Born in Birmingham, England in 1928, Philip Gosling came to Canada in 1955. Arriving in Guelph, Ontario, he launched himself into a successful real estate career while enthusiastically exploring the natural features of his new home. As one of co-founders of the Bruce Trail, a nationally known footpath that follows the Niagara Escarpment, he organized volunteers, met with landowners and walked hundreds of kilometres of trails.
On March 13, 1963, the Bruce Trail Association (later renamed The Bruce Trail Conservancy) was incorporated under the laws of Ontario. Today, the Niagara Escarpment is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, and the Bruce Trail Conservancy (one of Nature Canada’s Nature Network partners) cares for and conserves the land while enabling hikers to explore the Escarpment along the Bruce Trail.
Dr. Philip Gosling (left) with Michael McDonald, CEO of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Photo courtesy of the Bruce Trail Conservancy.
Dr. Gosling’s love of the natural world led to the creation of the Gosling Foundation, which (in the words of the foundation’s website) supports “strategic projects that enhance the capacity of organizations to protect and restore nature.” Dr. Gosling and his wife Susan also funded the Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation at the University of Guelph, which has become a key centre for research and education on endangered plants. For his philanthropic and conservation work, Dr. Gosling was awarded many honors, including the Order of Canada and an honorary Doctor of Law from the University of Guelph.
Nature Canada is immensely grateful to Dr. Gosling for his support of our campaigns and for his leadership in conservation. He understood the power of organizing and used it successfully to see large areas of Ontario protected. This commitment to building community strength was continued in his support to Nature Canada’s Nature Network Engagement Organizing Program, which has helped to grow the political power of naturalists’ clubs across the country.
For more about Dr. Gosling’s pivotal role in the history of the Bruce Trail, please see “Bruce Trail Conservancy celebrates the life and mourns the passing of its last living co-founder, Dr. Philip Gosling”.
