Norman W. Moore
Encyclopedia
Norman Winfred Moore is a British conservationist
and author who has worked extensively on studies of dragonflies
and their habitats.
The son of Sir Alan Hilary Moore, 2nd Baronet Hancox, Moore was educated at Eton College
, then at Trinity College
, Cambridge University. He graduated during World War II, and then served in the Royal Artillery
in the last two years of the war, reaching the rank of Lieutenant. He saw action in Germany and Holland, was wounded, and became a prisoner of war.
After the war he married (in 1950) and studied for a PhD at Bristol University, being awarded the doctorate in 1954. His PhD thesis was on agonistic behaviour
. His career in conservation started at this time in the 1950s, and he was a scientific officer for Nature Conservancy
(later the Nature Conservancy Council
) in various roles, including that of Chief Advisory Officer, until 1983. From 1979 to 1983, he was also Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies
at Wye College
, which was then part of the University of London
. Moore is a founding member of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), and is also a vice-president of the British Association of Nature Conservationists
.
His work at the Nature Conservancy included studies of the effects of toxic chemicals on wildlife, in particular the adverse effect of organochlorine pesticides on raptor
s. It was his work on dragonflies and conservation that led to him coining the term "the birdwatcher's insect", aiming to raise public interest in the role of insect monitoring in ecosystem conservation. Due to his background in dragonfly research and conservation, Moore was invited to chair the Odonata
specialist group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission
. This international group first met in 1980, and produced an Action Plan in 1995, which was published in 1997.
Moore contributed to two books in the New Naturalist
series: Dragonflies (1960) and Hedges (1974), and his book on nature conservation, The Bird of Time (1987), won the Natural World Book of the Year award. Moore is also an Honorary Fellow of the Linnean Society, and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, which also made him the inaugural recipient of the Marsh Entomological Award for Insect Conservation. Moore has also received the Stamford Raffles Award
from the Zoological Society of London
for his "distinguished contribution to the ecology and behaviour of dragonflies".
In 2003, a festschrift
issue of Odonatologica, the journal of the Societas Internationalis Odonatologica, was published to mark Moore's 80th birthday. This included a biography and a bibliography of his works. Several other tributes appeared around this time, including, in July 2004, a special tribute issue of the International Journal of Odonatology, titled "Guardians of the Watershed: Global Status of Dragonflies". The British Dragonfly Society
administers an award in Moore's honour, called the 'Norman Moore Award Fund'. In addition to this, several species of dragonflies and damselflies
are named after Moore.
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
and author who has worked extensively on studies of dragonflies
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
and their habitats.
The son of Sir Alan Hilary Moore, 2nd Baronet Hancox, Moore was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, then at Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, Cambridge University. He graduated during World War II, and then served in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in the last two years of the war, reaching the rank of Lieutenant. He saw action in Germany and Holland, was wounded, and became a prisoner of war.
After the war he married (in 1950) and studied for a PhD at Bristol University, being awarded the doctorate in 1954. His PhD thesis was on agonistic behaviour
Agonistic behaviour
In ethology, agonistic behaviour is any social behaviour related to fighting. Thus it is broader than aggressive behaviour because it includes not only actual aggression but also threats, displays, retreats, placating aggressors, and conciliation. The term was coined by Scott and Fredericson in 1951...
. His career in conservation started at this time in the 1950s, and he was a scientific officer for Nature Conservancy
Nature Conservancy (UK)
The Nature Conservancy was a British government agency established by Royal Charter in 1949.The Nature Conservancy was superseded by the Nature Conservancy Council in 1973....
(later the Nature Conservancy Council
Nature Conservancy Council
The Nature Conservancy Council was a United Kingdom government agency responsible for designating and managing National Nature Reserves and other nature conservation areas in Great Britain between 1973 and 1991 ....
