Lance McCaskill

{{Short description|New Zealand agricultural instructor, lecturer, conservationist, writer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}

{{Infobox scientist

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| name = Lance McCaskill

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CBE|size=100%}}

| image = Lance McCaskill.jpg

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| caption = McCaskill in 1945

| birth_name = Lancecot William McCaskill

| birth_date = {{birth date |1900|05|08|df=y}}

| birth_place = Winchester, New Zealand

| death_date = {{death date and age |1985|08|09|1900|05|08|df=y}}

| death_place = Christchurch, New Zealand

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| thesis_title = Fertilizers in New Zealand, 1867–1929

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| thesis_year = 1929

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| children = Margery Blackman (b.1930)

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Lancelot William McCaskill {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CBE|size=85%}} (8 May 1900 – 9 August 1985) was a New Zealand agricultural instructor, lecturer, conservationist and writer. Born in Winchester, South Canterbury, New Zealand, he became aware of soil erosion problems in 1929 through his work towards his master's thesis Fertilizers in New Zealand, 1867–1929.{{cite thesis |last=McCaskill |first=L.W. |year=1929 |type=Masters thesis |title=Fertilizers in New Zealand, 1867-1929 |publisher=Research@Lincoln, Canterbury Agricultural College |hdl=10182/8795 |url=https://researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz/handle/10182/8795}} He argued in favour of land management and conservation over downstream engineering solutions.{{DNZB|title=Lancelot William McCaskill|first= P. J.|last= Perry|id=5m6|accessdate=23 April 2017}} His long career of public advocacy for soil conservation made him a pioneer of environmentalism, as it is understood today.

In the 1969 New Year Honours, McCaskill was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to agriculture and soil conservation.{{London Gazette |issue=44742 |date=1 January 1969 |page=42 |supp=3}} He was awarded an honorary DSc by the University of Canterbury in 1978.{{cite web |title=Honorary Graduates |url=http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/theuni/council/Honorary%20Graduates/Annual_Recipient_List_2014.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714125030/http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/theuni/council/Honorary%20Graduates/Annual_Recipient_List_2014.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 July 2014 |publisher=University of Canterbury |accessdate=14 June 2014 }}

McCaskill died in Christchurch on 9 August 1985.