Noted Conservationist
 Donates Collection to University Library

Over 1,700 monographs, pamphlets, periodicals, and personal papers have been donated to the University Library in memory of Dr. Laurence R. Jahn by his wife, Helen F. Jahn.  The "Dr. Laurence R. Jahn Collection" represents a research library in environment and wildlife studies.  Each item will receive a custom inscribed bookplate.  The bulk of the materials will be made available through the University Library's Web Catalog to our university community, and to scholars around the world. The boxes of personal papers containing valuable materials relating to national wildlife policy will be housed in University Archives.

The collection could not have found a better home, as Dr. Jahn was born, grew up, was educated and began his career in Wisconsin prior to achieving national recognition.  It is only fitting that his working library returns to our state and to the institution that houses one of the nation's premier academic programs, UWSP's College of Natural Resources.

Dr. Jahn was born in 1926 in Jefferson, Wisconsin.  He received bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  His doctorate, in wildlife management, was from a program founded in 1939 by Aldo Leopold, long considered the father of modern wildlife management. In 1949 Jahn began a professional career as a wildlife research biologist for the Wisconsin Conservation Department (now the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) in charge of research on migratory birds and aquatic habitats.  The research of Dr. Jahn and his colleagues soon set the standard for waterfowl management practices throughout the Mississippi Valley.

In 1959, following his ten-year tenure with the Wisconsin Conservation Department, Dr. Jahn joined The Wildlife Management Institute as field representative for the North Central States. His accomplishments carried him to Washington, D.C. in 1970, where he became the Director of Conservation for The Wildlife Management Institute.  His fellow natural resource colleagues nicknamed him "Our Man in Washington."  At our nation's capitol he advised natural resources management agencies, professional societies, Congress, and the executive branch.  He served as Vice President of the Wildlife Management Institute from 1971 to 1987 and President until 1991.  He retired in 1991 as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Jahn's work, widely recognized in scientific and political circles, included serving as Chairman (1983-1985) of the Natural Resources Council of America, Secretary-Treasurer (1974-1985) of the North American Wildlife Foundation, Secretary (1970-1990) of the Wildfowl Foundation, Chairman (1977-1989) of the National Watershed Congress, Chairman (1990-1991) of the U.S. Implementation Board for the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Chairman (1981-1986) of the Agriculture/Conservation Coalition, President (1979-1980) of The Wildlife Society, Chairman (1983-1985) of the Chief of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board and Chairman (1972-1988) of the annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference.  In 1989 he won the Aldo Leopold Medal of the Wildlife Society for his work in conservation.

His scholarship covered a wide range of topics, including waterfowl management, nongame wildlife, habitat management, groundwater resources, wildlife refuges, wilderness, riparian issues, wetlands, marshes, estuaries, water use and management, soil conservation, public and private land management, open space, recreational access, trespass, and liability and conservation law.

Dr. Jahn died Aug. 15, 2000, in Fairfax, Virginia.