Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On March 23, 1932, early Iowa conservationist Louis Pammel passed away. A prominent botanist and conservationist who helped found the Iowa Conservation Commission, Pammel made significant contributions to Iowa's natural heritage.
A professor of botany at Iowa State Agricultural College (now Iowa State University) from 1889 to 1929, Pammel conducted extensive research on Iowa's flora, plant diseases, and native species. His prolific scholarly work included authoring six books, writing nearly 700 articles, and building the collections of the Iowa State Herbarium.
Pammel's most enduring legacy lies in his pioneering role in Iowa's conservation movement. He served as the first chairman of the Iowa State Board of Conservation from 1918 to 1927. During that time, he drafted the Iowa Conservation Bill and spearheaded the establishment of the state park system. Under his leadership, Iowa became a national leader in state park development, ranking fourth in the number of parks established by 1925. During Pammel's tenure, 38 state parks were dedicated, covering a total area of 7,500 acres of land, 41,000 acres of lake waters, 800 miles of rivers, and 4,200 acres of drained lake beds.
Pammel's contributions to Iowa's conservation were widely recognized during his lifetime and continue to be celebrated today. In 1930, Devil's Backbone State Park, located near Winterset, was renamed Pammel State Park in his honor. At his funeral in 1931, Pammel was hailed as "the most valuable single influence" on Iowa's conservation movement. His legacy endures in the state's network of parks and preserves, which continue to offer Iowans opportunities to appreciate and protect their natural heritage. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
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