Ben Gadd

Box 1557, Jasper, Alberta, Canada T0E 1E0

780-852-4012  •  bengadd@telus.net

Résumé to September 2006

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Education

BA.Sc. (Earth Science) University of Lethbridge, 1972

Experience

2004 on: President, Verdant Pass Ltd.

2000: Sessional Instructor, Environmental Science, Lakeland College,

Yellowhead Region Educational Consortium, Hinton, Alberta

1988 on: Sessional Instructor, Grant MacEwan College, Yellowhead Region Educational Consortium, Hinton, Alberta

1987–1994: Resource Instructor, Blue Lake Centre, Hinton, Alberta

1986–2004: owner/manager, Corax Press and Ben Gadd Interpretive Services

1986–2004: cave guide, Cadomin Cave, Whitehorse Wildland Park

1985 on: federally licensed interpretive guide, Jasper National Park

1981–1985: Seasonal Park Interpreter (naturalist), Jasper National Park

1976–1980: Instructor, Communication Arts Dept., Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Calgary

Also Sessional Instructor, Journalism Dept., Mount Royal College, Calgary 1977–1979

1969 on: freelance writer, editorial consultant, graphic designer

Awards  

Master Interpreter honorary designation, Mountain Parks Heritage Interpretation Association, 2006

Lauran L. Goulden Memorial Award (provincial natural-history award), 2000

Andy Russell Nature Writing Award (national award), 1995

Three awards, Banff Mountain Book Festival (international), 1995, 2001 and 2003

Interpretation Canada Award of Merit (national award), 1991

Affiliations

Senior Member, Interpretation Canada

Professional Interpreter Certification, Mountain Parks Heritage Interpretation Association

Board Member, Friends of Jasper National Park, 1989–2005

Member, Alberta Speleological Society, and various conservation and natural-history organizations

Main area of expertise

Authority on the natural history of the Canadian Rockies. Geology a special interest.

Guiding and natural-history interpretation

Evening programs, guided walks, bus tours, slide shows, prop talks, literature, exhibits,

interpretive-trail design and signage. Favorite topics: natural history of the Canadian Rockies and mountain recreation.

Public speaking

Talks on conservation issues and the value of wilderness.

Teaching

Natural-history courses and field trips. Post-secondary instruction in writing (especially technical and business writing), graphics and speech, park interpretation. Course design, preparation of teaching materials, presentation of lectures and workshops.

Writing, editing, radio and television, film

Writing and media work for the public on technical subjects (especially natural history of the Canadian Rockies), recreation and conservation. Books, magazine articles, commentaries, speeches, essays, book reviews, fiction. Interpretive writing, public-relations writing. Technical editing, copy editing. Working with printers. Author readings and literary presentations. Interviews and appearances in radio and television documentaries.

Graphics and design

Literature and interpretive-sign design. Electronic layout. Maps, graphs, diagrams. Interpretive signs, brochures, posters, advertisements, books. Photography.

Business

Interpretive consulting and guiding. Publishing. Operation of non-profit organizations. Familiar with operating in national parks.

Personal

Born 1946. Canadian citizen. Married, with two adult sons.

References

Sherrill Meropoulis, Heritage Program Officer, Jasper National Park 780-852-6154

James Little, Editor, Explore magazine, Toronto 877-874-5253

Jackie Flanagan, Publisher, AlbertaViews magazine, Calgary  403-243-5334

Theresa Agnew, Manager, Grant MacEwan College Writing Works, Edmonton 780- 497-5366

Ken Mezerecky, Infrastructure Mgmt., Alberta Community Development 403-845-8595 (interpretive signs)

Andy Van Imschoot, Manager, William A. Switzer Provincial Park 780-865-5600 (interpretive signs)

Representative publications

Since 1970 I have written, edited, designed, published or otherwise helped to produce many books, periodical articles, technical reports, contract proposals, consultant’s studies, government submissions, briefs, brochures, graphics, teaching materials and interpretive signs. Here are some selected examples.

1975   The Century Calgary Historical Series. A major municipal/provincial publishing project that produced 40 simultaneously released titles on Calgary’s history. My job: editorial and production coordination.

1977   The Geological History of Yoho Valley. A Parks Canada exhibit near Field, British Columbia. Conceptual design, writing and maquettes for three accompanying geological models.

1978   Mountains and Valleys: a Guide to the Landscape of Waterton Lakes National Park. Twenty-two-page booklet for park visitors. Writing, design and layout of this Parks Canada publication.

1978   The Columbia Mountains (Interior Ranges) of British Columbia: a Summary of Geology and Geography. Lengthy technical report for Parks Canada, for use by planners and park naturalists at Glacier and Mt. Revelstoke national parks.

