William A. Sylvester
(1915- )
Inducted October 10, 1992
Plaque Engraving:
William A. Sylvester is recognized for over a half century of service to the profession of forestry and the citizens of Wisconsin in helping rebuild the forests of the state. His career included forest fire protection and prevention, pioneering forest management practices on private and publicly owned forest land, providing forestry workshops for teachers of agriculture, loggers, and 12 years of teaching forestry in the College of Natural Resources at University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point as an associate professor. Much of his career was spent opening new vistas while advancing Wisconsin forestry.
More about William A. Sylvester:
William Sylvester earned a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry from the University of Michigan in 1937 and a master’s degree in forestry from Yale University.
He served 23 years at Trees for Tomorrow, Inc., at Merrill, Wisconsin becoming the chief forester involved in the planting of 25 million trees, management plan preparation on 300,000 acres and supervision of timber sale contracts for 2,000 landowners. As manager, he became associated with Jacque and Dory Vallier assisting them in the purchase of Treehaven at Tomahawk, Wisconsin. Later he managed the facility and was instrumental in the donation of the field station to the University of WisconsinStevens Point in 1979. In 1969, he joined the forestry faculty at UW-SP and attained the rank of Associate Professor. He served as part-time Extension Forestry Specialist in the last years of his teaching appointment. He retired in 1981.
Mr. Sylvester was named the first person to receive the John Macon Award of Merit, given by the Wisconsin Society of American Foresters and he is a fellow and 50 year member of the Society of American Foresters. The U.S. Forest Service included him among people across the country to receive its 75th Anniversary Award.
Mr. Sylvester has held office in professional organizations at the regional and state levels, edits manuals and newsletters, and conducts a variety of forestry workshops.
