In 1929, Sir John Chancellor, High Commissioner of Palestine in the Middle East, requested that Richard come to that troubled region to establish a tree-planting program in the desert. (Palestine later became the country of Israel.) Some segments of the population there have a long history of religious and ethnic struggle and strife with each other. In spite of this, Richard was able to bring a cross-section of leaders from the religious and civic communities together under the name “Men of the Trees.” As a result, forty-two tree nurseries were rapidly established. Next he went on a lecture tour of the United States of America. He arrived in New York with less than five dollars in his pocket. However, a publisher heard him talking about his experiences in Africa and asked if he would write a book. He paid Richard five hundred dollars in advance. While traveling, he wrote Men of the Trees – In the Mahogany Forests of Kenya and Nigeria, which included forty-eight of his photographs.
Lowell Thomas, a famous radio personality, wrote the introduction to Richard’s book and became a friend. To help publicize the importance of trees, Lowell Thomas interviewed Richard on his radio show, World News, and gave Richard the name "Man of the Trees." He featured reports of Richard’s travels and campaigns in his broadcasts. Over the years, Richard wrote thirty books, more than twenty of which were published. These, along with his lectures and the numerous articles he penned for newspapers and magazines, helped finance his worldwide forestry travels. Richard went to California and gazed upon the magnificent redwood trees on the Pacific coast – some of the biggest trees in the world, many of them thousands of years old. He was shocked to learn that plans were in place to cut down most of the groves to make forms for concrete to construct the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Upon his return to England, he focused on the protection of the California coastal redwoods. He launched the Save the Redwoods Fund in England, through the radio and newspapers, and by addressing groups of people of all ages wherever he could. For eight consecutive years he returned to California, working with groups there to save the giant redwood trees. The American people responded by contributing millions of dollars. To their credit, the men in the lumber business cooperated with the effort and accepted less than market value for the trees. Finally, in 1939, a State Park of twelve thousand acres was created to protect the redwoods. Five thousand acres of National Park was added later. Richard was a friend and advisor to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Governor of New York. Shortly after Roosevelt was elected President of the United States, he implemented and expanded Richard’s plan for planting millions of trees across the country. During the 1930’s, six million young men found employment in the Civilian Conservation Corps. During World War II, Richard served in England as a Local Defense Volunteer, (later called Home Guard). He labored to prevent the deforestation of England and Ireland during this time and to insure that trees cut down for the war effort were replanted. After the war, he founded the Forestry Association of Great Britain.
Richard wrote two books about these expeditions, Sahara Challenge and Sahara Conquest. Some movie documentation also took place during the trips.
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