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by James R. Troyer (Author)
Through the pioneering efforts of ecologist B. W. Wells (1884-1978), thousands of North Carolinians learned to appreciate and protect the state's diverse plant life long before ecology and conservation became popular causes.
A keen observer of the natural landscape, Wells provided the first scientific descriptions in modern terms of the forces that shaped coastal communities, bogs and savannahs, the Carolina bays, pine forests, old fields, and mountain grassy balds. But the broader impact of his life lay in his championship and popularization of nature. Outside academic circles, he shared his knowledge through public lectures, articles, and lobbying efforts, and by teaching anyone who would listen. In 1932 he produced for his Tar Heel audience a revolutionary work on the plant ecology of the state, The Natural Gardens of North Carolina. Organized by habitat, this volume is still entertaining and instructive.
Wells received his Ph.D. in botany from the University of Chicago in 1917 and served as chair of the North Carolina State College botany department for thirty years. He was a memorable teacher and a significant force in the development of his academic institution.
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Through the pioneering efforts of ecologist B. W. Wells (1884-1978), thousands of North Carolinians learned to appreciate and protect the state's diverse plant life long before ecology and conservation became popular causes. Nature's Champion tells the remarkable story of this North Carolina State College scientist who devoted his career to studying the vegetation of the state. A keen observer of the natural landscape, Wells provided the first scientific descriptions in modern terms of the forces that shaped coastal communities, bogs and savannahs, the Carolina bays, pine forests, old fields, and mountain grassy balds. But the broader impact of his life lay in his championship and popularization of nature. Not content to confine his voice to the halls of science, Wells shared his knowledge through public lectures, articles, and lobbying efforts, and by teaching anyone who would listen. In 1932 he produced for his Tar Heel audience a revolutionary book on the state's plant ecology and wildflowers, The Natural Gardens of North Carolina. Organized by habitat, this volume is still entertaining and instructive. Wells received his Ph.D. in botany from the University of Chicago in 1917 and moved to Raleigh in 1919 as chair of the North Carolina State College Department of Botany, a position he held for thirty years. He was a memorable teacher and a significant force in the development of his academic institution. Always an outspoken advocate of intellectual excellence and freedom, he carried the fight for those principles to the public and the state legislature in the antievolution controversy of the 1920s. During his long retirement Wells converted a run-down Wake County farm into a privatenature center. This haven on the Neuse River has since been set aside in his memory as a natural area for everyone to enjoy as he did. James Troyer's fine biography of Bertram Whittier Wells will appeal to readers who care about nature and its conservation. Because of the detail provided, it also will be a valuable source for those interested in the special histories of botany, ecology, forestry, and agriculture as well as the development of North Carolina State University and the city of Raleigh.
