Who He Was _____________________________________________________________

Howard Zahniser
Who He Was

The histories of the Zahniser family and Greenville College have intermingled for almost 100 years. It is fitting, therefore, that the institute for environmental studies, established in 1995 and located on the Greenville College campus, be named after an alumnus who stood among the giants of early wilderness preservationists. On November 7, 1998, the Zahniser Institute for Environmental Studies was dedicated in honor of distinguished alumnus Howard Clinton Zahniser.

Howard Zahniser graduated from Greenville College in 1928 with a degree in English. His love for the outdoors, especially the wild areas, became evident as he joined the U.S. Biological Survey in 1930. Later his skills and love for the wild things of this earth led him into the position of executive secretary of the fledgling Wilderness Society. He also served as editor of the society's journal The Living Wilderness. Howard Zahniser used the journal and many other means to make the American public and its politicians more aware of wilderness issues. It is widely recognized that Howard Zahniser's efforts helped lay the foundation for the Wilderness Act of 1964 which was passed by the U.S. Congress the same year that he died.

The significance of his work was honored by the college in 1957 with the bestowing of an honorary doctor of letters. It is in his memory and as tribute to the continuing impact of his work in the wilderness movement of today that we name our institute the Zahniser Institute for Environmental Studies.

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Photograph Descriptions
  1. "Howard Zahniser on wilderness field trip" (U. S. Forest Service Stamp on back) "CREDIT LINE - This print may be reproduced only with the credit line: U.S. Forest Service." "(Photo by W. E. Steverwald" (no date)
  2. "Zahniser (right) and Wilderness Society President, Harvey Broome (left) at work on the Wilderness Bill campaign in June 1956 at Broome's home near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where the first meetings leading to the organization of the Wilderness Society occurred." + "Knoxville, TN - June 16, 1956"
  3. "Howard Zahniser (right) with U. S. map of wilderness areas prepared in Wilderness Bill legislative effort." (Person at left unidentified)
  4. "Howard Zahniser (left) with Margaret E. "Mardy" Murie and Olaus J. Murie @ Wilderness Society Annual Council Meeting, probably at the Murie's STS Ranch in Jackson Hole at Moose, Wyoming, now a part of Grand Teton National Park." "Photo by Mildred Capron, Laramie, Wyoming."
  5. "Howard Zahniser (left) and Paul Oehser, Greenville College alums"
  6. "Standing, left to right: Sigurd F. Olson, Olaus J. Murie, Robert F. Griggs, Harvey Broome, Howard Zahniser, Front row, left to right, Ernest Oberholzer, Richard Leonard, Bernard Frank and (?)" "Mildred Capron, Route 1, Washington Borough, Lancaster Co., PA - Photo by Mildred Capron, Laramie, Wyoming"
  7. "Mateskared, Adirondacks N.Y. State, Mid - 1950's"
  8. "Howard Zahniser (center) with Edward, Mathias, Esther, and Karen, ca 1950, in Hyattsville, MD" From "Where Wilderness Preservation Began" edited by Ed Zahniser: ". . . . This picture . . . . ran in a Washington, D.C. newpaper. Celebrity Esther was allowed to dress up for the late-night photographer on deadline. Her siblings had to be ready for bed."
  9. Mateskared, looking toward Crane Mountain, Adirondacks, ca. 1950"
  10. "From left to right: Dan (or Don) Tobey, Pres. N.Y. State Conservation Council, Dan (or Don) Hay, Sec. Friends of the Forest Preserve, Lloyd Christensen, Pres. Friends of Forest Preserve, Howard Zahniser, Alfred Green, Sch'dy County Conservation Council, Michael Petruska, Vice Pres. TWS Conservation Council, 1950" "Howard Zahniser (4th from the left) with New York State Conservationists"

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