Arthur Watres (1922-2014) was a pioneering environmentalist who spent his life working for the preservation of open spaces, education of the public about nature, and research into how ecological systems work. In the 1940s and 50s, Arthur and his mother Isabel began to read works warning about the natural limits of the planet. Empowered with a keen sense of purpose, they invited scientists to visit Lake Lacawac and eventually gave their personal landholdings to create a biological research station. The preservation of Lacawac allows scientists to understand the basic function of natural systems and the community to learn about the relationship between man and his environment.