After the Civil War, Maryland state forests were harvested for their commercial and industrial value. In 1906, Fred W. Besley was appointed Maryland's first State Forester, the third such appointment in the nation. He was a protégé of Gifford Pinchot, the first chief U.S. Forester and President Theodore Roosevelt's advisor on conservation matters. Besley was the first in the nation to establish eligibility rules for crowning champion big trees. Serving as State Forester for 36 years, Mr. Besley's triumphant record of bringing scientific forestry management to Maryland and the nation, is an example of passionate coaching for all seasons.