Allen Dowling Nease (d.1983) was a pioneer of Florida’s reforestation and conservation efforts in the mid-20th century.[1]
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Allen was actually born Allen Dowling, but was adopted when he was ten and kept his birth name as his middle name.[1] Allen Nease graduated from North Carolina State University and went to work with the US Forest Service in the Apalachicola National Forest where he planted trees, supervised timber sales and fought “redneck poachers” who were undermining his efforts. In 1940 he was hired by the Florida Division of Forestry as the first County Forester in the state, selling the need for forest and soil conservation all the way from Suwannee County, Florida to Washington County, Florida.
Because Allen Nease planted over 55 million pine trees throughout the north Florida area, he became known as “Johnny Pine nut” (instead of Johnny Appleseed). In 1947, he managed 17,000 acres (69 km²) of over cut, overworked timberland in St. Johns County, Florida for Robinson Improvement Company where he established a re-forestry program.
In 1971, Allen Nease was elected to the St. Johns County School Board where he served as Chairman for 17 years and became the School Board’s driving force for 24 years. While on the School Board, Mr. Nease won the battle to build and develop what is now known as the First Coast Technical Institute. Due to these achievements, the high school, Allen D. Nease Senior High School, was named after him.[2]