Charles Gordon Hewitt

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Charles Gordon Hewitt (February 23, 1885 – February 29, 1920) was a Canadian entomologist and a pioneer of conservation biology. He served as the dominion entomologist of Canada from 1909 and played a key role in reforming Canada’s approach to pests, wildlife, and conservation.

Early life and education
- Born in Macclesfield, England, to Thomas Henry Hewitt and Rachel Frost.
- Studied at The King Edward VI Grammar School in Macclesfield, then at the University of Manchester (1902–1909).
- Earned a BSc (1902), MSc (1903), and a DSc (1909).
- Became an assistant lecturer in zoology in 1902 and a lecturer in economic zoology in 1909.
- Was involved with the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, serving as Secretary (1908–09).

Department of Agriculture and entomology reform
- Appointed dominion entomologist of Canada in May 1909, traveling to Canada in September 1909.
- Overhauled the entomology service in the Department of Agriculture, expanding it from a small division to its own branch with four divisions: systemic entomology, field-crop and garden insects, forest insects, and foreign-pest suppression.
- Recruited leading entomologists of the time and, in 1916, also became consulting zoologist to the dominion.
- Played a central role in the Destructive Insect and Pest Act of 1910, drafting the act and establishing twelve field laboratories to study insect problems regionally.

Conservation biology
- Worked with the Department of the Interior on parks, forestry, bird sanctuaries, game preserves, and wildlife protection.
- Contributed to the 1916 Migratory Birds Convention between Canada and the United States.
- Helped negotiate the Northwest Game Act of 1917, setting hunting regulations for birds and animals in northern Canada.

Publications and legacy
- Published over 130 articles, monographs, and reports on conservation biology and pest control.
- Authored influential books, including The Conservation of Wild Life in Canada and Miscellaneous Papers on Insects.
- Held numerous professional roles and was highly regarded by many scientific societies (e.g., Entomological Society of London, Zoological Society of London, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Entomological Society of America, and the Royal Society of Canada). He also led the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club.
- The C. Gordon Hewitt Award is named in his honor, given annually by the Entomological Society of Canada to young contributors in entomology.

Awards and other activities
- Received the gold medal of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in 1918 for his work on the Migratory Birds Convention and the Northwest Game Act.
- Beyond his scientific work, Hewitt served as president of the Ottawa Boys’ Home, a councilor of the Ottawa Humane Society, and was the founding president of the Professional Institute of the Civil Service of Canada in 1920 (later renamed the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada in 1950).

Death
- After returning from the Federal Commission of Conservation in Montreal in February 1920, Hewitt contracted influenza, which developed into pleural pneumonia.
- He died on February 29, 1920, at the age of 35.

Charles Gordon Hewitt is remembered as a trailblazer in Canadian entomology and conservation, whose work helped modernize the country’s approach to pest control, wildlife protection, and conservation science.