Victor E. Shelford Papers, 1896-1965 | University of Illinois Archives

Papers of Victor Ernest Shelford (1877-1968), professor of Zoology (1914-46), including correspondence, reports, publications and statements relating to plant, animal and aquatic ecology; scientific meetings, lectures and papers; field trips and studies; editing and securing contributions for publications (1924-56); the organization, development, membership and functions of the Ecological Society of America and its committees (1937-45); preservation of natural areas as sanctuaries for the ecological study of biotic and animal communities; the political involvement of ecologists in preserving natural areas; grasslands areas and the Grasslands Research Foundation (1931-58); wildlife management research (1935-54); the University Committee on Natural Areas and Uncultivated Lands (1946-49); animal populations and solar radiation (1947-53); a proposed plant and animal life sciences building (1952-55); the history of ecology (1955-61) and the scientific contributions of Shelford and his students. The scientific contributions are reprints of articles by Shelford (4 vols., 1906-46) and his students (5 vols., 1912-46). It also describes contributions to the Naturalist's Guide (1924); listing nature sanctuaries, natural areas and biotic and animal communities; listing, describing and increasing the number of natural areas for wild animals; predatory animal control and wild life research; preservation of natural  conditions for ecological study, especially the biologically primitive in national parks; the commercial use of national parks and construction of a tunnel in the Rocky Mountain National Park (1933); study of grasslands areas (1931); American entry into World War I and family matters.

Significant documents relate to the organization, development, membership and functions of the Ecological Society (10/5/37 & 11/30/39); the Grassland Research Foundation (1939-58); the Foundation for the Study of Cycles (1943-45, 1949); a sabbatical leave report (2/23/45); a discussion of the organization and emphasis of the Ecological Society and its committees resulting from an Executive Committee proposal to limit the Committee on the Preservation of Natural Conditions to identifying and studying natural areas and providing information and advice without attempting to influence legislation (6/6/45, 12/16/45 & 12/20/45) - The Executive Committee said unbiased scientific experts should not engage in political activity, while Shelford said federal employees and National Research Council members were under unusual restrictions in working to protect natural areas - ; the University Committee on Natural Areas and Uncultivated Lands, especially the care and use of Brownfield and Trelease Woods and a history of the Committee, 1918-47 (3/14/47) (1946-49); (1948-49); retirement pensions and scholarly activities of emeriti (1951, 1954, 1956); the Wildlife Management Institute (1952-54); a proposed plant and animal life sciences building (1952, 1954-55); botany and zoology as biological sciences (1953); editing of biological monographs (1954-56); an article about Shelford (1955); Shelford's lecture on "The History of Ecology" (1958); a history of Ecology to 1919 (1960) and a note about the influence of Shelford's writings (1961).

Correspondents include Warder C. Allee of Chicago, Walther Horn of Berlin, Ellsworth Huntington of Yale, Harold Ickes, David S. Jordan of Stanford, Frank R. Lillie of Chicago, Clarence McClung of Pennsylvania, John C. Merriam of the Carnegie Institution, Barrington More, Gifford Pinchot, W.E. Rumsey of West Virginia, Forrest Shreve of Arizona, A.G. Tansley of Cambridge, Henry A. Wallace, Asa O. Weese of New Mexico & Albert H. Wright of Cornell

The series also includes a 1965 tape recorded interview with Prof. Shelford concerning his work at West Virginia, Chicago and Illinois; the Ecological Society of America; fellow scientists who have influenced him, and assisted him in research and publication; field trips; Brownfield Woods; Laboratory and Field Ecology (1929) and The Ecology of North America.