A PUBLICATION OF the holden arboretum
Winter
2010-11
Winter 2010-11
1
leaves
New Gatehouse
Winter 2010-11
Cait Anastis, Editor
[email protected]
Jackie Klisuric, Graphic Design
Growing Students in Science
administration
Clement W. Hamilton,
President and CEO
Jim Ansberry,
Director of Finance
Jack Blackwell,
Director of Human Resources and Safety
David A. Desimone,
Director of Guest Relations and Communications
Pamela M. Eichenauer,
Director of Development
Roger Gettig,
Director of Horticulture and Conservation
Brian Parsons,
Director of Planning for Special Projects
Paul C. Spector,
Director of Education
Hourglass Pond
Mary A. Topa,
Director of Research
board of directors
Joseph J. Mahovlic, Chairman
Paul R. Abbey, Vice Chairman
Jonathan E. Dick, Vice Chairman
Robert R. Galloway, Vice Chairman
Sarah L. Gries, Vice Chairman
Leslie W. Jacobs, Vice Chairman
C. W. Eliot Paine, Vice Chairman
Stephen J. Knerly, Secretary
contents
features
4 Let it Snow, Let it Snow
8 Partnerships
12 Gnome and Garden
Goodbye
15 Saying
to the White Oak
17 Photo Exhibit Winners
18 Shorts
Forest Biology in the Winter
Lynn J. Fordham
2011 Exhibit
photos by Jackie Klisuric
Jackie klisuric
departments
6 Plant Profile
7 Bird Bio
10 Volunteering
11 2010 Volunteer Clambake
16 Icy Splendor
Liquidamber styraciflua
Redtailed Hawk
Meet Robin Ott
Volunteer of the Year
Holden in Winter
The effects of a
dramatic ice storm
January 2009 by
Jackie Klisuric
Barbara Brown
Jeanette Grasselli Brown
Christopher A. Cullis
Simin Gharib-Naraghipour
Jane Grebenc
Stephen G. Hartle
Peter S. Hellman
Arlene M. Holden
Michael C. Marino
Cynthia A. Moore-Hardy
Jeffrey K. Orloff
K.K. Sullivan
Timothy L. Swanson
Michael T. Victor
Ann T. Whitney
directors emeriti
Constance Norweb Abbey
Ralph W. Abelt
Miriam N. Gale
Henry R. Hatch
T. Dixon Long
Henry L. Meyer III
William J. O’Neill Jr.
John Sherwin Jr.
Penelope Theis
Alton W. Whitehouse
honorary directors
Anne M. Clapp
Mary Groves
Alison C. Jones
Thomas W. Seabright
Volume 9, Number 1
©The Holden Arboretum
Leaves (ISSN 0518-2662) is a class
and events magazine published
quarterly by The Holden Arboretum
for $10 per year for members
(included in membership fee) and
$50 per year for nonmembers
Leaves
2
Postmaster:
Please send address changes to
Leaves: The Holden Arboretum,
9500 Sperry Road,
Kirtland, Ohio 44094-5172
Big plans are afoot for
The Holden Arboretum’s
future, plans that include
new and improved gardens
and visitor amenities in
our core 250 acres. A
future issue of Leaves
will tell you more. In the
meantime it is my great
pleasure to relate some
tangible improvements
that are complete or in
progress, ranging from great to small, and all
making a significant difference.
Perhaps the most fundamental relates to irrigation.
When I arrived two-and-a-half years ago, Brian
Parsons, now our director of planning, told me
about dry years when Holden had to irrigate so
much, using iron-laden water from Corning Lake,
that the plants doused with overhead watering
turned orange. Well, we just endured one of
those “orange summers,” which featured such
memorable phenomena as normally ivory-white
hydrangea inflorescences looking more like
Halloween ornaments. Memorable and biologically
interesting, but certainly not good for the plants.
Our solution: a new irrigation well, being drilled
south of the Helen S. Layer Rhododendron Garden
in substrate that promises clear water, and a
newly dredged Hourglass Pond that will serve as
our irrigation system’s new reservoir as well as a
nursery for wetland plants. So begins the execution
of our ambitious plans for Holden’s core area.
When you visit to savor our winter landscape,
please note other improvements, including a more
welcoming entry gatehouse, concrete pads in the
picnic area (so the new tables don’t list precariously
downhill), newly bat-proofed shelter house and
some beautiful vistas restored. And even before
you turn onto Sperry from Kirtland-Chardon Road,
you may wonder what’s missing. Answer: the
house on the eight-acre parcel we obtained earlier
this year, the removal of which is the first step
in expanding the forest at the ravine’s edge and
linking our core area gardens to Lantern Court.
