Name:	Anthonie van Laar
Nationality:	Dutch
Date of birth:	6 September 1923
Profession:	Forestry Biometrician
Company:	Independent
Position:	Forestry Consultant
Specialisation:	Tree growth and yield modelling Forest inventory

Ton van Laar has a distinguished academic and research career in forest mensuration and biometry, spanning some 40 years at the University of Stellenbosch.  His achievements include an Honorary Professorship from the University of Münich (1985) and being awarded the Burckhart prize from the University of Göttingen (1997), Germany.  He has written two technical books on forest mensuration and biometry, contributed papers regularly to IUFRO congresses and symposia and published extensively in international journals.  Since January 1997 he has been editor of the series “Forest Mensurational Technical Notes for the South African Forest Industry”.  A summary of his key experiences includes:

• 1998 to present : Associate consultant with Fractal Forest.
• 1989 to 1998 : Ad hoc consulting activities and writing of books.
• 1986-1988 : Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, retired December 1988, Univ. Stellenbosch
• 1975-1988 : Full Professor, Forest Management, Univ. Stellenbosch
• 1973-1975 : Associate Professor, Biometry and Mensuration, Univ. Stellenbosch
• 1959-1978 : Senior-Lecturer, Biometry and Mensuration, Univ. Stellenbosch
• 1949-1959 : Research officer in the Department of Tropical Forestry at the University of Wageningen, The Netherlands.

• 1978 : Dr.rer.silv.hab. University of Mnich.  Thesis : Biometrische Methoden in der Forstwissenschaft, Vol I and II.
• 1973 : Dr.oec.pub., University of Mnich, Germany (summa cum laude). Thesis : Needle Biomass, Growth and Growth Distribution of Pinus radiata in South Africa in relation to pruning and thinning. Münich .
• 1961 : D.Sc.in Forest Science, University of Stellenbosch. Thesis : Silvicultural and economic investigations in Eucalyptus grandis (saligna) in South Africa.
• 1949 : Agricultural engineer, University of Wageningen, Netherlands.