A sturdy shield and lance may be all the equipment Crawford Holling needs for his next adventure in life, if you take his joking seriously.

Holling, a Nanaimo scientist, was recently appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada and when asked what’s next, he showed his jovial side.

“I think slaying dragons,” he joked.

While dragons might not be in plentiful supply, Holling, 78, says he counts himself fortunate to get the appointment, but also has a lot more to accomplish.

“I was stunned, delighted and joyful when I heard. It was wonderful,” said Holling. “I certainly wanted it, but never thought I would get it. It’s a great honour. It’s Canada’s highest award as a citizen.”

He was recognized for contributions to the field of ecology and his work in ecosystem dynamics and theories in resilience and ecological economics.

His resilience theory focuses on sudden changes and collapses in ecosystems and how the ecosystem adapts.

Holling’s repertoire of accomplishments is long – numerous published collaborative books and research papers, theories and awards.

For the last 60 years, Holling has been a pioneer, a teacher and a leader in his field. Just last year he was awarded the prestigious Volvo Environmental Prize for his research into the consequences and crisis of change in ecosystems.

Holling’s journey into ecological sciences started small.

“It started with a small thing like insects eating the trees and damaging to finally looking at the regional problem affected by global change and climate change,” he said.

Holling continues to work and write and just completed an essay, entitled Managing the Planet, which he’s presenting in Sweden next week during the European Union presidency ceremony.

The essay deals with how humans have expanded their influence planet-wide, the collapse of markets, spikes in oil prices, food price increases, climate change and how people need to go in new directions.

Holling received his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Toronto and his doctorate degree in zoology from the University of British Columbia. Holling was an Emeritus Eminent Scholar, a position overseeing funding for research, and a Professor in Ecological Sciences, at the University of Florida before he retired in Nanaimo two years ago.

He moved here to get away from American politics and reconnect with family on the Island, he said.

reporter3@nanaimobulletin.com