John has always been interested in nature. He attended the Ohio State University, majoring in wildlife management. It was there that he took local flora and ornithology courses which sparked his interests. He got into birding which helped him get a job with Ohio State Parks, where he worked at Crane Creek State Park for 11 years. His birding reputation also got him a job at Lake Metroparks where he worked for 30 years as a biologist.

Since John worked at the same parks for years, he became very familiar with them and was able to note changes within the parks. It was because of that, which helped him detect Beech Leaf Disease in 2012. Because he was visiting the same parks year after year, he began learning different taxa such as butterflies, tiger beetles, dragonflies, and others which helped him understand how everything interacted with each other, in other words, everything is linked together. As a result, he did a boundary survey annually for each property. Each survey included surveys of birds, rare plants, insects, tree diseases, earthworm damage, and others. Which continue since his retirement. ... read more

This tribute was given by Judy Barnhart, president, of the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio as told by John Pogacnik.

Dan’s blossoming interest in nature was encouraged and supported by his parents, family elders, teachers and scout leaders while growing up amid swamp forest and abandoned vineyards in Avon Lake, Ohio. As budding naturalists, Dan and his best friend Rich Repasky spent two summers in the late 1960’s as Cleveland Metroparks Trailside Explorers. These were pivotal experiences for these two young nature bugs. Here, Dan found his career compass bearing as he was introduced to professional naturalists, including long-time Native Plant Society member and 2017 Gentian Award recipient, the late Kent Scott.

Dan graduated from The Ohio State University’s School of Natural Resources in 1979 with a degree in Environmental Interpretation. Summers during his college years were spent with nature education stints with the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, Shaker Lakes Regional Center and ODNR’s Youth Conservation Corp with ages ranging from preschoolers to high school students. ... read more

This tribute was given by Judy Barnhart, president, of the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio.

Tom’s interest in botany began as a toddler when his grandmother Jennie walked him in the neighborhood. She stopped at wildflowers telling him fascinating stories about them. When he was in college, he always had plants on his windowsill. After college he continued his interest in plants and joined groups at the Natural History Museum, the Botanical Garden and affiliates. He served as president and board member for other groups including the Indoor Gardening Society, various orchid groups and continues to this day contributing articles and images to various journals and newsletters. .

Tom began his involvement with the native plant society in the early 1980’s. He was nominated as treasurer in 1984 becoming President in 1990, Writing and editing the journal for nearly 10 years. Tom was also Vice President of Ohio Native Plant Society. Tom remained president until 2000 but continued to be on the board as education chair for many years. Tom has a great interest in Mushrooms and Orchids, raising some orchids at home as well as travelling around the world to photograph the many species. Tom’s extensive travels took him to Sicily, Manitoba Canada, Costa Rica, the Greek Isle of Rhodes and Thailand which he shared in pictorial retrospectives at Geauga Park District usually kicking off our program series in January. ... read more

This tribute was given by Judy Barnhart, president of the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio.

James Kirk Bissell grew up on a dairy farm in Austinburg Township. A 1965 Geneva High School graduate, Jim earned a degree in plant ecology from the Ohio State University in 1969. He earned a Master of Science degree at the University of Wyoming and finished his M.S. thesis on the relationship of plants to geology within the upper Greys River in Western Wyoming in 1973.

In 2003, Jim received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from the University of Akron and received the George Fell Award in 2004 from the Natural Areas Association for lifetime achievement in natural areas preservation. In 2009, Jim was inducted into the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame.

Jim is Curator of Botany at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH), where he also serves as Director of Natural Areas and is in charge of managing the museum’s Natural Areas Program. ... read more

This tribute was given by Judy Barnhart, president of the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio.

Barb’s interests in botany began when she was a farm girl growing up in Dundee, Tuscarawas County. Her father taught her the common names of trees. Her first botanical effort was to compile the vascular flora of Wayne Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio.

Barb has come in and out of my life several times over the years. I first met Barb in 1984 in the Herbarium of Kent State University, where she was working on her doctor’s degree and I was working on my master’s. We shared a lab table keying out plants and referencing herbarium specimens. Barb was my mentor and inspiration in continuing on my path; she was raising two boys, pursuing a degree in botany and teaching biology at Tri-C. We traveled to downtown Cleveland from Kent State with Tom and Mix Cooperrider to my first Native Plant Society annual meeting to hear Dr Edward Voss, author of The Flora of Michigan Speak, whose books I would often reference. ... read more

This tribute was given by Judy Barnhart, president of the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio.

