Ronald James McLean (22 January 1914 – 26 May 1980) was a New Zealand farmer, aviator, community leader and environmental campaigner. He was born in Wyndham, New Zealand, on 22 January 1914. McLean is best known as spokesperson for the

Save Manapouri campaign The Save Manapouri campaign was an environmental campaign waged between 1969 and 1972 in New Zealand to prevent the raising of the levels of lakes Manapouri and Te Anau as part of the construction of the Manapouri Power Project. Origins The ...

. He chaired the Southland committee of the group and travelled the country, speaking to numerous audiences. In the end, there were 19 committees throughout the nation and McLean had helped establish most of them. After the 1972 general election brought a change of government, the Labour Party made good of its election promise and appointed six Guardians of Lake Manapouri in 1973. McLean was a Guardian until his death. In the 1974 New Year Honours, McLean was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, for services to the community. McLean died at Kennington on 26 May 1980 aged 66.

References

1914 births 1980 deaths New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire 20th-century New Zealand farmers New Zealand conservationists People from Wyndham, New Zealand Burials at Eastern Cemetery, Invercargill {{environmentalist-stub