official ornithologist Zoologist
He was born on 5 August 1907, the son of William Berry of Tayfield, an advocate in Edinburgh. His father instilled in him a love of nature conservation and especially bird protection. His mother died in his early youth and he was largely raised by aunts.
John was sent to boarding school, being educated at Eton College in England, and then continuing on to Trinity College, Cambridge and then receiving a Doctor of Philosophy at Street Andrews University.
He was the first Director of the Nature Conservancy (United Kingdom) for Scotland (1949 to 1967). He was the youngest and longest served Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh during the 20th century. He suffered from brittle bones and dyslexia.
Here he shared accommodation (and a love of birds) with Peter Scott, later to become one of Britain’s most loved ornithologists.
During this time Berry was nicknamed ’’’Gooseberry’’’, due to his love and knowledge of geese. Upon graduation, Berry first found employment at University College, Dundee, researching the biology of fish, then moving to the University of Southampton.
Here he came to the attention of Professor Doctorate’Arcy Thompson and was persuaded to study for a Doctorate at Street Andrews University. In 1936, aged only 29 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the youngest Fellow of the 20th century.
Having 66 years service in the Society he was also the oldest Fellow and the longest served.
In the 1930s he was involved in counter-intelligence work in Germany and Hungary. During the Second World War he was the official Press Censor for Scotland (1940-1944). During this same period he was commissioned by the Scottish Hydro-Electricity Board to design the Pitlochry fish ladder to allow migrating salmon to circumnavigate the large dam built there.
This included viewing galleries for the public as it was realised this strange feature had strong value as a visitor attraction.
In October 1948 he represented Britain at the conference establishing the International Union for Conservation of Nature at Fontainbleau in France. Berry was established as Head of Nature Conservation in Scotland immediately thereafter, prior to the legal implementation of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Acting the next year.
In 1951 he declared Beinn Eighe the first Scottish National Nature Reserve. He went on to designate Tentsmuir Forest, Morton Lochs, Loch Leven and the Cairngorms.
He also brought about the acquisition of Rùm and Street Kilda.
In 1969 he was elected Deputy Lieutenant of Fife. In 1970 Dundee University awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Letters (Doctor of Laws) and in 1991 Street Andrews University awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Science. He died on 19 February 2002 aged 94.
