John C. Ogden (1938-2012) in Big Cypress, 1997

  • 12 years ago
John C. Ogden, November 18, 1938 - March 31, 2012
Memory Book: http://www.tributes.com/show/John-C.-Ogden-93547844

Remembering John Ogden
http://www.audubonmagazine.org/articles/conservation/remembering-john-ogden

John C. Ogden, recipient of the Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society's 2012 Herbert W. Kale, II Award
http://www.fltws.org/JohnOgden.php

BIRDMAN WAITS FOR EVERGLADES RENEWAL
Miami Herald, May 8, 1994

John Ogden pays a steep price for being the Einstein of the Everglades. Ogden is an ornithologist at Everglades National Park, an acknowledged expert on the River of Grass, one of the world's leading experts on wading birds, and an award--winning researcher whose information and opinions are sought by wetlands managers around the country. (Continued)

Who art thou by John C. Ogden, May 2003

I was born in Nashville in 1938, in an old Tennessee family that was full of fascinating stories of the War between the States and of life in the rural south. Many of my summers were spent on two family farms, where I gained a great deal of self-confidence and independence during many days exploring the surrounding woods and rivers, watching birds, catching turtles and finding Indian arrowheads.

By the age of about 15, I knew that my vocation had to be something that would let me be outdoors as much as possible. My big break came soon after entering the graduate program at the University of Tennessee, when I was awarded a research assistantship at Florida State University. Moving to Tallahassee, I continued my master's degree program and, as part of my assistantship responsibilities, was able to participate in state-wide field surveys -- in every county in Florida -- on the status of neo-tropical migrant birds.

The many personal contacts that I made while doing field surveys throughout Florida during the 1960s led to my first job as a seasonal biologist at Everglades National Park. By that time I was well on the track that has taken me to my current position as Chief Scientist in the Everglades restoration program. Interestingly, my master's program was never finished! Rather I believe that much of my success at initially getting on the
"right" track was due to my considerable early experience as a "field scientist." Although generally uninterested in classes in school, I was very active in professional societies, and often presented papers based on my field observations at professional meetings around the country.

Throughout these important years, lasting contacts with a few key people provided insights for me that greatly influenced my thinking - and my future. I learned the importance of careful, honest observations, good communication skills, and the wisdom of cooperative thinking in dealing with complex issues. My evolving personal philosophy has been to be inclusive, to trust my associates, to judge people individually rather than
according to any stereotypes, and to think and act at large scales.