The Mountain Research Initiative was saddened to learn of the death of Prof. Dr. Jack D. Ives on 15 September at the age of 92. A dedicated advocate for our changing mountains, Jack D. Ives’ work helped bring the unique challenges faced by mountain ecosystems and communities to the forefront of global discourse and was instrumental in the creation of the Mountain Research Initiative.
Born on 15 October 1931 in Grimsby, England, Jack D. Ives studied geography at the University of Nottingham before emigrating to Canada and obtaining a PhD from McGill University in 1956. Over the course of his distinguished career, Jack D. Ives’ research encompassed glacial movement, periglacial landforms, and Arctic permafrost, before expanding to include alpine geography and ultimately a more holistic focus on mountains and mountain peoples.
Jack D. Ives worked tirelessly to raise the profile of mountains in research and policy. In June 1992, Agenda 21 was adopted by 178 Governments at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Crucially, and for perhaps the first time at the global level, Agenda 21 placed mountains in the context of sustainable development through the inclusion of Chapter 13 on ‘Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development.’ The inclusion of this landmark chapter was a direct result of the dedication of the group of mountain scientists affectionately known as the ‘Mountain Mafia’ – of which Jack D. Ives was a prominent member.
Jack D. Ives was also a key player in numerous other initiatives that shaped international mountain policy, including the United Nations’ designation of 2002 as the International Year of Mountains and the establishment of the International Mountain Society. His long-term work within the International Geographical Union (IGU) included chairing its Commission on High Altitude Geoecology, where he promoted interdisciplinary research to enhance global understanding of the importance of mountain ecosystems. His founding and editorial leadership of the peer-reviewed journals Arctic and Alpine Research and Mountain Research and Development further promoted and facilitated scholarly discourse in the field. It is thanks to this enhanced global recognition of the significance of the world’s mountains that the Mountain Research Initiative was created.
Jack D. Ives’ contributions to mountain research and conservation have been recognized with many prestigious awards, including the King Albert I Gold Medal (2002), the Royal Geographical Society Patron’s Medal (2006), and the Sir Edmund Hillary Mountain Heritage Medal for Lifetime Achievement (2015). Just prior to his passing, he received a Diploma from the Commission for Mountain Studies of the IGU, highlighting his enduring influence in the field.
Jack D. Ives leaves behind a remarkable legacy that will continue to inspire future generations dedicated to understanding and preserving the world’s mountains. The mountain research community remembers him with admiration and gratitude.
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The IGU’s official obituary celebrating the life and work of Prof. Dr. Jack D. Ives can be found here.
More information on the history of mountain research and the founding of the MRI can be found here.
Photo by Hortonio.