Woodsy Owl was created in 1970 as part of the second US environmental movement. During this phase of growing environmental awareness, Smokey Bear, which has existed since 1944, was increasingly relied on for environmental education.

For more than a quarter of a century, Woodsy Owl has been America's original and official environmental icon. Woodsy has been an anti-pollution symbol and taught us to, "Give a hoot; don't pollute!"

Woody Owl, the beloved owl icon for environmental conservation for the USDA Forest Service, was officially introduced on September 15, 1971. He is most famous for the motto “Give a hoot – don’t pollute!”

On Sept. 15, 1971, then U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Clifford M. Hardin introduced the owl to the nation. For many years, Woodsy Owl’s signature motto was “Give a hoot; don’t pollute!”

Originally created by the U.S. Forest Service to promote the agency’s antilitter campaign, Woodsy Owl has changed over the decades, reflecting the major trends in American environmental consciousness, environmental policy, and the public standing of the Forest Service.

Nov 7, 2021 · Woodsy Owl’s popularity grew throughout the 1970s and 1980s, but in the 1990s Woodsy became an unwitting participant in a conflict between the logging industry and the northern Spotted Owl, which had recently been added to the endangered species list.

Dec 15, 2009 · Mr. Bell was one of the creators of Woodsy Owl, the Forest Service’s anti-pollution mascot. He was working with agency employees Glenn Kovar, Betty Conrad Hite, and Charles …

Apr 20, 2022 · Woodsy Owl was created in 1971 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service as an anti-pollution symbol. His catchy tag line, “Give a hoot; don’t pollute!” is still used today more than 50 years later to remind us to care for the planet.

Harold Bell (October 5, 1919 – December 4, 2009) was an American marketer and merchandising executive who co-created Woodsy Owl, the mascot of the United States Forest Service.

Sep 15, 2011 · We won’t bore you with the details of how he came to be. You can learn that at this blog post. Instead, we’ll share the original September 15, 1971 news announcement of his arrival below. Click to read PDF of full press release announcing Woodsy Owl’s debut. Let the festivities begin!