The collection could not have found a better home, according to Library Director Arne Arenson. Jahn was born, grew up, was educated and began his career in Wisconsin prior to achieving national recognition.  It is only fitting that his working library returns to our state and to the institution that one of the nation's premier academic natural resources programs, Arneson says.

Jahn was born in 1926 in Jefferson. He received bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from the UW-Madison.  His doctorate in wildlife management was from a program founded in 1939 by Aldo Leopold, long considered the father of modern wildlife management. In 1949 Jahn began a professional career as a wildlife research biologist for the Wisconsin Conservation Department (now the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) in charge of research on migratory birds and aquatic habitats.  The research of Jahn and his colleagues soon set the standard for waterfowl management practices throughout the Mississippi Valley.

In 1959 following his 10-year tenure with the Wisconsin Conservation Department, Jahn joined The Wildlife Management Institute as field representative for the North Central States. His accomplishments carried him to Washington, D.C. in 1970, where he became the Director of Conservation for The Wildlife Management Institute.  His fellow natural resource colleagues nicknamed him "Our Man in Washington."  At the nation's capitol he advised natural resources management agencies, professional societies, Congress, and the executive branch.  He served as vice president of the Wildlife Management Institute from 1971 to 1987 and president until 1991.  He retired in 1991 as chairman of the board of directors.

Jahn's work, widely recognized in scientific and political circles, included serving as chairman (1983-1985) of the Natural Resources Council of America, secretary-treasurer (1974-1985) of the North American Wildlife Foundation, secretary (1970-1990) of the Wildfowl Foundation, chairman (1977-1989) of the National Watershed Congress, chairman (1990-1991) of the U.S. Implementation Board for the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, chairman (1981-1986) of the Agriculture/Conservation Coalition, president (1979-1980) of The Wildlife Society, chairman (1983-1985) of the Chief of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Advisory Board and chairman (1972-1988) of the annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference.  In 1989 he won the Aldo Leopold Medal of the Wildlife Society for his work in conservation.

His scholarship covered a wide range of topics, including waterfowl management, nongame wildlife, habitat management, groundwater resources, wildlife refuges, wilderness, riparian issues, wetlands, marshes, estuaries, water use and management, soil conservation, public and private land management, open space, recreational access, trespass, and liability and conservation law.

Jahn died Aug. 15, 2000, in Fairfax, Va. His wife, Helen, lives with their daughter, Katherine Cook, in Custer.

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sclanton/vc/jahn collection