Remebering Gray Merriam- A Kind Force for Nature

Gray Merriam was a force for nature, and a kind one. He never stopped speaking up for the land, the waters, and our animal friends. To those of us who knew him, that steady dedication was part of what made him such a dear friend. Gray died on October 17, 2026, in Kingston, Ontario, at the age of 94. For 30 years, he made his home at the headwaters of the Salmon River.

Gray grew up exploring the countryside near the headwaters of the Credit River. His curiosity about how animals live took him from studying wildlife biology in Guelph to doctoral research at Cornell, where he built small radio transmitters to follow groundhogs underground. It was pioneering work in wildlife radio-tracking, born of a simple question about what animals do when we can no longer see them.

At Carleton University, Gray and his students helped shape the field of landscape ecology in North America. They looked at the countryside around Ottawa as a mosaic of fields, fencerows, and woodlots, asking how the arrangement of those places affected the plants and animals that lived there. Their work helped show why the connections between habitats matter. Gray mentored generations of ecologists, helped found the International Association for Landscape Ecology, and received the Latornell Conservation Pioneer Award.

Here in The Land Between, where the Canadian Shield meets the lowlands, Gray put that knowledge to work close to home. He helped start the Friends of the Salmon River, chaired the Frontenac Stewardship Council, and advised the Kennebec Lake Association. He wrote books and local newspaper columns because he believed the people who live on the land have a hand in shaping its future. With his life partner, Aileen, he explored rivers across Canada by canoe, and through his photography and writing he shared the beauty he found in the places he knew.

We will miss Gray’s kindness, his curiosity, and the persistence with which he spoke up for the wild neighbours we share this land with. We’re grateful for his friendship and for all the years he gave to caring for the places we call home. Our thoughts are with Aileen, their family, and everyone who loved him.

Read Gray Merriam’s obituary