It is with deep sadness that we relay to you that Dr. Dick Potts, former President of the CIC Small Game Commission and Applied Science Division, and the retired Director General of The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust passed away on March 30th at the age of 78. His funeral will be on April 25, 2017 in Fordingbridge (Sussex, U.K.)
Dr. G. R. Potts was born in 1939 in Richmond, United Kingdom (North Yorkshire). He studied zoology from1958-1962 at the University of Durham. During his studies he conducted research in the Faroe Islands, and in 1965, he obtained his doctorate (PhD) on shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) population dynamics. The question of the effects of pesticides was also the center of his partridge research. His passion for partridges continued throughout his life.
In 1965, he started to work at Durham University as a Research Fellow and zoology professor. In 1968, he became a senior research fellow, which is when he started to deal with the Sussex Downs examination of partridge populations, which is the longest term monitoring of this kind, taking place for nearly 50 years. In 1976, he became the Director of research at The Game Conservancy Trust, then in 1991 he was appointed as Deputy CEO, and then became the Chairman of the Research and Educational Trust Allerton Farm Management Committee.
Dr. Potts was not only the President of the World Pheasant Association, Vice President of the British Ornithologists Union, and Chairman of the CIC Small Game Commission between 2005 and 2008, but he was presiding over the CIC Applied Science Division between 2008 and 2011.
He was a member and advisor in the field of natural resources and nature conservation of many governmental advisory committees and boards, and was part of the editorial board of The European Journal of Wildlife Research.
The CIC loses with Dick Potts a very much valued friend who was strongly connected to the aims of the CIC. We owe him very much and we will sorely miss him.
Our sincere condolences and thoughts go out to the family and friends of Mr. Potts, who was a treasured part of our membership.
See the more detailed obituary for Dr. Dick Potts here.
It has been an honour knowing dr Potts. May God bless his soul,
Misha Perović
Dear Dick. Thanks for all memorable moments and time together. From the first time we met in Scotland at the meeting of the World Pheasant Association, followed by many many interesting discussions about field game and particulary partridge management. You taught me a lot about partridge and how to manage this wonderful bird. I also very much appreciated your Company and the cooperation with you when you were head of the Divison of Applied Science and I at the Division of Policy and Law. I miss you very much. Torsten
I am really sad that Dick left us so early . I tried to pas him some nice messages this last years . The C.I.C.must be very thanksful for his great work . We will never forget him. B.L.