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It is with deep sadness that we mark the passing of Howard Harris earlier this month. In the decade or so of my work at MBB I have been fortunate to know and to work with Howard. To benefit from his extensive knowledge and passion for nature and to work with him on a range of projects in the local area. 

Howard was a keen botanist and naturalist and had a continual desire not just to learn and update his understanding through the latest courses and, more recently, online workshops but to use his background as an educator to inspire others and share his knowledge with them.  

This naturally saw Howard take on various voluntary positions with wildlife focused groups including the Field Studies Council as an associate tutor for Botany and most recently the National Plant Monitoring Scheme for whom he was a mentor to new volunteers.  

Howard was also keen to contribute widely to local conservation and to his communities; he was one of the essential few that undertake regular WeBS counts on the Mersey, a regular with the Liverpool Botanical Society and of course a founding member of our own Merseyside BioBank Active Naturalists for which he authored a host of newsletter articles under his “nom de plume” ‘Hugh Harris.’ 

He was highly active supporting parks groups, in particular those of Court Hey Park and Childwall Woods and Fields where his knowledge and enthusiasm were always highly valued. Howard saw the importance of our parks for people and nature and was ever supportive of their improvement for both. 

Howard was positive, enthusiastic, curious and cared deeply for people and wildlife in his local patch. I will forever recall with fondness our local site surveys over at Childwall and our somewhat blindly hopeful attempts to locate and update geological sites dotted through Liverpool and Knowsley. 

Howard leaves a legacy through his family and of course through all those he has helped and supported through the years. 

Ben Deed – Merseyside BioBank