John S. Rodwell (1946 – present) is anecologist who was based at theUniversity of Lancaster, noted for his role in the development of theBritish National Vegetation Classification and as editor of the five volumes ofBritish Plant Communities.^[1]

Rodwell graduated inBotany from theUniversity of Leeds in 1968, then researchedlimestone vegetation at theUniversity of Southampton underJoyce Lambert for hisPhD inBiology, awarded in 1974. He also trained for the priesthood atRipon College Cuddesdon,University of Oxford, maintaining this vocation as anon-stipendiary priest since 1974 in theDiocese of Blackburn since 1975 and ishonorary canon ofBlackburn Cathedral.^[2][3][4][5]

In the same year, 1975, he became co-ordinator of research leading to the development of theBritish National Vegetation Classification (NVC). atLancaster University, becoming editor of the NVC, a task that dominated his working life for more than two decades.^[2] All five volumes ofBritish Plant Communities, which describe the NVC, were edited by Rodwell.^[6]

He joined the faculty of Lancaster University in 1991, was made Professor of Ecology in 1997 and retired in 2004 but has continued to teach and publish since then. In 2009 he was awarded theInstitute of Ecology and Environmental Management medal of honour.^[2]

He is a Honorary Member of theInternational Association for Vegetation Science (2010).^[7]

• 1946 births
• Living people
• English ecologists
• British National Vegetation Classification
• Alumni of the University of Leeds
• Alumni of the University of Southampton
• Academics of Lancaster University
• 20th-century English Anglican priests
• 21st-century English Anglican priests

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