Joseph Trimble Rothrock (April 9, 1839 – June 2, 1922) was an American environmentalist, recognized as the "Father of Forestry" in Pennsylvania. In 1895, Rothrock was appointed the first forestry commissioner to lead the newly formed Division of Forestry in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Two of his major accomplishments as commissioner were his land acquisition program and the creation of a forest academy to train foresters for state service.[1]
Joseph Rothrock
Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters
In office 1895–1904
President of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association
Joseph Rothrock was born in McVeytown in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania in the United States to a German farming family.[2][3] He was often ill as a child and spent many hours hiking the woods of Mifflin County for exercise to combat his illnesses. It was while on these walks that Rothrock developed a love for the outdoors. He went on to become a pioneering environmentalist in Pennsylvania, helping preserve and re-establish the forests that he so loved.
Rothrock was associated with the exploring party of the Western Union extension telegraph in British Columbia 1865–1866. He served as a surgeon and botanist for the geographical and geological exploration and survey west of the 100th meridian under Lieut. George M. Wheeler, the Wheeler Survey, 1873–1875. In 1876, he established the North Mountain School of Physical Culture in Luzerne County, also during the same year he was appointed by the American Philosophical Society lecturer on forestry in execution of the Michaux legacy.[7] He studied botany in Alsace at the University of Strassburg in 1880. It was while Rothrock was in Europe that he began to study forest management, which led him to be a pioneer in forest management in Pennsylvania and the United States.[2]
Later careeredit
Plaque in McVeytown, Pennsylvania dedicated in 1924 to Rothrock
Rothrock served as the first president of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association (PFA) in 1886. The PFA sought promote conservation and support the creation of state parks and state forests in Pennsylvania. Rothrock was a member of the PFA for most of the rest of his life. He used it as a pulpit to "incite the interest of people throughout the state on forestry—to preserve, protect and propagate the forest."[6]
Rothrock was appointed Commissioner of Forestry in Pennsylvania in 1895. He led the drive to purchase land from lumber companies to create many of the state forests that are spread throughout Pennsylvania. Rothrock used his medical expertise to open a sanatorium at what is now Mont Alto State Park. The sanatorium treated those afflicted with tuberculosis and other respiratory illnesses. He also opened the Pennsylvania State Forestry Academy, now Penn State Mont Alto, in 1903 under the authorization of Pennsylvania Governor, Samuel W. Pennypacker.[8] He arranged for Ralph E. Brock to attend the academy and become the first African American forester in the United States.[9] Rothrock resigned as Commissioner of Forestry in 1904, but continued to serve on the commission until 1914.
Legacyedit
Joseph Trimble Rothrock died in 1922 at West Chester, Pennsylvania and was interred at Oaklands Cemetery. He left behind a legacy of environmental restoration and conservation. In his position as Pennsylvania Commissioner of Forestry he was able to begin the process of acquiring land for the creation of the many state forests and parks that now dot Pennsylvania's landscape. As a voice for environmental protection, he inspired succeeding generations to conserve and manage the use of Pennsylvania's extensive forests. Rothrock pioneered the treatment of tuberculosis in sanatoriums, established a hospital in Wilkes-Barre and helped explore the Canadian frontier.[10]
In a speech given in 1915, Rothrock recalled the forests of his youth: "Sixty years ago I walked from Clearfield to St. Marys; thence to Smethport— 60 miles; most of the way through glorious white pine and hemlock forests. Now these forests are gone."[10] In describing the forest conditions of 1915 he said, "6,400 square miles; more than 4 million acres [16,000 km²] of the state are desolated, cut and unprotected from fire."[10] Rothrock compared Pennsylvania's situation to similar forest destruction in China. He worried that "unless we reforest, Pennsylvania's highlands will wash into the oceans."[11] Because of men like Joseph Rothrock, Jacob Nolde, Maurice Goddard and Gifford Pinchot, Pennsylvania has thriving second-growth forests that have recovered from the ravages of the lumber era that swept across its hills and valleys in the late nineteenth century.
