George Melendez Wright

George Meléndez Wright (June 20, 1904 – February 25, 1936) was an American biologist who conceived of, then conducted, the first scientific survey of fauna for the National Park Service between 1929 and 1933.

Wright and his colleagues spent years in the field researching wildlife issues, and advocating for an ecosystem-wide approach to managing species within, and bordering, the parks.

During his studies, Wright also worked in close contact with Grinnell's assistant, Joseph Scattergood Dixon, the museum's Economic Mammologist.

In 1926, while still a student at Berkeley, Wright accompanied Dixon on a collecting trip up to Alaska, sponsored by a wealthy East Coast naturalist, in search of the eggs of the elusive surfbird.

Under his leadership, and with the aid of Civilian Conservation Corp funding, each of the national parks began to survey and evaluate the status of wildlife on an ongoing basis in order to identify urgent problems especially in regards to restoration, conflict management, and rare or endangered species.

During his brief Wright wrote numerous articles and professional papers extolling the virtues of the National Parks and the need to maintain them in their “pristine” or “primitive” state.

And how—with proper science-based management, strategic restoration, and expansion—the national parks could recover and steward their wildlife (and flora) while also accommodating increasing human visitation.