Years: 

1894–1970

Year Hutchinson Medal awarded:

1967

Horticulturist, conservationist, and landscape planner; General Superintendent of the Forest Preserves of Cook County

A visionary who blended academic knowledge with practical land stewardship, Sauers left a lasting legacy on conservation and public horticulture in the Midwest. He began his career at the Indiana Department of Conservation as Assistant to Director Richard Lieber from 1919 to 1929, where he helped develop Indiana’s state park system, a pioneering effort in U.S. conservation. Sauers was then appointed General Superintendent of the Forest Preserves of Cook County in 1929, and remained in this role until 1964, overseeing the Forest Preserves’ expansion from about 30,000 acres to more than 60,000 acres. Known for his deep commitment to conservation, Sauers lived on a 15-acre property described as a “park in itself”; he was a passionate vegetable gardener with a large collection of cookbooks.

Honors and awards:

• Awarded the Pugsley Bronze Medal in 1930 for his contributions to park development
• Honored with life membership by the Illinois Parks Association upon retirement