Wells, B. W. (Bertram Whittier), 1884-1978

Bertram Whittier Wells is most widely known for his study and preservation of North Carolina's natural environment. Wells headed North Carolina State College's (later North Carolina State University) Botany Department from 1919 to 1949 and remained on the faculty until 1954. One of the first to rightly be called an ecologist, he wrote on many topics: the insect galls of plants, the effects of salt on coastal vegetation, Bald Head Island, and the formation of the Carolina Bays. However, his most extensive work focused on savannah and pocosin vegetation. First published by the University of North Carolina Press in 1932, Wells's popular book, The Natural Gardens of North Carolina, remains in print. Wells also advocated for modern scientific instruction methods, including the teaching of evolution in the 1920s. During Wells's long retirement, he became seriously interested in painting.

From the description of Bertram Whittier Wells papers, 1849, 1901-2004 [manuscript] (North Carolina State University). WorldCat record id: 466172188

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