May Theilgaard Watts
May Theilgaard Watts | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 1, 1893 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | 20 August 1975 (aged 82) Naperville, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | B.S., University of Chicago (botany, ecology); School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
| Employer | The Morton Arboretum |
| Known for | Botany, illustration, poetry, natural history and outdoor education |
| Spouse | Raymond Watts |
May Petrea Theilgaard Watts (1 May 1893 – 20 August 1975) was an American naturalist, writer, poet, illustrator, and educator. She was a naturalist at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, and author of Reading the Landscape of America.
She is credited with proposing in 1963 what ultimately developed as a national rails-to-trails program. She argued for preservation of abandoned railroad rights-of-way for public use, and helped gain the development of the Illinois Prairie Path.