1980   Lake Louise Exhibit Texts. Writing and suggested graphics for 22 Parks Canada exhibit panels in Banff National Park.

1980   Climbing at Wasootch Slabs. Thirty-six-page climber’s guidebook published by Rocky Mountain Books, Calgary.

1981   The Maligne Lake Factsheet. Poster-size information sheet and map for Parks Canada.

1981   “Uphill from Jasper,” article in Today magazine, Victoria Day issue. First publication in a national magazine. Light account of a father-and-son bicycle trip between Jasper and Banff. With photo.

1982   Jasper National Park. Parks Canada map tailored to supply often-requested visitor information. Design, layout.

1982   Rivers on Borrowed Time, by J. Eisenhauer and B. Kolar. Editing, design and layout of this Alberta Wilderness Association publication.

1983   Bird’s-eye View of Jasper National Park. Cartoon-style map for kids, showing park highlights. Design, artwork

1983   Mount Edith Cavell Exhibit Texts. Writing for 18 interpretive signs along the Cavell Road in Jasper National Park.

1986   Handbook of the Canadian Rockies, Corax Press. A comprehensive (831-page) multidisciplinary guide to the region for naturalists and recreationists. Winner of national and international awards. Writing, design, graphics, production and marketing. A Canadian 50,000 best-seller, now in its second edition (1995, reprinted 1999 and 2003).

1989   Bankhead: a Story of Coal-mining in Banff National Park. Text for this Parks Canada book, originally co-published by the Canadian Coal Association and now reprinted by the Friends of Banff National Park.

1989   Nature’s Wonderlands: National Parks of the World. Technical editing of the chapter on Canadian Rockies parks in this National Geographic Society book. (After guiding the Geographer’s authors and photographers, I was surprised to find myself written up and pictured in the text.) I have done other guiding and editing work for the society.

1990   The Blue Lake Centre Nature Trail. Design and guide booklet for an interpretive trail at Blue Lake Centre, an outdoor-education facility run at that time by the Alberta government. I have done similar work, including the design and placement of interpretive signs, for other self-guiding trails and roadside interpretive stops throughout the Canadian Rockies.

1992   The Rockies: Canada’s Magnificent Wilderness. Text for this 128-page pictorial book on the Rockies between Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and Mount Robson, co-published by Firefly and Beautiful America. Photographs by Paul Lally and John Winnie. A best-seller.

1993   Glaciers. Script-editing and technical consulting on  this educational film by the National Geographic Society. I have worked on three other films for the society—The Rocky Mountains (1991), The Northlands (1992), and Signs of Nature (1995)—and have edited two articles for National Geographic Traveler magazine.

1994    “The Gathering Place,” short story read on CBC Radio’s Alberta Anthology program two years in a row at Christmas.

1995   Of Rocks, Mountains and Jasper: a Visitor’s Guide to the Geology of Jasper National Park. Co-author with Chris Yorath  (Where Terranes Collide) of this 150-page book, co-published by the Geological Survey of Canada and University of Toronto Press.

1998   Day-hiker’s Guide to Jasper National Park and Summer Trails. Writing, design, maps,  electronic layout and printing coordination of this brochure, published by Parks Canada and updated annually. Was also responsible for the major trail-signage project that preceded it.

1999   “Dad does the Dolomites,” feature in Explore magazine, September 1999. One of several over the years for this periodical. Photos.

2001    Raven’s End, my first novel, published by McClelland & Stewart, Toronto. A national best-seller in its first year. Winner of the Canadian Rockies Award, Banff Mountain Book Festival 2001. Translations thus far: German, Italian, Dutch, Danish.

2003   The Yam. Co-author with Chic Scott and David Dornian of this book on Yamnuska, a favorite peak in the Rockies west of Calgary. Contributed natural history, human history and trail-guide sections. Published by Rocky Mountain Books. Winner, Canadian Rockies Award, Banff Mountain Book Festival 2003.

2004    “The Meatmaker,” feature on twinning the Trans-Canada Highway through Banff National Park for AlbertaViews magazine, March 2005 issue. I have written a regular column for this magazine and have done other features.

Photographs appearing in exhibitions

1994    “Climbers on Mt. Robson,” shown in The Rainbow Range, exhibit at Whyte Museum Gallery, Banff.

1995    “Mountaineer in storm on Mt. Athabasca,” shown in Images of Hope, a travelling Hope Foundation exhibit shown at the Laverty Gallery, Edmonton, and elsewhere.

2006    A number of images shown by the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., at the "Alberta at the Smithsonian" event.

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