On the programmatic front, we are gratified to
report that, despite school districts’ ever tightening
budgets, their participation in Growing Students
and Science continues to climb, now surpassing
200 classes. Graduates of three Holden-hosted
programs – the Tree Commission Academy, part of
the Ohio EPA’s Urban Forestry program; professional
arborist certification offered through the Ohio
chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture;
and the Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist
program offered by Ohio State’s Cooperative
Extension office – all will improve our region’s
environment with new energy and expertise.
I hope you share my pride in all of Holden’s
accomplishments and plans. Best wishes
for a wonderful holiday season.
Clement W. Hamilton, PhD
President and CEO
Winter 2010-11
Periodicals postage paid at Mentor, Ohio
from the president
3
con
se
photographs by David J. burke
sts
re
Let it snow, let it snow
native
ing
fo
v
r
over 140,000 soil measurements collected in four
years! In the first three years, the soil temperature
in Stebbins never got below freezing. In 2010, soil
did go below freezing briefly toward the end of
March after the snow cover had melted away.
Forest Biology in winter
by David J. Burke, Holden scientist
Behind the Horticulture Science Center, the soft
hush that follows a heavy winter snowfall is broken
by the sound of boots crunching on snow, the
puttering of a small gasoline engine, and the hiss
of an air compressor. Despite the 18 inches of
snow that have already fallen, scientists at The
Holden Arboretum are making more snow.
Making snow is part of a project meant to further
our understanding of how forests function
during winter and how they might respond
to expected changes in regional climate.
“Snow acts as a thermal blanket that keeps the soil
from freezing,” said Kurt Smemo, Holden scientist.
“Temperate forests were considered to be dormant in
winter like the trees. Because soil temperatures stay
high under snow, we are beginning to understand
that forests are pretty active places in winter.”
How trees grow
All plants require a few major resources for growth
and reproduction: energy from sunlight, carbon
dioxide for making simple sugars, water and
nutrients. But nutrients are often the key for plant
productivity, since they are often in short supply
and new sources of nutrients are relatively small.
Plants do their best to retain as many of their nutrients
as possible. Nutrients within leaf tissue are transferred
to the plant during autumn, and the loss of the plant
pigment chlorophyll that accompanies this transfer
leads to the yellow and red leaves of autumn. But the
leaves that fall still contain nutrients locked within the
cell walls and structural tissue of the leaves. These
nutrients are lost to the plant and must be reacquired.
For example, most of the new nitrogen a plant
needs on a yearly basis comes from within the
forest. As much as 90 percent of the nitrogen a
temperate forest tree acquires during the year is
recycled, with only about 10 percent coming from
outside the system. The atmosphere is more than
70 percent nitrogen gas, but that form of nitrogen
is not available to plants and animals. Converting
that nitrogen into an available form is energy
intensive, so recycling makes more sense. Much
of this recycling is carried-out by soil fungi.
4
Soil fungi need most of the same things plants
do, but like humans and other animals that do not
photosynthesize; they cannot make their own sugars
and energy like plants. So the fungi make their
living getting carbon from plants, either directly by
colonizing roots and exchanging nutrients they obtain
for sugars, as is the case with mycorrhizal fungi, or by
Leaves that drop in autumn, dead branches, the feces
of animals, or dead or dying organisms contain both
carbon and nutrients. The nutrients contained within all
this tissue are attractive to a number of soil microbes,
especially soil fungi, which can mine this organic
detritus for the resources they need and make the
nutrients available to other organisms, including trees.
Long-term research plots established in Stebbins Gulch in 2006 are helping Holden
scientists understand soil processes that occur under snow.
Enzymes are the workhorses of soil fungi. They
are produced and excreted into soil and leaf litter
that covers forest soil and it’s these enzymes that
chemically break down and decompose the litter
and detritus, releasing the nutrients that the fungi
can then acquire. But this activity over winter can
change dramatically with changes in snowfall.
Plants and soil fungi are essentially mutualistic because
each is dependent on the activity of the other. The
fungi need the organic carbon created by the plants
that is locked within plant tissue, while the plants
need the fungi to liberate all the nutrients from
organic matter and make them available again for
plant uptake. This co-operative behavior helps retain
nutrients and drives the forest recycling system.
“When soil fungi encounter leaves, they begin the
process of decomposition that results in carbon and
nutrients being transferred to the fungi,” Smemo said.
“The fungi retain these nutrients, using them for their
own growth and preventing their loss from the forest.
