In the late 1800s George Vanderbilt bought a very large portion of the Pisgah wilderness. Vanderbilt was an early conservationist who wanted to preserve the natural beauty of the area and create a vast game preserve. Dr. Carl Alwin Schenck, a German forestry professor, was hired by Vanderbilt to manage his property and start a forestry school. The first School of American Forestry was operated from 1898 to 1913. Schenck trained 300 foresters. The U.S. Forest Service has recognized the importance of the early pioneering conservation effort and has made a considerable investment in replicating the school and providing exhibits to show early forestry practices.