Background
Shigo, Alex Lloyd was born on May 8, 1930 in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of Alex Shigo and Helen Szilagyi.
biologist educator publishing executive
Shigo, Alex Lloyd was born on May 8, 1930 in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of Alex Shigo and Helen Szilagyi.
Bachelor of Science in Biology, Waynesburg College, 1956. Master of Science in Plant Pathology, West Virginia University, 1958. Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Pathology, West Virginia University, 1960.
He travelled and lectured widely to promote understanding of tree biology among arborists and foresters. His large body of primary research serves as a broad foundation for further research in tree biology. He served as a clarinetist with the United States Air Force Band in Washington District of Columbia for four years during the Korean War.
He joined the United States. Forest Service as a tree pathologist.
He served there as Chief Scientist for 25 years and retired in 1985. Shigo was known for his digressive and philosophical style when writing and speaking, and for his trademarked phrase, “touch trees,” with which he autographed his books
Early in his career, the first one-man chainsaws became available. These enabled him to prepare longitudinal sections of trees, which allowed him to study the longitudinal spread of decay organisms within them.
A major discovery from this work was that trees have ways of walling off decaying tissues, which he named Compartmentalization of Decay in Trees (CODIT).
This led to reassessment of arboricultural practices such as pruning techniques and cavity treatments, which showed that many of these actually promoted decay or were ineffective. The American national standards institute A-300 Pruning Standard reflects his recommendations.
(A New Tree Biology changed the way the world looked at, s...)
(Book by Shigo, Alex L.)
(Dictionary Only)
1st clarinet Pittsburgh Youth Symphony, 1945—1948. Sergeant, solo clarinet section Official United States Air Force Band, Washington, 1951—1956. Fellow: American Phytopathological Society, International Academy Wood Science.
Married Marilyn A. Paul, May 22, 1954. Children: Judy Ruth, Robert Paul.