George+Melendez+Wright

__George Melendez Wright__ __**Occupation:**__ George Melendez Wright started his career by first earning a degree in forestry and zoology from University of California, Berkeley. After taking a trip to Alaska, Wright came back to work as an assistant park naturalist and Yosemite National Park. While there, he conducted an original survey of the park. He monitored how to feed and care for the animals and wildlife living within those parks without actually disturbing the "keeping it natural" idea of the park. With solutions to many of parks problems on how exactly to naturally care for the animals, Wright was then named chief of the newly discovered Wildlife Division of U.S. National Parks.

__**Contributions:**__ Throughout his career, Wright advised state parks on what and what not to do, in order to keep things flowing smoothly between keeping things natural and having human interactions. His survey of the Yosemite Park helped him to become a big name across the states. He was able to branch out from Yosemite Park in California to the Everglades in Florida. With his surveys, he helped parks identify major problems and evaluate the status of the wildlife. Wright played a huge role in keeping these Parks as natural and organic as possible. Wright then directed his work towards the Big Bend of the Rio Grande in Texas and Mexico. During his time there, he was killed in a tragic car accident at the age of 31. Though his works were cut short, Wright was able to make a huge impact on how National Parks conduct themselves. He gave parks the ability to help better the wildlife without interrupting it. He is still recognized today at the Big Bend by having parts of it named after him. He was a great influence on our National Parks, even now, after he is gone.

__**How he applies:**__ George Melendez Wright applies to our learnings in the AP Environmental Science class in two different categories. Not only does he fit in the Living World section, but he also has some significant relations to the Ecosystem Diversity chapter. He could qualify under the Living World chapter in the section Ecosystem Interactions because that is exactly what he did throughout his life. He was able to make a huge impact on how ecosystems sustain in the Natural Parks without corrupting them. His place under the Ecosystem Diversity chapter is similar to this because he was able to identify different species and endangered wildlife and propose solutions to their situations. Wright is a key player to any Environmental Science class.

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