MacFarlane, John Malcolm

He was the son of Commander George R. MacFarlane. After his naval service he joined the National Parks Service of Canada in 1969 (later known as Parks Canada) and served in Fundy National Park New Brunswick as a Seasonal Park Naturalist in 1969 and 1970.

He was appointed as Chief Park Naturalist in 1971-1973.

In 1972 he was an Active (Full) Canadian Member of the Association of Interpretive Naturalists in the USA.

In 1973 he was one of the participants in the organizing meeting at Dorset ON for the Association of Canadian Interpreters (the fore-runner of Interpretation Canada) and served as a founding Director.

He was appointed as the Regional Interpretive Planner for Parks Canada Western Region in Calgary AB in 1973.

In 1974 he was a member of the original organizing committee of the Board of Directors of the Association of Canadian Interpreters - the predecessor of Interpretation Canada.

He was appointed to the National Park Program HQ in Ottawa in 1978 as Head of Interpretation Planning. During this period he was seconded (by CIDA) to the Jamaica Department of Natural Resources (Kingston Jamaica) to establish a national interpretation and environmental education program.

In 1982 he was the Publicity and Marketing Committee Chair for Interpretation Canada.

In 1984 he was awarded the National Distinguished Service Award of Interpretation Canada.

He was appointed as Chief of Interpretation and Extension at the Parks Canada Western Regional Office in Calgary AB until his resignation in 1986.

In 1986-1988 he was Vice-President of the Cordillera Communications Corporation at Calgary AB working on projects in the UK, Australia and Canada.

In 1988-1994 he was the Director and Curator of the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, Victoria BC.

In 1995 he was appointed as Curator Emeritus of the Maritime Museum of British Columbia.

In 1994 he became the Principal Consultant with Heritage Tourism Consulting at Port Alberni BC, and moving to Qualicum Beach BC in 1997-2001.

He joined the Greater Vancouver Regional District as the Resource Management Planner in 1999.

In 2003 he was the Senior Policy Analyst for Intergovernmental Affairs for the Greater Vancouver Regional District (later Metro Vancouver).

In 2011 he retired as the Manager of Planning, Natural Resource Management and Development Engineering for the MetroVancouver Regional Parks.

In 2010-present (2025) he was the Curator of the Nauticapedia Project (a project begun in 1973 without a name) and the British Columbia Nautical History Facebook Group.

He is the author of 15 books on protected areas, biology and maritime/naval history and heritage.

In 1963-1964 he served as a Corporal in the US Army JROTC.

He served as a Petty Officer (Sea Cadet) in RCSCC Nelson (Halifax NS) 1964-1966.

He was appointed as an Officer Cadet (UNTD) RCN(R) (With seniority dated 01/09/1966).

He served in HMCS Scotian for UNTD in 1966.

He served in HMCS Cornwallis For Training 1967.

He served in HMCS Porte St. Jean for Sea Training 1967.

He served in HMCS Stadacona as Additional For Training 1967.

He served in HMCS Scotian for UNTD 1967.

He served in HMCS Naden (HMCS Malahat Reserve Training Division) for Training 1968.

He served in HMCS Porte Quebec for Sea Training 1968.

He served in Canadian Forces Fleet School for Pre-Fleet Qualifying Courses 1968.

He was appointed as an A/Sub-Lieutenant RCN(R) (With seniority dated 01/09/1968). (He was released 1968.) (Transferred to Supplementary Reserve 1968).

In 2018 he was awarded the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers.

He was awarded the Interpretation Canada National Distinguished Service Award in 1984.

He was appointed as the Curator Emeritus of the Maritime Museum of British Columbia in 1995.

In 2018 he was awarded the Maritime Museum of British Columbia's S.S. Beaver Medal for Maritime Excellence.

In 2019 he was appointed as an Honorary Member of the Company of Master Mariners of Canada.

In 1981 he received a Grant of Arms from the Court of the Lord Lyon King of Arms, Edinburgh Scotland.

He is a Best Selling author and in 2020 he shared the John Lyman Book Prize of the North American Society for Oceanic History for his book “Around the World in a Dugout Canoe: The Untold Story of Captain John Voss and the Tilikum”.

In 2021 he published Shipwreck! A chronicle of marine accidents and disasters in British Columbia - and The Paddlewheelers of Western North America.

He was awarded the British Columbia Provincial Health Officer's Commendation for Excellence in Public Health for his work on Inter-Sectoral Prevention of West Nile Virus.