John Spurgeon Henkel

Johannes Elias Spurgeon Henkel aka John Spurgeon Henkel (1871 in Peddie, Eastern Cape – 5 April 1962 in Pietermaritzburg), was a South African botanist and forester. He was deeply involved in the conservation of forests in southern Africa and the introduction of exotic species such as Eucalyptus to Zululand.

Life and career Henkel was the son of the soldier, painter and botanist Caesar Carl Hans Henkel (1839-1913) and his wife Auguste Henkel (née Radue). He was the eldest of 12 children. He was educated at Dale College, King William's Town and in 1888 he joined the Cape Forest Department, working as an assistant to the conservator of forests in the Eastern Cape for several years. He was promoted to district forest officer of King William's Town in 1893 and compiled survey maps of Port Alfred (in 1894) and the forested area of Bathurst (in 1895). In 1898 he became district forest officer of Stutterheim.