Every year we designate a person to receive The Gentian Award. This year we are making two separate awards to persons who have made substantial contributions to the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio. One award is granted to Jane McCullam and the second award is granted to Jack and Florence Selby.

Long time Native Plant Society Journal Editor and Membership chair Jane McCullam lost her battle with cancer on April 25.

She, and good friend and founding president, Ann Malmquist spent countless hours publishing a quality journal and adding chapters around the state. Jane was editor from December 2000 until 2009 when she turned it over to the current editors Diane Christensen and Bill Oberdick, though still proofing articles. ... read more

This tribute was given by Judy Barnhart, president of the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio.

Every year we designate a person to receive The Gentian Award. This year we are making two separate awards to persons who have made substantial contributions to the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio. One award goes to Jane McCullam, who served on the board for close to fifteen years in various posts, and was instrumental in the creation of our quarterly journal, working closely with our the Society’s founder, Ann Malmquist.

The second award is granted to Jack and Florence Selby, long time members of the Society, for their dedication to the preservation of the native plants of Northeast Ohio. Jack was a prolific and expert photographer.

His entire slide collection has been donated to the Society. ... read more

This tribute was given by Judy Barnhart, president of the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio.

Tom worked at the Holden Arboretum for forty years, from 1970 to 2019, eventually becoming superintendent of Lantern Court. While at the Arboretum, Tom was also involved in educational programming, leading tours of the natural areas. In his first few years, he added nearly 20 beds to the gardens, including the Primrose Valley, his favorite. His coworkers agree that to a very large extent, the uniqueness of the grounds of Lantern Court reflects the interests and commitments of one man: Tom Yates. As a consultant from Holden, he played an instrumental role in designing the Penitentiary Glen Nature Center butterfly gardens. Today he continues to volunteer at Lantern Court in addition to the butterfly garden at Penitentiary Glen. His knowledge and skills are immense, and he continues to teach those around him.

Tom has been involved with the Native Plant Society from its early years, attending the organizational meeting in 1981, as well as writing one of the first newsletter articles. We are indebted to Tom for the years he has given to the society and the native plants of Ohio. Thanks Tom! ... read more

This tribute was given by Judy Barnhart, president of the society, and is a composite of material from Judy, Caitlin Ambrose, Interpretive Manager of The Lake Metro Parks, Amy Gaeletz, and the Holden Arboretum. Thanks to them all.

• Introduction PDF

Since its beginning, our society has been blessed to have dedicated individuals as members who generously share their knowledge, time, and insightful interpretations of nature through writings, leading programs and walks, and through conversation. In Jane McCullams’ 2015 Gentian Award introduction for our founding president Ann Malmquist, she spoke of Ann’s “gusto and zeal for her unwavering commitment to preservation and conservation of the natural environment and native plants.” Reading through our society’s On the Fringe publications, one thing is apparent, Ann was in good company of dedicated and like-minded folks and her legacy still is. One of these folks is the recipient of this year’s Gentian Award; and, like Ann, is an “unflinching champion of the natural environment.”

Tonight the Native Plant Society is honored to present this year’s Gentian Award to Kent Scott who throughout his life helped guide people of all ages to develop their own set of eyes for seeing the richness and intricacies of our natural world and their own path towards understanding and caring. In early On the Fringe publications, I came upon writings by Dr. Richard Lighty who illuminated what attracts us to nature and our responsibilities toward respecting the other species of life we share our planet with. He further asked the question: “Why then is it so difficult to pass this enthusiasm along to others? Kent Scott didn’t find it difficult at all to share and pass along the “magic” of discovery through nature study. Just ask Vicki Ball Solomon, Dan Best, Mary Huey, Ann Bugeda, Pat Morse, Pat Biliter, current and past volunteers he worked side-by-side with, me, many in this room, many we’ve never met. ... read more

Lisa K. Schlag, Treasurer and Webmaster of the Native Plant Society, gave this introduction at the Annual Meeting on October 28, 2017.

• Introduction PDF

The Native Plant Society created the Gentian Award in 2012 to honor those individuals or organizations we believe made a significant contribution to our Society’s goals and mission of promoting the study, appreciation, and conservation of Ohio's native plants and plant communities. Each past recipient: Perry Peskin, Judy Semroc, Fred Losi, and our founding President Ann Malmquist uniquely shared their understanding and appreciation of nature in a manner that helped widen the scope of what we look at and inspired us to discover more.