^. Penn State University. Archived from the original on 2015-05-10. Retrieved 2015-06-06.
^Dudley, Susan; Goddard, David R. (1973). "Joseph T. Rothrock and Forest Conservation". Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 117 (1): 37–50. JSTOR 985946.
^Dupree, A. Hunter (1988). Asa Gray, American Botanist, Friend of Darwin. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 326. ISBN978-0-801-83741-8.
^ abc"Joseph Trimble Rothrock". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
^. Penn State Mont Alto. Archived from the original on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
^Williams, Rachel Jones (Fall 2007). "Reviving - and Revising - the Reputation of Ralph Elwood Brock". Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
^ abcDeCoster, Lester A. (1995). The Legacy of Penn's Woods, 1895 to 1995: A History of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry. Harrisburg, PA: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. p. 6. ISBN978-0-89271-066-9.
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For the American college football coach see Joseph J Rothrock Joseph Trimble Rothrock April 9 1839 June 2 1922 was an American environmentalist recognized as the Father of Forestry in Pennsylvania In 1895 Rothrock was appointed the first forestry commissioner to lead the newly formed Division of Forestry in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Two of his major accomplishments as commissioner were his land acquisition program and the creation of a forest academy to train foresters for state service 1 Joseph RothrockCommissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and WatersIn office 1895 1904President of the Pennsylvania Forestry AssociationPersonal detailsBorn 1839 04 09 April 9 1839McVeytown PennsylvaniaDiedJune 2 1922 1922 06 02 aged 83 West Chester PennsylvaniaResting placeOaklands Cemetery West Chester PennsylvaniaPolitical partyRepublicanProfessionExplorer surgeon botanist and professor Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Education and early career 1 3 Later career 2 Legacy 3 Works 4 Notes 5 ReferencesBiography editEarly life edit Joseph Rothrock was born in McVeytown in Mifflin County Pennsylvania in the United States to a German farming family 2 3 He was often ill as a child and spent many hours hiking the woods of Mifflin County for exercise to combat his illnesses It was while on these walks that Rothrock developed a love for the outdoors He went on to become a pioneering environmentalist in Pennsylvania helping preserve and re establish the forests that he so loved Education and early career edit Joseph Rothrock studied under Asa Gray 4 a renowned botanist at Harvard University Rothrock received a Bachelor of Science in botany from Harvard in 1862 possibly 1864 5 He enlisted in the Union Army the following year saw action during the American Civil War and was seriously wounded at the Battle of Fredericksburg Rothrock was discharged from the Army on June 6 1864 having reached the rank of captain in the 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry He furthered his education at the University of Pennsylvania receiving a doctor of medicine degree in 1867 6 Rothrock began practice in Centre County Pennsylvania but in 1870 moved to Wilkes Barre making a specialty of diseases of the eye and ear 7 He was one of the founders of Wilkes Barre Hospital and served on the faculty of Penn State University from 1867 to 1869 where he taught botany human anatomy and physiology 6 Rothrock was associated with the exploring party of the Western Union extension telegraph in British Columbia 1865 1866 He served as a surgeon and botanist for the geographical and geological exploration and survey west of the 100th meridian under Lieut George M Wheeler the Wheeler Survey 1873 1875 In 1876 he established the North Mountain School of Physical Culture in Luzerne County also during the same year he was appointed by the American Philosophical Society lecturer on forestry in execution of the Michaux legacy 7 He studied botany in Alsace at the University of Strassburg in 1880 It was while Rothrock was in Europe that he began to study forest management which led him to be a pioneer in forest management in Pennsylvania and the United States 2 Later career edit nbsp Plaque in McVeytown Pennsylvania dedicated in 1924 to RothrockRothrock served as the first president of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association PFA in 1886 The PFA sought promote conservation and support the