Knowing Ron & My Visit to R.D. Lawrence Place
I met the man in 1993 after first conversing with him by phone on numerous occasions regarding wolf and bear poaching and hunting issues. At that time I was a published wildlife columnist and professional Naturalist, writing for various newspapers and magazines.
I was amazed at how similar our viewpoints were on issues affecting wolves, bears and the environment in general. In fact, to this day I still feel that it was rather uncanny. It was one of those rare times in my life (because it has happened only a few times) when I could communicate with someone who was well versed on various wildlife concerns but also had a tremendous understanding and concept of the “big picture.” The man that I speak of was Ronald Douglas (R.D.) Lawrence.
Our strong mutual agreements on many issues led to several meetings, a joint television interview and a co-authored paper titled, “Wildlife and Wildlands Protection in Canada.”
Although I had not spoken to or seen Ron for a number of years, I was deeply saddened by his passing in 2003 from Alzheimer’s Disease. R.D. had a rare gift,- patience, understanding and empathy for wildlife which I know for a fact is a characteristic lacking in the often coldly analytical, scientific world of biology and zoology. I remember commenting to my wife and daughter that the world had just lost a great, great man and we were all, (the human race) poorer for it.
Another aspect of Ron that I profoundly admired was that he was not just another 9 to 5 biologist employed by some government agency to carry out a study and then go home and forget about it at the end of the day. That was definitely not Ron. He lived his work; writing, rehabilitating wildlife, publicly lecturing, educating and speaking out about wildlife and environmental protection with an incredible sense of urgency, passion, and energy that I had rarely seen. He was not afraid to write or voice his opinions regarding what he saw as foolish government programs of the day that he knew would surely have disastrous repercussions for wildlife or possibly entire ecosystems.
In a nutshell, Ron surrounded himself with his passions – his wife Sharon, his wolves and other furry friends, and the wilderness that enveloped them in Central Ontario.
Even though Ron is no longer with us, he still lives on through the thirty books he authored as well as R.D. Lawrence Place, located in Minden, Ontario. The R.D. Lawrence Place structure is made of straw bale construction, recycled concrete, local trees toppled by an earlier tornado, and has even incorporated coloured bottles in one wall which add an interesting decorative flair, as well as delighting the senses with myriad colour changes when the sun strikes them. The inner walls are covered with photos and mementos of Ron’s life and adventures. For me personally it was a bit of a walk down memory lane and a visual testimony to an incredible man and his incredible life. “The Place” is open to the public and I highly recommend a visit! Call Sheryl Loucks at (705) 286-2298 to arrange for a visit.
On Friday July 3, 2009 I did just that. Sharon Lawrence held a book launch and lecture at the Minden Hills Cultural Centre to coincide with the re-release of “The Ghost Walker”, a story revolving around R.D. Lawrence and his adventures with a Canadian Cougar / Puma. Coupled with the book launch, Sharon had arranged for a guest speaker, Mr. Stuart Kenn, President of the Ontario Puma Foundation, who gave an informative and entertaining talk on the presence of the Puma in Ontario. The function was well received, with at least fifty to sixty people in attendance. My daughter accompanied me to the event and was thrilled to meet Sharon Lawrence in person.
In addition, Ms. Sheryl Loucks, Manager of R.D. Lawrence Place kindly gave us a tour of the facility which we both greatly appreciated.
I would like to thank Mrs. Sharon Lawrence, Ms. Sheryl Loucks and Mr. Stuart Kenn for a most enjoyable afternoon.
In closing, I want to say that it is my hope that the wise words of Ron (R.D.) Lawrence live on in perpetuity. Human kind must heed what this man had to say for the good of us all!
For more information contact the Minden Hills Cultural Centre and R.D. Lawrence Place at
or for more information about R.D. Lawrence’s books visit –
www.crywild.com or call (705) 286-2298.