Peter Shaw Ashton served as director of the Arnold Arboretum from 1978-1987. Born in England, he was educated at Cambridge University, receiving a B.A., M.A. in 1956, and in 1962 a Ph. D. in botany. Ashton is considered a world authority on dipterocarp trees, giant Asian rain forest trees better known as Philippine mahogany. He served as lecturer and senior lecturer in botany at Aberdeen University in Scotland from 1966-1978. During this period he spent significant time in leading field research in Southeast Asia. Under Ashton's leadership, the Arboretum revised its accession policy; participated in the endangered species collection program co-ordinated by the Center for Plant Conservation; expanded public programs for adults, teachers, and school children; and increased visitations to the Arboretum by deploying park rangers to address security. In 1987 Ashton resigned as Arboretum director and continued as professor of dendrology in the Harvard Botany Department.
From the description of Papers of Peter Shaw Ashton, 1978-1989. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 43813013
