John Daniel Ambrose

John Daniel Ambrose is, above all else, a botanist.

In 1974, he received a Ph.D. in Botany from Cornell University. Soon after he was hired as the Curator for the University of Guelph Arboretum at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. During his time as Curator, Ambrose worked tirelessly to catalogue native tree species, and to "save the environment" by planting trees. Ambrose dug holes, cultivated wild areas, and educated both the young and the old on the import of establishing diverse, native ecologies true to the relevant bioregion. After almost twenty years of devoting his time to the Arboretum and its commitment to the environment, the newly elected Conservative government eliminated many of the positions belonging to persons who had worked to maintain the equilibrium of nature and humans. Thus, with many of his colleagues, Ambrose was let go. During his time as Curator at the Metro Toronto Zoo, Ambrose continued to labour to re-establish the networks of plants, animals, and education which hover in such a tenuous balance in one of the world's most fertile eco-systems. Most notably, Ambrose established a Butterfly Garden that is the envy of Monarchs near and far.

In Ambrose's retirement, his dedication to peace and mother earth can be seen in his efforts to ward off big development as a volunteer for his local city council and build a home which will eventually allow him and his community to live "off the grid".