Margery Milne

Margery Joan Greene Milne (January 18, 1914 – February 28, 2006) was an internationally recognized American biologist, ecologist, conservationist, and science writer. She co-authored, alongside her husband, more than fifty books, including numerous works for children, and published over one hundred scientific articles. Her writing appeared in publications such as National Geographic Magazine, The New York Times, and The Atlantic Monthly. Throughout her career, Milne was committed to promoting public understanding of the natural world, using her scientific knowledge to engage audiences through accessible storytelling.

Early life Born to Samuel Greenburg and Rebecca Gutman, Margery was raised in the Bronx, New York City where her close proximity to the Bronx Zoo fostered an early interest in science and the natural world. This formative exposure played a key role in shaping her lifelong dedication to scientific education and communication. She attended Wadleigh High School, an all-girls public school in New York City.

Education Her passion for science, combined with her dream of being published in The New York Times, inspired her to pursue a bachelor's degree in biology at Hunter College, a women's college in New York City. before she joined the faculty at Beaver College, now Arcadia University, in Pennsylvania. In 1948, she was appointed as an assistant professor at the University of New Hampshire, where she worked for three years before having to resign due to an anti-nepotism policy. After UNH, Milne continued her research, teaching, and travels Atheneum 1962 The Valley: Meadow, Grove, and Stream Harper 1963 Water and Life Atheneum 1964 Living Plants of the World Random House 1967 The Ages of Life: A New Look at the Effects of Time on Mankind and Other Living Things Harcourt 1968 The Nature of Life: Earth, Plants, Animals, Man, and Their Effect on Each Other Crown 1970 The Arena of Life: The Dynamics of Ecology DoubleDay 1972 The Animal in Man McGraw-Hill 1973 The Secret Life of Animals Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1976 Ecology out of Joint: New Environments and Why They Happen Scribner Book Company 1977 National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects and Spiders: North America Knopf 1980 Insect Worlds: A Guide for Man on Making the most of the Environment Scribner Book Company 1980 Dreams of a Perfect Earth Atheneum 1982 World Alive: The Natural Wonders of a New England River Valley Yankee Books 1991 Nature's Clean Up Crew Dodd, Mead & Co. 1982

Textbooks

Scientific articles

Research grants and awards

Throughout her career, Milne and her husband were recipients of multiple awards and research travel grants. In 1951, the Milnes conducted research at the Barro Colorado Island biological sanctuary in Panama through a grant from the Smithsonian Institution, leading to the publication of several scientific papers, and a film "Panama Venture".

Following the release of the influential textbook The Biotic World and Man (1952), the Milnes were awarded a research grant by the United Nations Education Council —now known as UNESCO—which enabled them to conduct fieldwork in Australia and New Zealand.

In 1960, the Milnes participated in the United States–South Africa Leader Exchange Program. After the publication of "Water and Life" in 1964, the Milnes were awarded a research grant by the National Geographic Society Following this trip, they wrote a book for young adults Understanding Radioactivity, published in 1989.

Awards In 1947, Milne received an honorable mention from the American Association for the Advancement of Science for "Life of the Water Film."

The book Nature's Great Carbon Cycle was recognized with an honorable mention by the Cooperative Children's Book Center in 1983.

Legacy

Milne Nature Sanctuary In 1961, Milne and her husband purchased 1.5 acres of land in Durham, New Hampshire that had been rezoned for residential use. They chose to preserve it as a place for reflection and nature contemplation. Over time, swans began nesting on the property and returned each year to raise their young. The Milnes maintained the land and protected the swans as part of their conservation efforts. In 1968, the town council appointed them as "Durham's Keepers of the Swans."

Scholarships Several scholarships and research awards have been established in honor of Margery Milne and her husband, recognizing their contributions to science and education. The University of New Hampshire offers scholarship support to students in the Biological Sciences in their name. In 2008, the University of Toronto established the Milne Research Award, granted to outstanding undergraduate researchers. The Marine Biological Laboratory at the University of Chicago maintains an endowed scholarship supporting student research, the Lorus J. and Margery J. Milne Scholarship.

Personal life Milne married Lorus Johnson Milne, a PhD student from Harvard University, in September 1936. The couple collaborated on most of their publications. They researched and traveled together, sharing their passion for science and the natural world. They lived in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and in 1948 they moved to Durham, NH and lived out their lives.