Paul Errington

Paul Errington defined a marsh as interesting and beautiful with enduring attraction.

Passionate nature advocates are nothing new for SDSU. Errington (1902–1962) was an animal ecologist, conservationist, writer and teacher; a wildlife research pioneer who was featured by Life magazine in 1961 as one of the top 10 outstanding naturalists of North America.

Born in Bruce, Errington’s interest in the outdoors began with hunting on the family farm and led to a career as a trapper. After encouragement from friends, he began taking courses at South Dakota State College (University), staying out during winter term to trap. After earning his undergraduate degree from State in 1929, he added a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin in 1932. He then joined the Iowa State College (University) faculty where he spent his academic career. He married Carolyn Storm in 1934 and had two sons, Peter and Frederick.

Errington also was a nature writer, publishing more than 200 journal articles. He authored four books, striving to reach popular audiences with his ideas on conservation. “Of Men and Marshes” was published in 1957—a time when few books had considered the idea of saving wetlands from drainage. A review in The New Yorker said, “He speaks to us here … not as a scientist but as a man and a human—his method is to show us a marsh as his home … and let us see for ourselves the beauty and wonder that are there.”

In 2012, Peter and Frederick donated the 293-acre family farm to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The land borders Oakwood Lakes and is being restored to its former prairie grassland state, honoring Errington’s life-long dedication to preserving the environment.