The recipient of this year’s Gentian Award provides opportunities for discovering, observing, studying, and experiencing nature both indoors and very importantly outdoors – in essence, widening our scope of awareness and understanding about what surrounds us and our part in the natural cycle of life. This year the Native Plant Society ("NPS") is very proud to honor The Wilderness Center ("TWC") and its dedicated team of staff and volunteers who are responsible for planning and carrying out the activities that support TWC’s mission to connect our community with nature, educate people of all ages, conserve natural resources and practice environmental stewardship. ... read more

Lisa K. Schlag, Treasurer and Webmaster of the Native Plant Society, gave this introduction at the Annual Meeting on October 29, 2016 before presenting Carrie Elvey, Senior Naturalist of The Wilderness Center, with the Gentian Award.

• Introduction PDF

Today we take the opportunity of honoring Ann Malmquist, founder of the Ohio Native Plant Society and of our Northeastern Ohio chapter and an unflinching champion of the natural environment.

When she was a young child, her father took her on extended vacations to the Minnesota wilderness and taught her to love and respect the land and the stars. In later years this introduction evolved into a life-long crusade to protect the environment from the depredations of commercial development, logging, and mineral exploitation. Her zeal to keep well-drillers conforming to regulations is legendary. At one point, she drove her car down railroad tracks to check for infractions and was obliged to retrace her route in uncomfortable haste.

Ann was active in the Audubon Society and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. She was head of the Women's Committee there for years and turned her skills as an organizer and hostess to the annual Ark in the Park Christmas fundraiser. Her connections to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History earned the Native Plant Society a wonderful venue for our annual dinners in the Dinosaur Hall. ... read more

Jane McCullam, Membership Chair and dear friend of Ann, gave this introduction at the Annual Meeting on November 14, 2015, before Kathy Hanratty, President of the Society, presented Ann’s children with the Gentian Award.

• Introduction PDF

The Native Plant Society created the Gentain Award in 2012 to honor those who made a significant contribution to our Society's mission of promoting the study, appreciation, and conservation of Ohio's native plants and plant communities. This year's recipient exemplifies the spirit of the Gentian Award by generously sharing his time, knowledge, and curiosity about nature in many ways through his volunteer and community services. We are proud that this year's Gentian Award goes to Mr. Fred Losi. He joins the fine company of previous award recipients: Perry Peskin and Judy Semroc.

Like Perry, Fred's interest in nature is not his vocation. Fred graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Professionally, he currently handles technical and architectural aspects of projects especially in the telecommunications area. It is to the benefit of many that his technical training and background never quashed his love for the outdoors nor his thrill of experiencing the wonders of nature that exist right in our backyards. Being an avid hiker, Fred has covered much ground over the years by hiking through area woods of Bedford, Brecksville, North and South Chagrin, and much of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. With his hiking experience and his respected knowledge of wildlife and plants, Charles Thomas and Carl Casavecchia could think of no better person to take the reins of the Cleveland Metroparks: Woodlands of Bedford program. "It does both Chuck and I a lot of good to know a program we started a long time ago is in the capable hands of Fred to carry on the discovery of the outdoor world."... read more

Lisa K. Schlag, Treasurer of the Society, gave this introduction at the Annual Meeting on November 1, 2014, before Kathy Hanratty, President of the Society, presented Fred Losi with the Gentian Award.

• Introduction PDF

We are proud to present Judy Semroc with our Gentian Award. The Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio created the award in 2012 to honor those in the community who have made a significant contribution to the mission and goals of the Society. The Society's mission is the study, appreciation, and conservation of the native plants and plant communities of Ohio.

Judy Semroc sets a high standard of accomplishment in furthering the mission adopted by our Society. Springing from the rigors of an educational background, as well as work experience, in geology and civil engineering, her career is a steady path of initiating and actualizing projects conserving natural resources of Northeast Ohio. The breadth of her work encompasses multiple aspects of environmental stewardship. ... read more

Kathy Hanratty, President of the Society, made this statement at the Annual Dinner on November 2, 2013, when she presented Judy Semroc with the Gentian Award.

• Introduction PDF

We are proud to give Perry Peskin our first Gentian Award. Our society created the award to honor those in the community who have made a "significant contribution" to the mission and goals of the Society. The Society's mission is the study, appreciation and conservation of the native plants and plant communities of Ohio.

Perry Peskin exemplifies our mission in a special way. There are many who through their occupation do much to foster that mission, but Perry's life shows that this mission can be pursued with dedication even by those who are not employed in the field of conservation, botany, or similar areas. ... read more

Statement of the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio upon awarding Perry Peskin with the Gentian Award for 2012.

• Introduction PDF