[1] He is known for founding the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture at Los Baños, Laguna and for being one of the America's leading pteridologists (one who studies ferns).

[2] In 1909, he founded the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture at Los Baños, Laguna, now part of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and served as its dean and also as a professor of plant physiology for eight years (1909–1917).

[2] After retiring he returned to UC Berkeley and became a permanent Research Associate of the Department of Biology of the University of California.

[4] In a letter during his final months, a friend C.V. Morton wrote, "You have the consolation of knowing that your name is in constant use by fern students the world over.

On August 8, 1899, Copeland and partner E. N. Henderson were the first climbers known to reach summit of Junction Peak, a thirteener in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.