Richard Pough was a major figure in American conservation for more than half of the 20th century. The impact of his work was so broad that he "seemed to be almost everywhere." He initiated efforts to purchase and preserve habitats at locations such as Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania, Corkscrew Swamp in Florida, Aravaipa Canyon in Arizona, and Congaree Swamp in South Carolina. Pough was born in Brooklyn, New York. Following in the footsteps of his parents, he graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1926, with a degree in chemical engineering.