Robert B. (Robert Barclay) Miller

He is best known as a forester, botanist, and teacher whose work connected academic study with the practical world of identifying and understanding trees. Records from the University of New Brunswick describe Robert Barclay Miller as the university's first professor of Forestry, appointed as the program was getting started in the early 20th century.

After his time at the University of New Brunswick, his career became closely tied to forestry research in Illinois. Library and catalog records show him as the author of works including First Report on a Forestry Survey of Illinois, The Native and Naturalized Trees of Illinois (with L. R. Tehon), and Forest Trees of Illinois: How to Know Them, books that helped readers recognize species and learn their characteristics.

Although not a widely famous literary figure, his writing has had a long life because it is practical, observant, and grounded in field knowledge. For listeners interested in nature writing, regional history, or the early science of conservation, his work offers a window into how forests were studied and explained in his era.