) in various roles, including that of Chief Advisory Officer, until 1983. From 1979 to 1983, he was also Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies
Environmental studies
Environmental studies is the academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. It is a broad interdisciplinary field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them...
at Wye College
Wye College
The College of St. Gregory and St. Martin at Wye, more commonly known as Wye College, was an educational institution in Kent, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1447 by John Kempe, the Archbishop of York, as a college for the training of priests. It is located in the small village of Wye, Kent, 60...
, which was then part of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Moore is a founding member of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), and is also a vice-president of the British Association of Nature Conservationists
British Association of Nature Conservationists
The British Association of Nature Conservationists publish ECOS academic journal.BANC and ECOS were born out of the Masters in Conservation at University College, London, by committed volunteers keen to raise the profile of the environment to new audiences in political, social and economic...
.
His work at the Nature Conservancy included studies of the effects of toxic chemicals on wildlife, in particular the adverse effect of organochlorine pesticides on raptor
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
s. It was his work on dragonflies and conservation that led to him coining the term "the birdwatcher's insect", aiming to raise public interest in the role of insect monitoring in ecosystem conservation. Due to his background in dragonfly research and conservation, Moore was invited to chair the Odonata
Odonata
Odonata is an order of insects, encompassing dragonflies and damselflies . The word dragonfly is also sometimes used to refer to all Odonata, but the back-formation odonate is a more correct English name for the group as a whole...
specialist group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission
IUCN Species Survival Commission
The IUCN Species Survival Commission is a special commission operated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The commission's "major role is to provide information to IUCN on biodiversity conservation, the inherent value of species, their role in ecosystem health and functioning,...
. This international group first met in 1980, and produced an Action Plan in 1995, which was published in 1997.
Moore contributed to two books in the New Naturalist
New Naturalist
The New Naturalist Library books are a series published by Collins in the United Kingdom, on a variety of natural history topics relevant to the British Isles...
series: Dragonflies (1960) and Hedges (1974), and his book on nature conservation, The Bird of Time (1987), won the Natural World Book of the Year award. Moore is also an Honorary Fellow of the Linnean Society, and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, which also made him the inaugural recipient of the Marsh Entomological Award for Insect Conservation. Moore has also received the Stamford Raffles Award
Stamford Raffles Award
Stamford Raffles Award is an award of the Zoological Society of London. It is "For distinguished contributions to zoology, open to amateur zoologists or, to a professional zoologist in recognition of contributions which are outside the scope of his professional activities and principal...
from the Zoological Society of London
Zoological Society of London
The Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...
for his "distinguished contribution to the ecology and behaviour of dragonflies".
In 2003, a festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
issue of Odonatologica, the journal of the Societas Internationalis Odonatologica, was published to mark Moore's 80th birthday. This included a biography and a bibliography of his works. Several other tributes appeared around this time, including, in July 2004, a special tribute issue of the International Journal of Odonatology, titled "Guardians of the Watershed: Global Status of Dragonflies". The British Dragonfly Society
British Dragonfly Society
The British Dragonfly Society is a conservation organization in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1983 and its aims are to promote and to encourage the study and conservation of dragonflies and damselflies and their natural habitats, especially in the United Kingdom.The Society runs the...
administers an award in Moore's honour, called the 'Norman Moore Award Fund'. In addition to this, several species of dragonflies and damselflies
Damselfly
Damselflies are insects in the order Odonata. Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, but the adults can be distinguished by the fact that the wings of most damselflies are held along, and parallel to, the body when at rest...
are named after Moore.
Selected publications
- Dragonflies (1960), with P.S. Corbet and Cynthia LongfieldCynthia LongfieldCynthia Longfield Dragonfly expert and explorer, she travelled extensively and published The Dragonflies of the British Isles in 1937. She worked as a research associate at the Natural History Museum, London. Longfield was the expert on the dragonflies at the Museum, researching particularly...
- Hedges (1974), with E. Pollard and M. D. Hooper
- The Bird of Time - the science and politics of nature conservation (1987)
- Dragonflies: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan (1997)
- Oaks, Dragonflies and People (2002)
External links
- Norman Moore (biography page at newnaturalists.com)