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History of the Kingston Field Naturalists

List of Past KFN Presidents

KFN Presidents by Year 1949-51 George Stirrett 1951-52 Art Bell 1952-53 Art Hyde 1953-54 Ken Edwards 1954-55 Bob Stewart 1955-56 Alden Strong 1956-58 Martin Edwards 1958-59 Al Warren 1959-60 Walter Lamb 1960-61 Ann Hutchison 1961-62 Lew Lowther 1962-64 Helen Quilliam 1964-65 Gilbert Hill 1965-67 Jim McCowan 1967-69 Fred Cooke 1969-71 Bob Stewart 1971-73 Pip Nation … Read more

History of the KFN 2000-2009

by Erwin Batalla This year is the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Kingston Field Naturalists (originally the Kingston Nature Club). Histories of the KFN were written on our 5th , 25th , 40th and 50th anniversaries, as well as on the occasion of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists conference in Kingston in 1982. … Read more

The Kingston Field Naturalists at 50 (1949 to 1999)

by Mike Evans

In its fiftieth year, the Kingston Field Naturalists is pleased to host for the sixth time the annual conference of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. The last occasion on which the conference was held in Kingston marked the KFN’s fortieth anniversary. The special edition of The Blue Bill published for that conference included a history of the club’s first forty years written by Dr. Bob Stewart. (1) It was on November 24th, 1949, that nine people attended the inaugural meeting of what was first known as the Kingston Nature Club.

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The Kingston Field Naturalists at 40 Years (1949 to 1989)

by Robert B. Stewart

The Kingston Field Naturalists are pleased to host the 58th Annual Meeting and Conference of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists as a part of our celebration of forty years activity as a naturalists organization. While forty seems rather like “just getting started” compared to the Ottawa Field Naturalists who are 110 years this year and the McIlwraith Club of London who will celebrate their 100th anniversary next year, we are nevertheless proud of our accomplishments during our brief history.

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The Kingston Field Naturalists: Past & Present (1949 to 1982)

by Mike Evans

Hosting the FON Annual Conference represents an important milestone in the life of one of the most active of the clubs within the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. Occasions such as this also provide one with an excuse to look back into the club’s past and to review some of the accomplishments of the organization and its members.

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A History of the Kingston Field Naturalists: The first 25 years

by Helen Quilliam
© Blue Bill (1974) Volume 21 No. 2 : 26-31

Whereas a history of a natural history club should contain a list of concrete accomplishments and their dates, the state of the treasury and of membership, these things sometimes make very dull reading. They can in the last resort be found by the eager searcher in the minutes of the club. Here we propose to deal in a more informal way with the growth and spirit of the Kingston Nature Club, now the Kingston Field Naturalists, and why we think it is a rather exceptional club.

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A Brief History of the Kingston Field Naturalists: 1949 to 1954

by Robert B. Stewart

On March 31, 1949, a group of 22 people interested in Natural History met in the Agricultural Board Room of the Ontario Government Bui1ding on Barrie St., at the invitation of Dr. George M. Stirrett. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the formation of a nature club.

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