Professor Oliver Rackham OBE was a Life Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and an expert on woodlands, wood pastures and the British countryside. His passing away on Thursday 12th February was received with great sadness by the Mediterranean Landscape community who lost one of its greatest researchers and conservation activists.
Among his many research interests, Rackham spent over 40 years studying the Mediterranean Landscape in an interdisciplinary manner, bringing together cultural, historical and ecological dimensions. His distinguished career took him to Sardinia, Spain, Italy, Australia, Greece and especially Crete for which he held a special passion. He is author of “Nature of Mediterranean Europe: An Ecological History” and “Making of the Cretan Landscape” to name a few of his numerous works.
Med-INA had the honour of collaborating with him on issues concerning Mediterranean landscape. He participated in the international workshop organized by Med-INA, “Reclaiming the Greek landscape” (Nafplion, 17th-20th May 2010) which led to the “Nafplion statement on Greek Landscapes” and a chapter, written along with Jeniffer Moody, on the “Drivers of change and landscape history of Cavo Sidero” in the post workshop publication.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and had the honour to work beside him. Our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.