Friedrich Wilhelm Leopold Pfeil (28 March 1783 – 4 September 1859) was a German forester. Pfeil was born in Rammelburg. From 1801 onward, he trained and worked as a forester at several sites in the

Harz The Harz () is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' derives from the Middle High German ...

region, Neuchâtel and

Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...

. As a soldier in the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

he fought at the Battles of

Großbeeren Großbeeren is a municipality in the district of Teltow-Fläming in the German state of Brandenburg. Geography Located about 3 km south of Berlin's city limits. It includes the localities of ''Diedersdorf'', ''Heinersdorf'' and ''Kleinbeeren ...

and Wartenburg. From 1816 he was employed as a forester in the service of Heinrich Karl Erdmann, prince of Carolath-Beuthen. In 1821 he was awarded an honorary doctorate at the

University of Berlin Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiative ...

, and despite lacking a university education, was named a professor of

forest science Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...

. In 1830 when the department of forestry was relocated to

Eberswalde Eberswalde () is a major town and the administrative seat of the district Barnim in the German State ( Bundesland / ''federated state'') of Brandenburg, about 50 km northeast of Berlin. Population 42,144 (census in June 2005), geographi ...

, he was named its director, a position he maintained up until his retirement in 1859. From 1822 to 1859 he was editor of the journa
''Kritische Blätter für Forst- und Jagdwissenschaft''
— after his death, Hermann von Nördlinger continued as its editor. Pfeil died in Warmbrunn. From 1863 to 2005 the "Wilhelm-Leopold-Pfeil-Preis" was awarded for contributions made towards future forest management in Europe.

Selected works

* ''Grundsätze der Forstwirthschaft in bezug auf die Nationalökonomie und die Staatsfinanzwissenschaft'', 1822 – Principles of forestry management in regards to the national economy and state finances. * ''Forstbenutzung und Forsttechnologie'', 1831 – Forestry and forest technology. * ''Kurze Anweisung zur Jagdwissenschaft für Gutsbesitzer und Forstliebhaber'', 1831 – Brief instruction on the science of hunting. * ''Neue vollständige Anleitung zur Behandling, Benutzung und Schätzung der Forsten; ein Handbuch für Forstbesitzer und Forstbeamte'', (5 volumes, 1830–33) – New comprehensive guide on the treatment, use and estimation of forests. * ''Die Forstpolizeigesetze Deutschlands und Frankreichs nach ihren grundsätzen'', 1834 – The German and French forestry regulation system. * ''Das forstliche verhalten der deutschen waldbaume und ihre erziehung'', 1839 – Characteristics of German forest trees. * ''Die Forstwirthschaft nach rein praktischer Ansicht; ein Handbuch fur Privatforstbesitzer, Verwalter und ins besondere fur Forstlehrlinge'', (2nd edition, 1839) – Forest management from a practical viewpoint. * ''Forstschutz und Forstpolizeilehre, im Anhange die Nachweisung der preussischen Forstpolizeigesetze'' (2nd edition, 1845) – Forestry and forestry regulation. * ''Die Forsttaxation in ihrem ganzen Umfange'', (3rd edition, 1838).HathiTrust Digital Library
(published works)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pfeil, Friedrich Wilhelm Leopold 1783 births 1859 deaths People from Mansfeld German foresters Humboldt University of Berlin alumni Academic staff of the Humboldt University of Berlin