Rev. Laurence N. Nelson was born in Duluth, Minnesota. He went to Bellevue, Iowa, as a student pastor in 1938 where he served the Bellevue First Presbyterian Church while going through college. He received his bachelor and master of theology degrees from the University of Dubuque as well as the doctor of divinity from the Presbyterian Theological Seminary at the University of Dubuque.

He was widely know as a conservationist and in 1963 was appointed to the Iowa State Conservation Commission. He served for six years and was chairman during 1967-1968. He also served six years as a member of the Mississippi River Parkway Planning Commission, was a member of the Izaak Walton League, the Great River Road Commission and the Water Pollution Study Committee.

Rev. Nelson's interest in conservation was widespread and he wrote and lectured extensively on the subject. In addition, under the supervision of the State Conservation Commission and the National Rifle Association he worked as a hunter safety instructor.

Rev. Nelson died in 1970.

This collection (1965-1969, undated) contains sermons, lectures, and color transparency slides. The subjects concern conservation, nature and the environment. The slides (numbering 61) illustrate a 1965 Mississippi River flood.