Gilmour Byers (G.B.) MacDonald

Iowa State forestry professor (1910-1948) Gilmour Byers MacDonald was a leading figure in Iowa's conservation movement. In addition to his conservation work, he established the forestry program at Iowa State and served as Iowa's Deputy State Forester (1912-1933) and State Forester (1933-1955). Due to his advocacy for forestry and its benefits for soil erosion and farming, he was named Director (1934-1938) of the Iowa Emergency Conservation program (which was part of the Civilian Conservation Corps).

His work within Iowa’s state parks movement included: assisting with the 1915-1917 survey of Iowa's lakes (MacDonald recommended ways to improve lake shores through reforestation), serving as secretary of the Iowa Park and Forestry Association (later known as the Iowa Conservation Association), working as a member of the special legislative committee of the Iowa Conservation Association which wrote the draft state parks act, and developing plans for reforestation within state parks.

G.B. MacDonald finding aid.