May Theilgaard Watts | |
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| Born | May 1, 1893[1] Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | 20 August 1975 (aged 82)[2] Naperville, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | B.S., University of Chicago (botany, ecology);[2] School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
| Employer | The Morton Arboretum |
| Known for | Botany, illustration, poetry, natural history and outdoor education |
| Spouse | Raymond Watts |
May Petrea Theilgaard Watts (1 May 1893 – 20 August 1975) was an American naturalist, writer, poet, illustrator, and educator. She was a naturalist at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, and author of Reading the Landscape of America.
She is credited with proposing in 1963 what ultimately developed as a national rails-to-trails program. She argued for preservation of abandoned railroad rights-of-way for public use, and helped gain the development of the Illinois Prairie Path.
- ^ "Individual: Watts, May Theilgaard [2.4062]". acorn.mortonarb.org. The Morton Arboretum. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
- ^ a b Rotenberk, Lori (1999). "Remembering May Watts" (PDF). Chicago Wilderness Magazine. No. Winter 1999. Chicago Wilderness. Retrieved 2018-11-03.