Trevor and Lovejoy Families Open the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo

Dr. Thomas Lovejoy ’59 is a name often referenced in reverent tones around Millbrook School’s campus. That name is now indelibly etched into the space that started the late Dr. Lovejoy on his journey to becoming a household moniker in the world of environmental conservation, as the Millbrook community and guests officially opened the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo on Saturday morning. Formerly known as the Trevor Zoo, the new title fittingly unites the names involved in what is perhaps the greatest teacher-student relationship Millbrook School has ever known, delineating the unique connection between a boarding school and an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)–accredited zoo.

Frank Trevor founded the zoo when he brought an assortment of animals with him to teach biology at Millbrook in 1936. A couple of decades later, Lovejoy enrolled at Millbrook, planning to get his biology requirement out of the way in his first semester. Instead of dispensing with the subject, he found his calling, thanks to Trevor and his collaborative zoo classroom. Known as the Planet Doctor, Lovejoy went on to change the world through his conservation efforts, working to save the planet through international debt restructuring and launching the ongoing Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) that seeks to save the Amazon rainforest.

The community held a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Millbrook School alumni and current faculty and students, zoo staff, and local journalists and guests. Unfazed by the rainy weather, attendees gathered around the zoo’s front gate to listen to remarks from former Millbrook Head of School Drew Casertano, Millbrook alumnus and renowned ornithologist Dr. Rob Bierregaard ’69, and Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo Director Dr. Alan Tousignant. The speakers shared memories of their interactions with Frank Trevor and Dr. Lovejoy, outlining their larger-than-life impact on the world.

Referencing remarks at a Friday night pre-opening ceremony, Casertano noted, "We heard about the power of a teacher and the impact that he had on a young boy, and then how that radiated outward to benefit our planet as Tom became the Planet Doctor. It’s a remarkable story." Dr. Bierregaard, who helped build the BDFFP, offered a glimpse into the mind of Dr. Lovejoy:

With the ribbon cut and the veil removed from the front gate, revealing the zoo’s new name and logo, attendees strolled through the zoo, enjoying keeper talks at various animal enclosures. The poignant event is the latest milestone in the zoo’s evolution, marking the next phase of the zoo’s outsized impact on the local community and the planet. With a new name denoting a renewed sense of purpose, the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo and Millbrook School will continue inspiring and training new generations of world-changing conservationists.