James Clement

Jim Clement 1953-1991

Jim graduated from Lincoln College with the Post Graduate Diploma in Landscape Architecture in 1977. With his warm open character and enthusiasm for life Jim was well known and liked amongst Landscape Architects. These character traits, his ease of communication, and landscape vision, made him a successful landscape architect.

On graduating Jim joined the Ministry of Works & Development (MWD) in Palmerston North and moved to Wanganui in 1978 as Senior Landscape Architect, later becoming District Landscape architect. Over these years Jim pioneered the promotion of broad scale landscape philosophies in the Wanganui/Taranaki area in an assertive and positive way.

His more significant achievements included: -Major site planning and landscape development for the Waiouru Military Camp,

    -Wanganui Boys College,

    -Wanganui Community College,

    -Natural Gas/Synthetic Fuels plant at Bell Block/Taranaki (New Plymounth)

    -Management of the Beautiful New Zealand Programme in Wanganui/Taranaki,

    -Development of techniques for batter restoration associated with State Highway realignment,

    -Organisation of the joint M.W.D Landscape/Planning Conference held in Wanganui during 1985 with Craig Mills (Planner).

In 1987 Jim joined the then newly formed Department of Conservation, Wanganui, as Senior Public Relations Officer. This position allowed Jim to pursue all his interests and abilities, his love for people and the outdoors, his commitment to conservation, and his skill as a communicator and motivator generating public and media interest in conservation issues.

Projects and responsibilities (in association with others) during this time included:

    -Responsibility for all DOC Wanganui Region Public Awareness Campaigns,

    -Regional and National coordination of Clematis vitalba – old Man's Beard campaign,

    -Mangonui a-te-ao National Conservation order,

    -Generating an awareness of the problems surrounding coastal discharge of sewage effluent into the Wanganui River,

   -Video on the Conservation of Mt Aorangi,

   -Organisation of Summer Programmes.

Jim practiced what he preached; he was active in the New Zealand permaculture movement and implemented these philosophies in the development of a poultry business, supplying free range organic eggs and poultry to major supermarket chains in the Wellington and Taranaki area. The ideal, which he successfully achieved, was to convert a typical 10 acre block into a self-sustaining and economic business unit.

Jim was direct in his desires and actions for improving the situation of family, friends, the landscape and landscape architects. His early death will be a loss to his many friends and to the profession alike.

Jim passed away on the 30^th September 1991, and is survived oy his wife Gail and three children, Delwyn, Bevan and Jasmine. (Source: The Landscape 48)