Margaret March-Mount began working for the U.S. Forest Service in 1913 as a clerk on the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming.
Growing up in southern Illinois and Kansas, Margaret had witnessed the devastating effects of erosion from wind and rain. She envisioned a nation of healthy trees so began writing and speaking about the benefits of the national forests.
By 1928, her public relations work propelled Margaret onward and upward. She listed her official title as “assistant information specialist.” Others described Margaret as “director of women’s forest activities,” “woman ranger,” “woman forester,” and “ambassador of the trees” – a title which she liked the best.
March-Mount worked tirelessly with women’s clubs and school children to encourage fire prevention and tree planting across the national forests.
Her “pennies for pines” crusade encouraged children to give pennies for planting pine trees. The Forest Service then planted 1,000 seedlings for every $4 received. Through her activities nearly 6 million trees were planted on 6,000 acres by 1940.
She advocated the idea of “women as forest builders”, and in a 1942 interview with the Washington Post was scathing of war expenditure and the billions spent on bombs.
Margaret wanted the nation’s children to invest in trees, and she is credited with motivating the national Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to plant 5 million seedlings in 36 states.
Margaret also founded the “Squirrel Club,” which became a national organisation. Prospective candidates to the Club had to climb to the top of a lookout tower and sign a pledge to prevent forest fires caused by humans.
Margaret assisted many women’s organisations in planning forestry programs and went from town to city all over the country writing and talking to clubs and educational groups.
School children were especially enthusiastic in their response to the “Tree Lady” and planted thousands of acres of school forests in her wake.
Margaret March-Mount retired from the U.S. Forest Service in 1943 and moved to Hollywood. In 1950 she was awarded an honorary degree in forestry from the prestigious Biltmore Forest School.
Victoria’s Forests & Bushfire Heritage 