John Allen Beale
(1919-1976)
Inducted October 12, 1989
Plaque Engraving:
Professional forester, administrator and leader in Wisconsin and national forestry, John Beale is recognized with distinction. Beginning his career as a forester for state of Wisconsin Conservation Department, he later served as Chief State Forester and is credited for the development of new and innovative public forest policies. His programs emphasizes expanded fire and pest protection of state and national forests and more intensive management and utilization of public and private forest resources. He served as the president of the National Society of American Foresters, the first Wisconsin forester to be so honored. His leadership has been instrumental in the advancement of Wisconsin forestry.
More about John Allen Beale:
John A. Beale, born in 1919, in Rockford, Illinois received a degree in forestry from Michigan State University in 1940, and a masters in public administration from Harvard in 1954.
Mr. Beale started with the Conservation Department in 1945, as a District Forester at Park Falls; then successively to Supervisor of Forest Inventory, Supervisor of the County Forest Program and appointed as Chief State Forester in 1954. He served in this position until 1958, when he became Conservation Administrator with the Conservation Department. Upon reorganization of the Conservation Department, he became Deputy Secretary.
While serving the Department, John developed and implemented a blueprint for the growth of the State Forestry Program from one limited to service to the northern counties to a statewide program of service in forestry fire control, assistance to all private forest landowners, the counties and to a state forest program encompassing six properties.
John Beale’s stature was nationally recognized with his election by the Society of American Foresters as president for a two-year term (1974-76). With his untimely death in 1976, John left a rich forestry legacy for foresters who were to follow him, to the people of the state of Wisconsin and conservationists everywhere.
