By Susan Fisher

On December 27, John Coope – scientist, naturalist, mountaineer, trail-builder, husband and father, and a long time member of Nature Vancouver – died at home. His wife Marian, his two children, and his grandchildren were by his side. John had been suffering from cancer for many years, but up until the fall of 2025, he carried on without any apparent diminution of energy. A founding member of the Jericho Stewardship Group, John came to every work party for more than twenty years. In addition, he often worked in the park on his own, clearing loosestrife, wild chervil, and yellow flag iris. John identified and removed lesser Celandine before it could get established at Jericho. He also methodically went after knotweed, digging up the roots and taking them home to burn. While invasive experts say that glyphosate is the only treatment for knotweed, John managed through sheer persistence to reduce significantly its presence in Jericho. His knowledge of the park — he had catalogued more than 300 plant species found at Jericho— and his commitment earned him the admiration of all the Jericho volunteers. Nature Vancouver recognized John’s work with the Davidson award for conservation in 2014. In 2019, John received a Nature Inspiration award from the Canadian Museum of Nature in the Lifetime Achievement category; in 2024, he received the Sovereign’s Medal for volunteers, awarded by the office of the Governor General. 

The members of the Jericho Stewardship Group will miss John very much. His distinctively shabby Tilley hat and somewhat ragged red jacket were always part of the scene at JSG work parties. As one of our members said, we can best remember John by trying to live like him.