Soil microbes may act as the biggest reservoir of
nutrients in winter and spring prior to plant leaf out.”
As changeable as the weather
“We’re used to thinking about global warming
as something that affects glaciers and polar
bears,” Hewins said. “But the effects may also
be happening in our own backyard.”
Holden scientist Kurt Smemo measures
soil respiration, a measure of biological
activity, under snow at the Stebbins
long-term research plots.
Research specialist Charlotte Hewins
and postdoctoral researcher Juan Carlos
López-Gutiérrez collect soil samples in
Stebbins Gulch.
When fungi die, the nutrients can be obtained by
other soil microbes or by plants. Herbaceous plants
in spring also can acquire many of these nutrients
before the trees become active, further preventing
nutrient loss from the forest. Herbaceous plants
are often considered a “vernal dam” that prevents
nutrient loss from the system as snow melt and
spring rains flush nutrients out of the soil.
But what happens over the winter, when the forest
is covered in snow, has been poorly considered.
Stebbins in winter
Since 2006, Holden scientists have been
studying how seasonal changes affect soil fungal
communities, and how they function. Long-term
research sites were established in the mature
beech-maple forests of Stebbins Gulch and
soil samples have been collected monthly.
“Hiking into Stebbins Gulch every month really
allows you to appreciate how the forest changes
over the year,” said Charlotte Hewins, Holden
research specialist. “But in winter, it’s a much
bigger workout to collect the samples. There can
be a couple of feet of snow on the ground between
January and March. Snow shoes really help.”
That snow layer acts as a thermal blanket that keeps
the ground from freezing. Data loggers, installed
to record soil temperature every 15 minutes, were
buried in the Stebbins long-term plots in 2006. That’s
Snow removal plots in Bole woods. The
removal of snow can cause the soil to
freeze and thaw frequently, which can
harm soil organisms such as fungi as well
as plant roots. Soil temperatures in these
snow removal plots are actually lower
than adjacent snow addition plots during
the winter months.
A Licor 6400 gas exchange system is
used to measure biological activity
in soil in the snow removal plots.
Removal of snow and increases in soil
freezing associated with soil exposure
to cold air temperatures, can reduce
biological activity in soil over winter.
The loss of nutrients from forests can
affect the quality of water in streams
and rivers, such as this section of the
East Branch of the Chagrin river that
flows through Stebbins Gulch.
The long-term research plots in Stebbins
Gulch can experience continuous snow
cover for more than three months each
winter. The soil near these research
plots never experienced freezing
conditions between October 2006 and
March 2010 because of the insulating
qualities of winter snow cover.
Subtle changes in snowfall and snow cover can
have enormous impacts on forest fertility, nutrient
retention and loss, with implications not just for
forest productivity, but for the health of streams
and waterways where all the nutrients lost from
the forest end up. Less snow cover means greater
changes in soil temperature and moisture.
Without snow, soils can freeze, become very warm,
and even dry out over the winter. These changes
can affect soil fungi, bacteria and the roots of forest
trees and herbaceous plants, all of which act as
nutrient “dams,” preventing nutrient loss. Fungi can
be killed by changing conditions, or go dormant
without stable conditions. Alternating periods of
freezing and thawing can kill plant roots and reduce
the ability of plants to obtain and store nutrients.
“It’s now appreciated that soil microorganisms are
actively carrying out important ecological processes
throughout the winter,” Smemo said, against the
background hiss of artificial snow shooting and falling
through the air in Bole woods. “This is because small
organisms like soil bacteria and fungi can respond
quickly to changes in the environment. A warm
rainy winter day can rapidly influence the biology
of soil organisms, even though the trees will not
respond until they send out new leaves in spring.”
The work of Holden scientists is meant to further
our understanding of winter forest biology, and
how snow cover affects nutrient retention and loss,
and ultimately forest health and productivity in the
Great Lakes region. So maybe making more snow
during a blizzard is not as crazy as it seems.
Winter 2010-11
Leaves
Master recyclers and nutrient stores
breaking down leaf litter and dead organic material and
using the carbon in that material for their own growth.
“Soil in Stebbins, even in winter, is never too cold
for biological activity,” Smemo said. “Soils, and also
the leaf litter layer, may be cold and wet, but not
too cold for fungi and bacteria to do their work.
And cold and wet for long periods of time may be
great for fungi. It’s a very stable environment. The
highest levels of enzyme activity we have recorded
in Stebbins occur during the middle of winter.”
