Henry Fairfield Osborn, Jr
Encyclopedia
Henry Fairfield Osborn, Jr. (15 January 1887 — 16 September 1969), son of the American geologist Henry Fairfield Osborn
and cousin of Frederick Osborn
, was a conservationist
. He was long time president of the New York Zoological Society.
. Born into the wealthy and influential Osborn family, he was the son of Henry Fairfield Osborn
, a prominent paleontologist, eugenicist and “distinguished Aryan
enthusiast” . After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University
, he went on to study biology at Cambridge University, but then pursued a career in international business. Towards the end of the First World War, he served briefly as a Captain in the United States Army, after which he returned to private enterprise.
In 1935, he retired and devoted himself to environmental causes. He continued in his capacity as secretary and board member of the New York Zoological Society, a position he held from 1923 until 1940, when he was named president and board member, a position he held for the rest of his life.
Osborn wrote Our Plundered Planet
, and when published in 1948 it became very influential in the early Environmental movement
and helped spur a Malthusian revival in 1950s and 60s. He is also remembered for being an early opponent of synthetic pesticide
use, for producing several films dealing with endangered species
, flood control and water resources, as well as for his second book, The Limits of the Earth (1953), and a collection of short essays he edited under the title of Our Crowded Planet (1962). From 1948 to 1961, he served as the first president of the Conservation Foundation
, anorganization he founded with a number of like-minded colleagues to raise awareness about ecological problems.
After retiring as president, he served as chairman of the board of this organization from 1962 to 1969. From 1950 to 1957, Osborn was also a member of the Conservation Advisory Committee for the U.S. Department of the Interior, while also serving on the Planning Committee of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Upon his death in New York City on September 16th, 1969, "he was remembered for playing a valuable role in a number of conservation organizations and for his outreach initiatives to warn of the dangers of uncontrolled population growth and to promote responsible natural resource consumption."
Henry Fairfield Osborn
Henry Fairfield Osborn, Sr. ForMemRS was an American geologist, paleontologist, and eugenicist.-Early life and career:...
and cousin of Frederick Osborn
Frederick Osborn
Major General Frederick Henry Osborn was an American philanthropist, military leader, and eugenicist. He was a founder of several organizations, and played a central part in reorienting eugenics in the years following World War II away from the race- and class-consciousness from earlier periods...
, was a conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
. He was long time president of the New York Zoological Society.
Biography
Henry Fairfield Osborn Jr. was born in Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
. Born into the wealthy and influential Osborn family, he was the son of Henry Fairfield Osborn
Henry Fairfield Osborn
Henry Fairfield Osborn, Sr. ForMemRS was an American geologist, paleontologist, and eugenicist.-Early life and career:...
, a prominent paleontologist, eugenicist and “distinguished Aryan
Aryan
Aryan is an English language loanword derived from Sanskrit ārya and denoting variously*In scholarly usage:**Indo-Iranian languages *in dated usage:**the Indo-European languages more generally and their speakers...
enthusiast” . After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, he went on to study biology at Cambridge University, but then pursued a career in international business. Towards the end of the First World War, he served briefly as a Captain in the United States Army, after which he returned to private enterprise.
In 1935, he retired and devoted himself to environmental causes. He continued in his capacity as secretary and board member of the New York Zoological Society, a position he held from 1923 until 1940, when he was named president and board member, a position he held for the rest of his life.
Osborn wrote Our Plundered Planet
Our Plundered Planet
WIKIPEDIA Our Plundered Planet is a book published in 1948 that was written by Fairfield Osborn about environmental destruction by humankind. The book is a critique of humankind's poor stewardship of Earth. It typifies the earliest apocalyptic environmental literature, in which human beings are...
, and when published in 1948 it became very influential in the early Environmental movement
Environmental movement
The environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green politics, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing environmental issues....
and helped spur a Malthusian revival in 1950s and 60s. He is also remembered for being an early opponent of synthetic pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
use, for producing several films dealing with endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, flood control and water resources, as well as for his second book, The Limits of the Earth (1953), and a collection of short essays he edited under the title of Our Crowded Planet (1962). From 1948 to 1961, he served as the first president of the Conservation Foundation
Conservation Foundation
The Conservation Foundation may refer to:*Australian Conservation Foundation *African Conservation Foundation*Conservation Foundation, UK*Conservation Foundation, Canada...
, anorganization he founded with a number of like-minded colleagues to raise awareness about ecological problems.
After retiring as president, he served as chairman of the board of this organization from 1962 to 1969. From 1950 to 1957, Osborn was also a member of the Conservation Advisory Committee for the U.S. Department of the Interior, while also serving on the Planning Committee of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Upon his death in New York City on September 16th, 1969, "he was remembered for playing a valuable role in a number of conservation organizations and for his outreach initiatives to warn of the dangers of uncontrolled population growth and to promote responsible natural resource consumption."