Léon Lippens (naturalist)

Count Léon Anne Marie Ghislain Lippens (6 September 1911 – 16 June 1986) was a Belgian nobleman, politician and naturalist who was involved in nature conservation.

Lippens was born in Bulskampveld Castle in Beernem to forester Raymond (1875-1964) and Ghislaine Félicie Marie Joséphine Cornélie de Béthune (1889–1969).

He wrote that "it is as stupid to drain the last of our great marshes, with their wealth of wildlife, as it would be to demolish the Cathedral of Chartres to plant potatoes.

Although Lippens' father had been raised to nobility in 1921, his title of Count became transferrable in 1949 and he received it following the death of his father-in-law in 1959.

A subspecies of the African thrush Geokichla guttata, lippensi, was named after him Michel Louette and Alexandre Prigogine in 1984.