Mauricio González-Gordon y Díez
Mauricio González-Gordon y Díez | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 October 1923 Hampton Hill, London, United Kingdom |
| Died | 27 September 2013 (aged 89) Jerez de la Frontera, Spain |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Alma mater | University of Seville |
| Known for | preservation efforts of Doñana National Park, sherry business |
| Title | Marquis of Bonanza (1980–2013) |
| Spouse | Milagro López de Carrizosa y Eizaguirre |
| Children | 2 |
Mauricio González-Gordon y Díez, Marquis of Bonanza (18 October 1923 – 27 September 2013) was a Spanish sherry maker and a conservationist. Most of his life he worked for the family company, González Byass, where he increased its exports to a worldwide level. His family estate was located in the wetland region called Doñana in southern Spain and was threatened by drainage efforts in the early 1950s. González-Gordon with the help of researchers and international support managed to preserve the site, while at the same time donating some of his family land to the conservation effort. Afterward, González-Gordon became one of the founders of the Spanish Ornithological Society in 1954. His conservation efforts for Doñana culminated in the creation of the Doñana National Park in 1969. The area was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.