5
jackie klisuric
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
virtually seedless types have been selected. Cherokee is
a virtually seedless clone reportedly hardy to USDA Zone
5b and patented in 1997 by Earl Cully of Illinois. It was
planted in both the Display Garden and in the Specimen
Tree Collection in the spring of 2006. Cherokee now
measures 18’-19’ in height with a spread of 8’-11’and
has sported good fall color in October and November.
‘Rotundiloba’ is a seedless clone selected in North
Carolina in 1930. Hardy to USDA Zone 6b, ‘Rotundiloba’
was planted in the Specimen Tree Collection on 16
Oct. 1990 and made it through the first winter (1°F
min.) and the second winter (-1°F) and was in excellent
condition at 11’ tall in September 1992 before the winter
of 1993 (-8°F on Feb. 25), which killed it. In June 2005
another ‘Rotundiloba’ was planted in the same spot
and has survived every winter since including a midJanuary 2009 low of -14°F that only resulted in “some
frost damage to tips.” That tree, now measures 18’ x
8’ and has not displayed any fall color until November
with most of its leaves falling while still green.
Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum)
Ethan Johnson, plant records curator
Leaves
continued on page 15
jackie klisuric
kevin cole
bird facts
In early to mid May the inconspicuous, wind-pollinated
flowers appear with the leaves. The foliage is a glossy deep
green throughout the summer. Several trees are located by
the sidewalk in front of the Warren H. Corning Visitor Center
and by the parking lots. Just east of Buttonbush Bog are
sweetgum that also display a mix of burgundy, red, orange
and yellow from late September to early November. These 60’75’ trees were received in 1940 as two-year seedlings from
the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Laboratory
in Wooster and are likely to be of southern Ohio origin.
Description
Range
Eastern Race: brown above and white
below; dark streaking band on chest.
Adults have a dark rusty red tail;
juveniles have a brownish tail with
multiple black bands.
Alaska and Canada south to Panama
Size
Wingspan
Length 18 to 26 inches
43 to 57 inches
Spring planting is recommended as fall planted sweetgum
can occasionally suffer from dieback. One tree planted on
Oct. 3, 1996 in the Specimen Tree Collection died back
to the ground after experiencing a low of only -5°F on
Jan. 19, 1997 and continued to die back for four more
winters. A sucker finally made it through the winter of
2002 intact. Originating as seed collected wild in southern
Illinois in 1992, this tree has rebounded nicely and now
measures 28’ x 18’, having yet to produce fruit.
Red-tailed hawks are probably the best known and most
widely distributed of all North American birds of prey.
These common roadside birds can be found in every type
of semi-open habitat on the continent, including scrub
desert, grasslands, agricultural fields, pastures, urban
parks, patchy woodlands and tropical rainforests. In
Ohio they display a preference for drier upland habitats
with elevated perches. The greatest numbers of redtailed hawks occur in Ohio’s open farmlands and fields.
The fruit is 1”-1¼” across, woody, and stays in the trees until
early spring. They are often referred to as “gum-balls” since
they can stick to lawns and generally get underfoot. The
seeds are small but are eaten by many birds, ranging from
chickadees to wild turkeys, and by squirrels and chipmunks.
The fruit begins to appear on trees 20-30 years of age. Grafted
cultivars will produce seed sooner but some seedless or
An average territory size for a red-tailed hawk is
approximately 2.2 square miles (Palmer 1988). In Ohio
they remain on their territory year round spending most of
their time perched on poles, fences or the limbs of trees
– often dead trees – searching for prey. Red-tailed hawks
are very adaptable when it comes to finding food. Voles,
mice, rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks make up the
bulk of their diet. They also feed on medium size birds,
reptiles, amphibians, large insects and dead animals.
plant facts
Light
Soil type
Mature size
Best location
Source
Full sun
Acidic, moist to wet, but not too
poorly drained.
60’-75’ tall by
40’-55’ wide.
USDA Zones 5b - 9a
Local garden centers
Best location to view at Holden
Voice
Any open fields bordered by woods such as
along Sperry Road, Strong Acres and fields
near the Holly Collection.
Mighty downward “keeearrrr”
Red-tailed hawks are monogamous and may mate for life.
They have been known to reuse old nests from previous
mating seasons rather than build a new nest each year.
Nest construction or repair begins on warm mid–winter
days, primarily in late February and March. The male
and female both construct the nest in a tall tree, 13 to
69 feet above the ground. Nests are 28-36 inches across
constructed of twigs and lined with bark, pine needles
and other soft plant material. Females lay one to five
eggs each year in April or May. Both sexes incubate the
eggs for four to five weeks and feed the young from the
time they hatch until they leave the nest, about six weeks
later. Young are dependant on their parents for food for
an additional one or two months after leaving the nest.
