Inventory of the Emanuel Fritz Papers, 1918 – 1977

Descriptive Summary

Abstract:  Emanuel Fritz (1886 - 1988) was born October 29, 1886, in Baltimore, Maryland. He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University in 1908 and a master of forestry degree from Yale University in 1914. In 1919 he joined the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley, as Assistant Professor of Forestry, where he taught until his retirement in 1954. While at the University of California, Berkeley, Fritz studied various tree species, but his focus on the ecology and silviculture of California redwoods earned him the nickname "Mr. Redwood."

The collection includes approximately 75 articles from various publication and 57 articles from the Journal of Forestry written by Fritz, 4 reports written by Fritz for the University of California's College of Agriculture, and 18 sets of correspondence between Fritz and others in the field of forestry and conservation. Also included in the collection are nearly 70 articles, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings (some with notes) that Fritz collected related to forestry policy and legislation, the lumber industry, and conservation.

Title: Emanuel Fritz Papers, 1918 - 1977

Creator: Emanuel Fritz (1886 - 1988)

Repository: Forest History Society Library and Archives

Call Number: 2017-010

Language of Material: Material in English

Extent: 1.5 linear feet (1 record carton)

Biographical Note

Emanuel Fritz (1886 - 1988) was born October 29, 1886, in Baltimore, Maryland. He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University in 1908 and a master of forestry degree from Yale University in 1914. He began his career as forester for the state of New Hampshire from 1914 to 1915, before joining the U.S. Forest Service and working in Montana, Idaho, and Arizona. He served with the U.S. Army Air Service from 1917 to 1919 earning the rank of captain. In 1919 he joined the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley, as Assistant Professor of Forestry, where he taught courses in lumbering and wood technology until his retirement in 1954. While at the University of California, Berkeley, Fritz studied various tree species, but his focus on the ecology and silviculture of California redwoods earned him the nickname "Mr. Redwood."

Fritz served as associate editor of the Journal of Forestry, published by the Society of American Foresters, from 1928 to 1930 and served as editor-in-chief of the publication from 1930 to 1933. He worked both as consultant to the California Redwood Association and councilor to the Save-the-Redwoods League. In 1938, Fritz founded the Redwood Regional Logging Conference to provide opportunities for individuals in the forestry industry and students to come together, exchange ideas, and improve forest use and management. From 1943 to 1945, Fritz served as a consultant to the California Legislative Interim Committee, during which time he wrote a report that that lead to the California state legislature passing more forestry legislation than ever before. He was also director of the Forest History Society from 1962 to 1971, as well as a member of the Commonwealth Club, Bohemian Club, and Sierra Club. Fritz died in his Berkeley home on December 15, 1988.

Collection Overview

The collection includes approximately 75 articles from various publication and 57 articles from the Journal of Forestry written by Fritz, 4 reports written by Fritz for the University of California's College of Agriculture, and 18 sets of correspondence between Fritz and others in the field of forestry and conservation. Also included in the collection are nearly 70 articles, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings (some with notes) that Fritz collected related to forestry policy and legislation, the lumber industry, and conservation.

Collection Arrangement

The collection is arranged in four series:

1. Articles, General

2. Journal of Forestry Articles

3. University of California College of Agriculture Reports, 1921-1924

4. Correspondence and Research, c. 1920s-1970s

Additionally the collection contains notes and finding aids for a separate collection, the contents of which is not included with the items in this collection.

Subject Headings

• Ahern, George Patrick, 1859-1942
• Conservation.
• Forestry.
• Fritz, Emanuel, 1886-
• Journal of forestry.
• Pinchot, Gifford, 1865-1946
• Redwoods.
• University of California, Berkeley

Detailed Description of the Collection

1. Articles, General.

Approximately 75 articles written by Fritz for a variety of publications, including The Timberman, Save the Redwoods League, The Idaho Forester, Fortune from the National Lumber Manufactures Association, The Condor, Tree-Ring Bulletin by the Tree-Ring Society, and Mechanical Engineering, along with some apparently unpublished article manuscripts. Organized by topic.

• Forest Policy, Legislation, and Regulation.
• Logging Industry.
• Education and Professionalization of the Field of Forestry.
• Fire.
• Forest Management.
  Includes the 1959 article “Characteristics, Utilization, and Management of Second-Growth Redwood.”
• Miscellaneous.
  Includes a Paul Bunyan story.
• Redwoods and Other Trees, General Information.
• Bibliography on Redwoods, 1935.
  Created by Fritz with George W. Smith, this is a bibliography of books, pamphlets, reports, periodicals, and newspapers in the libraries of the University of California related to California coast redwoods (Sequoia Sempervirens), likely the precursor to Fritz’s 1957 publication California Coast Redwood: An Annotated Bibliography.

2. Journal of Forestry Articles.

Contains approximately 57 reprints of articles and editorials written by Fritz and published in the Journal of Forestry, organized by topic.

• Forest Policy, Legislation, and Regulation.
• Logging Industry.
• Education and Professionalization of the Field of Forestry.
• Fire.
• Forest Management.
• Editorials.
• Redwoods and Other Trees, General Information.

3. University of California College of Agriculture Reports, 1921-1924.

Reports written by Fritz documenting research and experiments done at the Agriculture Experiment Station. Reports contain progress reports, charts, and photographs.

Folder 1

No. 652 Durability Pines and Redwoods Cut from Old and Second Growth, 1921.

Folder 2

No. 688 Properties and Use of Second Growth Redwood, 1921.

Folder 3

No. 756 Properties and Use of Native California Hardwoods, 1924.

Folder 4

No. 760 Utilization of California Grown Blue Gum, 1924.

4. Correspondence and Research, c. 1920-1977.

Contains articles and pamphlets written by other individuals on various topics related to forestry, forest policy and regulation, and conservation. Also included are some notes by Fritz on these topics and articles, as well as correspondence between Fritz and others in the field.

• Lumber Industry Articles.
• Forestry Program and Policies.
  Folder 1
  Articles on conservation, federal and state level programs for forest management.
  Folder 2
  Articles on conservation, federal and state level programs for forest management.
• Deforested America, 1928-1929.
  Contains the article “Deforested America” by Major George P. Ahern and correspondence regarding the article.
• Forest Policy.
  Folder 1
  Letters to Foresters, 1929-1930.
  Includes correspondence between Fritz and Charles Pack, Franklin W. Reed, E.I. Kotok, M.E. Krueger, Barrington Moore, C. Stowell Smith, Paul Redington, and Austin Cary.
  Folder 2
  Responses to Pinchot, 1928-1929.
  Editorials and letters responding to former Chief of the Forest Service Gifford Pinchot’s open letter about national policies for lumber industry and the article “Deforesting America.”
  Folder 3
  Articles, 1926-1929.
  Articles written by other people about forest polices throughout North America, including Michigan, Utah, New England, the South, and Canada.
  Folder 4
  Articles, 1929-1977.
  Articles written by others, containing notes by Fritz, about forest policy and attempts to regulate the lumber industry.
  Folder 5
  Meeting Notes and Minutes, 1928-1930.
  Notes, minutes, and accompanying documents for the 1930 Society of American Foresters and 1928 California White and Sugar Pine Manufactures Association meetings.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

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Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Emanuel Fritz Papers, Library and Archives, Forest History Society, Durham, NC, USA

Processing Information

Processed by Christin Lampkowski, June 2017

Encoded by Christin Lampkowski, June 2017

Support for digitization and outreach provided by the Alvin J. Huss Endowment.