Your father was quite extraordinary, and never more so than in his last
years.
His launch of the New Renaissance project was an unusual thing for a man
in his 40s or 50s to achieve, but to do so when you are turning 90 is
superhuman. He was very impatient, as he saw his own days numbered, but
he never lost an almost boyish sense of optimism. He seemed always
confident in the power of common-sense, which would - he believed - in
the end triumph over the short-sightedness that is the curse of
conservation.
I have three sharp memories of Max:
First, chairing meetings in Belgrave Square. I was in awe of him. He had
made the Nature Conservancy immensely influential. As a young civil
servant, I saw just a little of his efforts. Along with Bob Boote, he
was able to engage the British establishment in the business of
conservation, first through European Conservation Year and then the
Countryside in 1970 movement. We owe a huge amount to the foundations
which Max and others laid in those days.
Next, I recall a fascinating meeting with the then Director of the
Countryside Commission, Reg Hookway (my boss) about 1968. Max had been
sent by IUCN to plead with Reg that we in the UK drop the name "national
park" for places like the Lake District as it was such a different
concept from national parks in many other countries. It was a rare
occasion because Max was worsted and obviously had doubts about the
merits of his case - but he laughed his way out of it, and he and Reg
ended up the best of friends.
A more recent memory is of Max launching his last crusade, the New
Renaissance project. At first sight it seemed like a rerun of the
Countryside in 1970 history, with Bob, Teresa Sexton, Duncan Poore and
Max. But looking back was the last thing on Max's mind - he was
challenged by, and challenging others with, the idea that the human
values were at the root of the dilemmas that humankind and the
environment now faces.
He will be greatly missed of course, but all that bubbling energy did
change the course of conservation history, here and abroad - it is a
legacy that will last for generations
