In memoriam: Douglas Boyes
The School of Geography and the Environment is very saddened to hear the tragic news that Douglas Boyes (MSc in BCM 2017-18) died on 26 September.
Doug was an outstanding individual who was a great contributor and all those who got to know Doug when he was a member of the School of Geography and the Environment will be deeply saddened to hear of his passing. Doug had a deep interest in lepidoptera and was the youngest person to become county recorder within the Butterflies for the New Millennium recording scheme.
His MSc in BCM dissertation on 'winners' amongst British moth species was awarded the Wallace prize by the examiners for best dissertation and was subsequently published in paper format. A paper on light pollution impacts on moth populations arising from his PhD was published in August this year in Science Advances, gaining considerable attention in the media. Doug was a passionate natural historian and conservationist, an active and effective science communicator and an inspiring person.
We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
A note from his BCM class:
"The BCM cohort 2017-2018 is devastated by the loss of Douglas Boyes. In one way or another, Doug enriched our lives during our time at Oxford and beyond. In the program, he provided invaluable insights into the world of moths and butterflies, which so few people understand. Yet, the vigour and enthusiasm he had for the conservation of lepidopterans and, more generally, wild spaces was infectious; he provided all of us with inspiration and drive to become better conservationists.
"In addition to being an incomparable force within the conservation world, Doug was an amazing friend. All of us fondly remember time spent in punts, the pub, or exploring the rich biodiversity of Tenerife. Doug provided us with so much laughter, support, and love. We all wish we could have spent more time with him. Our worlds were made better because we knew Doug. He will be sorely missed by all of us."
A fuller tribute to Doug can be found on the National Biodiversity Network website.
If you wish to you can make a donation to further Douglas's legacy on the Butterfly Conservation website.
