Wilbur R. (Wilbur Reed) Mattoon

Wilbur Reed Mattoon was an American forestry expert whose career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service stretched for nearly forty years. A modern Forest Service history describes him as an inspector, administrator, researcher, extension agent, and educator who traveled widely, with especially strong influence in the Southern states.

Much of his work focused on making forestry useful to ordinary landowners. He wrote practical publications on subjects such as shortleaf pine, cypress, home woodlands, farm forestry, and regional tree identification, including manuals for states such as Minnesota, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Florida. His writing suggests a clear mission: to help farmers manage woods for income, materials, and long-term land health.

Later historians have noted that, despite being highly visible in his own time, Mattoon is not as well remembered today as some other forestry leaders. Even so, the record of his publications and the Forest Service's own retrospective work show how important he was in promoting reforestation and farm forestry in the early twentieth century.