black Mountain to the west and Lake Burley Griffin in the south...
and at the Annexe at Jervis Bay
Booderee National Park and Botanic Gardens
Booderee National Park and Botanic Gardens are located in the Jervis Bay Territory of Australia. The reserve is composed of two sections:* the Bherwerre Peninsula, on the southern foreshore of Jervis Bay, Bowen Island and the waters of the south of the bay...
and an Alpine Annexe at Mount Gingera
Mount Gingera
Mount Gingera is the second highest mountain in the Australian Capital Territory. The mountain is the most prominent snow covered peak to be seen from Canberra in winter. It is part of the Brindabella Ranges on the border of the ACT and New South Wales...
, which has since been abandoned.
During his time as Director of Parks and Gardens he also initiated his own research on Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
. Papers he published on the subject to 1958 were submitted to the University of Adelaide and he was awarded his Doctor of Science for his work on Genetics in Eucalyptus taxonomy in June 1958. His 1971 book, A Classification of the Eucalyptus, written with Lawrie Johnson was an important contribution to Eucalyptus taxonomy.
On 1 January 1958, Pryor became a Professor when he was appointed to the Foundation Chair of the Botany Department at the Canberra University College
Canberra University College
Canberra University College was a tertiary education institution established in Canberra by the Australian government and the University of Melbourne in 1930...
. He moved to the Australian National University when UCU was incorporated with the School of General Studies of the ANU. On 30 September 1960, he became the first of the appointments to Chairs in Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology and Geology at the ANU. During his time at the University he traveled widely and advised more than 20 countries on forestry though the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, he also advised Australian governments and manufacturers. He retired in 1976, but he remained at ANU in several honorary roles until 1990.
He was a member of the first Advisory Committee for the Australian National Botanic Gardens in the 1980s, and in 1983 was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contributions to botany. He was also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and the Institute of Foresters of Australia, and a Member of the IUCN Commission on Ecology.
In 1995 the Friends of the ANBG unveiled a plaque in his honour beneath a Eucalyptus pryoriana tree. Posthumously he has been honored by the Government of the ACT; an arboretum named in his honour, the Lindsay Pryor National Arboretum
Lindsay Pryor National Arboretum
The Lindsay Pryor National Arboretum is an arboretum on the Yarramundi Reach peninsula in Canberra, the capital of Australia. It is named after Lindsay Pryor, a noted Australian botanist. The site is located at the western end of Lake Burley Griffin and is used for research and recreation.Trees of...
, is planned to undergo significant extensions in 2007 and beyond. A large collection of oral history created by Pryor is held at the National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
. His contributions to the development of Canberra have been fully detailed in the 'A Pryor commitment: Canberra's public landscape 1944-1958', an MSc thesis by Bernadette Hince.
Works
- Trees in Canberra, 1962
- A classification of the eucalypts with L. A. S. Johnson, 1971, ISBN 0708105637
- The biology of eucalypts, 1976, ISBN 071312542X
- Australian endangered species: Eucalypts with J.D. Briggs, 1981, ISBN 0642896798
- Growing & breeding poplar in Australia with R.R. Willing, 1982, ISBN 095927510X
- Trees and shrubs in Canberra with J.C.G. Banks, 2nd edition, 2001, ISBN 1863151842