Richard Hebda joined the Royal BC Museum in 1980 and retired after 37 years in 2017. Richard was Curator of Botany and Earth History from 1986 until retirement and remains active in museum research projects. Since 1984 he has held a faculty positions and taught at the University of Victoria (Biology, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Environmental Studies). His PhD in botany is from the University of British Columbia.

Richard studies plant fossils and their distribution over time and place to shed light on the condition, history and evolution of BC’s landscape and climate. He also studies ethnobotany of BC First Nations, restoration of natural systems and processes, ecology and origins of Garry Oak and alpine ecosystems and botany of grasses.

With his graduate students, he has written more than 130 scientific papers and 250 popular articles. He has co-authored or co-editor of eight books and major reports, and served as the province’s expert advisor on Burns Bog and science advisor on paleontology. He has been awarded the Queen’s Jubilee medal for his work in palaeontology and the national Bruce Naylor award for natural history curatorship.