Know Your Ecosystem - Johnny Biosphere

biography

Dr.Jack Vallentyne (a.k.a. Johnny Biosphere) is a Canadian by Birth. He received his education in Biology at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. He lectured at Queen's from 1952 to 1958 and Cornell University from 1958 to 1966. From 1966 to 1992, he held the position of Senior Scientist for the Fedral Government's Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Central and Arctic Region.

    More recently on his retirement from the department, Dr.Jack Vallentyne was awarded the Research Scientist Emertus status, he was given a small Budget to enable him to continue presenting "Know your Ecosystem" talks to the schools and teacher associations in the central and the Arctic region of Canada.

    He is an Author of over 100 Scientific publications, including a book "The algal Bowl; Lakes and Man", which improved public understanding of the relationships between people and Lakes. Dr.Vallentyne played a prominent role in reducing the levels of phospate in heavy duty laundry detergents in the early 1970's and in introducing the ecosystem concept onto the operations of the International Joint Commission.

    Always surprising, Dr.Vallentyne put a globe on is back in 1980 to symbolize the need to take a greater account of the consequence of our actions at all levels of intergration from personal to Biospheric - including the Great Lakes Basin. Recipient of the 1992 Rachel Carson award for increasing the environmental awareness. Dr.Vallentyne continues to present his person-planet image, directly and through the media, to thousands of people round the world!