looks from left to right, he sees town and forest. ”) After successful test marketing in schools, summer camps and church groups, Woodsy Owl was registered as a trademark on August 20, 1970 at the US patent office. USFS employee Rudy Wendelin, who had already played a key role in the design of Smokey Bear, refined the graphic designs of the figure and breathed “personality” into it. Woodsy's slogan was officially introduced on September 15, 1971 by Secretary of Agriculture Clifford Hardin. The first Woodsy Owl public service spot was created by U.S. Forest Ranger Chuck Williams, who was the Forest Service's technical consultant for the Lassie TV show which featured a Forest Service Ranger and his family. Williams, along with Bell and Glenn Kovar, also of the U.S. Forest Service, brainstormed the idea for the Woodsy motif name together in Los Angeles, California, in 1970. In 1974, the U.S. Congress passed the Woodsy Owl Act (Public Law 93-318) to protect the character making it a federal crime to reproduce his image or original slogan. Despite the documented history of Woodsy Owl's creation, various rival claims to his parentage have emerged over the years. Several individuals have stated that they invented Woodsy Owl as children as part of a nationwide poster contest. The Forest History Society has said that no evidence of such has been provided. Several songs have been used in conjunction with the Woodsy Owl environmental campaign, including "The Ballad of Woodsy Owl" and "Help Woodsy Spread the Word". Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz, the drummer for "Weird Al" Yankovic, recorded "The Woodsy Owl Song." For his appearances in commercials that aired in the 1970s and 1980s, Woodsy was voiced by several actors, including Sterling Holloway, Barry Gordon, Dave Kimber, and Frank Welker. Several other environmentalism-, conservation- or outdoor-themed comics and characters have appeared over the years, including Mark Trail and Smokey Bear. Woodsy Owl appeared as a comic by Gold Key Comics from 1973 to 1976. See also Johnny Horizon Mark Trail Smokey Bear References External links U.S. Forest Service National Symbols Program Remembering Harold Bell, Creator of Woodsy Owl. Peeling Back the Bark, the Forest History Society. American mascots Male characters in advertising Bird mascots Cartoon mascots Mascots introduced in 1971 Fictional owls Public service announcement characters Public service announcements of the United States United States Forest Service