creation of state parks and state forests in Pennsylvania Rothrock was a member of the PFA for most of the rest of his life He used it as a pulpit to incite the interest of people throughout the state on forestry to preserve protect and propagate the forest 6 Rothrock was appointed Commissioner of Forestry in Pennsylvania in 1895 He led the drive to purchase land from lumber companies to create many of the state forests that are spread throughout Pennsylvania Rothrock used his medical expertise to open a sanatorium at what is now Mont Alto State Park The sanatorium treated those afflicted with tuberculosis and other respiratory illnesses He also opened the Pennsylvania State Forestry Academy now Penn State Mont Alto in 1903 under the authorization of Pennsylvania Governor Samuel W Pennypacker 8 He arranged for Ralph E Brock to attend the academy and become the first African American forester in the United States 9 Rothrock resigned as Commissioner of Forestry in 1904 but continued to serve on the commission until 1914 Legacy editJoseph Trimble Rothrock died in 1922 at West Chester Pennsylvania and was interred at Oaklands Cemetery He left behind a legacy of environmental restoration and conservation In his position as Pennsylvania Commissioner of Forestry he was able to begin the process of acquiring land for the creation of the many state forests and parks that now dot Pennsylvania s landscape As a voice for environmental protection he inspired succeeding generations to conserve and manage the use of Pennsylvania s extensive forests Rothrock pioneered the treatment of tuberculosis in sanatoriums established a hospital in Wilkes Barre and helped explore the Canadian frontier 10 In a speech given in 1915 Rothrock recalled the forests of his youth Sixty years ago I walked from Clearfield to St Marys thence to Smethport 60 miles most of the way through glorious white pine and hemlock forests Now these forests are gone 10 In describing the forest conditions of 1915 he said 6 400 square miles more than 4 million acres 16 000 km of the state are desolated cut and unprotected from fire 10 Rothrock compared Pennsylvania s situation to similar forest destruction in China He worried that unless we reforest Pennsylvania s highlands will wash into the oceans 11 Because of men like Joseph Rothrock Jacob Nolde Maurice Goddard and Gifford Pinchot Pennsylvania has thriving second growth forests that have recovered from the ravages of the lumber era that swept across its hills and valleys in the late nineteenth century Works editFlora of Alaska 1867 Botany of the Wheeler Expedition 1878 Vacation Cruisings 1884 Pennsylvania Forest Reports 1895 97 The standard author abbreviation Rothr is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name 12 Notes edit History of the Rothrock State Forest Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Archived from the original on March 2 2004 Retrieved 2007 06 16 a b Dr Joseph Trimble Rothrock Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Retrieved 2007 06 17 Joseph Trimble Rothrock Penn State University Archived from the original on 2015 05 10 Retrieved 2015 06 06 Dudley Susan Goddard David R 1973 Joseph T Rothrock and Forest Conservation Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 117 1 37 50 JSTOR 985946 Dupree A Hunter 1988 Asa Gray American Botanist Friend of Darwin Baltimore MD Johns Hopkins University Press p 326 ISBN 978 0 801 83741 8 a b c Joseph Trimble Rothrock Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Retrieved 2015 03 01 a b Wilson J G Fiske J eds 1900 Rothrock Joseph Trimble Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography New York D Appleton Interesting Mont Alto Facts Penn State Mont Alto Archived from the original on 2006 09 01 Retrieved 2007 06 16 Williams Rachel Jones Fall 2007 Reviving and Revising the Reputation of Ralph Elwood Brock Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine Retrieved 2023 02 05 a b c DeCoster Lester A 1995 The Legacy of Penn s Woods 1895 to 1995 A History of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Harrisburg PA Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission p 6 ISBN 978 0 89271 066 9 Adams Jeffrey 2009 Harrisburg Arcadia Publishing p 14 ISBN 978 0 7385 6293 3 International Plant Names Index Rothr References editRines George Edwin ed 1920 Rothrock Joseph Trimble Encyclopedia Americana Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joseph Rothrock amp oldid 1140972616, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
