Abstract
Human beings are altering landscapes at high rates. When we think of who is causing these irreversible and enduring changes to the environment, we think of large scale industrial decision makers in agriculture and real estate. Rarely do we consider the impact that individuals have on ecosystems. I studied the land use history of the “King Farm” tract on the campus of the University of the South. I focused on the time period between 1951 and 1977 when Charles Cheston was responsible for the activity there as University Forester. The decisions that Cheston made during that time frame are reflected today in the landscape and tell the story of a man and his aspirations within the historical and institutional context. This man’s story highlights the fact that ecosystem change is not just a result of the collective decision making of large corporate entities; individuals have the power to leave ecological legacies on the land.
