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W.R. Chapline papers, 1897-1986

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Chapline, W.R. (William Ridgely), b. 1891.
Title
W.R. Chapline papers
Dates
1897-1986 (inclusive)
Quantity
50.84 cubic ft. (95 boxes) + .97 GB
Collection Number
09373
Summary
The papers of William Ridgely Chapline, a rangeland and watershed expert who worked for the United States Forest Service and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid has been made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.
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Historical Note

William Ridgely Chapline was an expert on rangeland improvement, watershed management, ecology, and conservation. He joined the United States Forest Service in 1913, and was employed in various parts of the West in surveys and research related to range and watershed lands. In 1920, he was promoted to Chief, Office of Grazing Studies. He was responsible for the initiation and further development of range and watershed studies on the Salt River drainage in Arizona. He was also responsible for similar studies in the Colorado River drainage of the state of Colorado, and flood control and watershed studies in Utah and New Mexico. From 1935 through 1952, he was Chief, Division of Range Research. After retiring from the Forest Service, Mr. Chapline served as an international consultant on forest, range, and watershed management. He established a section of forest conservation for the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, and was chief of the section from 1952 through 1954. From the 1950s through the early 1980s, Chapline traveled widely as a consultant for international conservation organizations, other countries, and the United States Forest Service. He was accompanied by his wife, Eva Behn Chapline. The couple documented their extensive travels with photographs and slides.

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Content Description

The W.R. Chapline papers contain information on rangeland and watershed management, forests, forage, grazing practices, and livestock production in both the United States and around the world. Included are files from his career with the United States Forest Service and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Other work-related files are also present, notably those of professional forestry and range management associations with which he was involved, including the International Grassland Congress and the American Society of Range Management. There is extensive material on management of the Arizona Watershed and also arid and semi-arid lands in other countries. Papers and reviews written by Chapline are also present in the collection, as are personal files including a large amount of correspondence. The collection also contains both personal and work-related photographs and color slides. The slides, taken while traveling both for work and leisure, show people and places from all over the world.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Restrictions on Use

Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in Collections

The American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.

Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Administrative Information

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by W.R. Chapline at the date of processing. The American Heritage Center also holds a collection of Eva Behn Chapline papers.

Acquisition Information

This material was received from Eve Ridgely Chapline Peterson (daughter) in 1987 and Martha P. Gonzales (granddaughter) from 2001-2022.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Emily Christopherson in November 2011 and updated by Jamie J. Greene in November 2023.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Container List

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Forest management.
  • Grasslands.
  • Range management.
  • Range policy.
  • Watershed management.

Personal Names

  • Chapline, Eva Behn

Corporate Names

  • American Society of Range Management.
  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
  • International Grassland Congress.
  • Society of American Foresters.
  • United States. Forest Service.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Slides.

Processed by Emily Christopherson
2011

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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