Philip Wheelock Ayres (1861-1945) received the Pugsley Bronze Medal in 1936 for his services as Forester of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests in preserving notable scenic features in that state. Ayers was born in Winterset, Iowa and spent his boyhood on his father's fruit farm near Cairo, Illinois. Ayers attended Cornell University and earned money for college by educating children of local sharecroppers. In 1888, he went on to receive his Ph.D from Johns Hopkins University in History and worked as a reporter for the Baltimore Sun to pay for his education. In 1901, Ayers earned one of the first forestry degrees granted by Cornell University.
In 1920s Franconia Notch was for sale and logging companies wanted to acquire it. Ayers persuaded the governor to request $200,000 from the legislature, which was unanimously approved. Ayers helped improve forest fire prevention techniques, established a state tree nursery and a state forester's office. In 1934, Ayers retired from the Society and was appointed consulting forester. He died on November 3, 1945. His legacy was summarized by his grandson who was quoted in 1968 Littleton Courier article as " His life shows that office of citizen in the United States in in itself one of the most powerful and responsible in the world".