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Professor Peter Bacon was a
well-known wetland specialist. A certified Professional Wetland Scientist,
his knowledge of coastal and wetland ecology was highly valued both locally
and internationally. He was also a dedicated educator for over 30 years at
The University of the West Indies (UWI), where he trained many young
scientists.
Peter Robin Bacon was born
on 17th April, 1938 in Reading, England. He attended the Essex Grammar
School and after completing secondary school he obtained his first job at
the Museum of Natural History in London. While working at the museum he
became interested in zoology. He later completed a science degree and a
certificate in education at the University of London. He migrated to
Trinidad and Tobago where he taught while studying for his doctorate at UWI.
Bacon produced the first study of the ecology of the Caroni Swamp and was
the first PhD graduate in zoology from the St. Augustine campus in 1969.
He began lecturing in zoology at UWI, Mona and then at St. Augustine. He
served as Professor and Head of the Department of Life Sciences. He helped
to improve student facilities and was one of the creators of the first
Master of Science programme in Environmental Sciences at the Faculty of
Natural Sciences, UWI, St. Augustine.
Professor Bacon started research at the St. Augustine campus on the ecology
of coastal wetlands and invertebrates, developmental impact assessment in
tropical islands, as well as the management and
protection of Caribbean
wetland environments. He supervised research on the Caroni and Nariva Swamps
in Trinidad and important wetland areas in Tobago. He also studied the
biology and conservation of leatherback turtles in the 1970s and 1980s.
Outside the University, he worked with many local and international boards
and committees that promoted conservation and preservation. Such groups
included the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the
Wildlife Conservation Committee and the Wetland Research Bureau. He was also
a member of a United Nations team that researched the effect of climate
change on mangroves. In 1994 Professor Bacon started the Wetland Research
Group which conducts research on the ecology and management issues of
wetlands in Trinidad and Tobago
During his life, he wrote several scientific papers, manuals and books
including The Natural Resources of Trinidad and Tobago and Flora and Fauna
of the Caribbean.
Professor Peter Bacon died on 24th February, 2003..
This Icon is also featured in the Trinidad & Tobago Icons Volume I:
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KEYWORDS:
ECOLOGY: the scientific study of the location, number and relationships
between living organisms in an environment.
ECOSYSTEM: a natural unit consisting of all the living and non-living
things in an environment.
WETLAND: an area located between a land and aquatic environment.
ZOOLOGY: the study of animal life.
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:
Place of Birth: Reading, England
Date of Birth: 17th April, 1938
Date of Death: 24th February, 2003
Education: Essex Grammar School
Secondary School attended
Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of London (1961)
Postgraduate Certificate in Education, University of London (1962)
Doctorate (PhD) in Zoology, University of the West Indies (1969)
Awards: Honoured by IOCARIBE (a United Nations group that monitors
Caribbean waters) for establishing the Western Atlantic Turtle Symposium
in Costa Rica (1983)
INTERESTING FACTS:
Professor Bacon, with the help of his wife Tyra, wrote nature conservation
stories for children entitled “The Devil Birds” published in 1980.
CCST
Secretariat
4 Serpentine Place, St Clair, Trinidad W.I.
Tel: 868 622-7880 E-mail:
ccst@niherst.gov.tt