Red-tailed hawks were heavily persecuted and falsely
blamed for ravages on poultry population during the
first decades of the 20th century, which significantly
reduced their abundance statewide. Today, most
likely due to its adaptable behavior, red-tailed hawks
are a very common species across their range.
Winter 2010-11
6
‘Moraine’ was introduced and patented in 1980 by the
Siebenthaler Company of Dayton, Ohio. It has been
fully hardy at Holden since it was planted in 1992.
It has excellent purple, red, orange and yellow fall
foliage, which starts in late September to early October
and usually finishes by mid-November in the Display
Garden. Also in the Display Garden is ‘Variegata’ that
Alan vernon
Liquidambar styraciflua, meaning “liquid amber” and
“flowing with gum,” refers to the sweet “gum” that exudes
from wounds on the trunk of this member of the witchhazel (Hamamelidaceae) family. Sweetgum is represented
by 56 individuals and 8 cultivars at The Holden Arboretum.
Liquidambar styraciflua is native from southern Ohio to central
Florida and from southwestern Connecticut to eastern Texas.
It is also native from the Sierra Madre of Mexico into the cloud
forests of Central America to Nicaragua. The luna moth utilizes
sweetgum as one of its larval host species throughout the native
range of Liquidambar in the United States and northern Mexico.
by Rebecca Thompson, Growing Students and Science program coordinator
7
partnerships
Meet an uncommon man that has
made a difference, J. Lynn Fordham
jackie klisuric
jackie klisuric
by Stephen Sedam, director of leadership giving
If you are considering a planned gift to help ensure the ongoing beauty and financial strength of The Holden Arboretum,
contact Stephen H. Sedam, director of leadership giving, at 440.602.3802 or [email protected].
Foster, Janet Parkhurst and Dale Fordham. “We still
miss Northeast Ohio. There is a neighborliness
and openness in living there,” he said.
Lynn tells a story that for him epitomizes Holden. At
the end of one of their family visits, they got into their
car to leave and he noticed a sign from behind their
car. Being inquisitive, he backed up the car to read the
sign, which stated “Keep Off” due to a soft surface from
recent rains. Their car quickly became stuck. Lynn found
a staff member who used his truck to pull out their car.
Out of gratitude, he offered the Holden staff member
compensation for his assistance. But, the staffer
refused as helping a loyal visitor was good enough.
Holden was a time for all seasons for the
Fordham family. In winter, the quiet of a snowfilled landscape drew them back to Holden;
and in the summer, it was the wildflowers.
Jo and Lynn Fordham
It is a still Sunday morning. Hardly any one is there. Walking
with your child in hand you pause to gaze upon the Canada
geese at play as colorful autumn leaves reflect off the placid
surface of Corning Lake.
Experiences like this helped to shape J. Lynn Fordham’s deep
affinity for The Holden Arboretum.
In the autumn of 1956, after hearing so much about
Holden, Lynn brought his family out for their first
inspection of the grounds. Upon arriving, he was
immediately impressed by its expanse and untouched
nature, by the big, old trees and the manicured pageantry
of the Helen S. Layer Rhododendron Garden. Soon, he
became a member and visited regularly for years.
8
As with many donors considering planned gifts, the decision
concerning the eventual distribution of your estate is a
very important and thoughtful one. Lynn wanted his trust
to be shared by the most important institutions in his life.
He selected The Holden Arboretum to represent the 24
“I think broadly with emphasis on excellence,”
he said. “Holden fits that. It is one of the biggest,
one of the best arboretums in the nation. To me
it represents superiority on a national basis.”
Lynn was attracted to Holden’s sense of permanent
solidity that originated from its founders. “It will
be here forever and only get better,” he said.
Furthermore, he finds it important to support those who’ve
helped in his development as a professional and as a
person. “And, I want to give back to them,” Lynn said.
“To me, understanding nature is an important part of
pursuing happiness. It is one place where you have
stability. Nature is a big reason for being,” he said.
His love of nature sprang from his experiences as a boy
growing up in a rural community in southern Ontario.
He used to walk in what was essentially a virgin woods
within 10 minutes of his home. Then back at home,
he spent hours being the gardener for his mother.
Lynn graduated from the University of Western Ontario in
1946 with a degree in chemistry and physics. In 1952, he left
Canada to become a U.S. citizen and moved to New England.
In 1955, he settled in Ohio and became a research chemist
with Diamond Alkali later to become Diamond Shamrock.
Lynn lived in Mentor with his former wife, Mary, where
they raised their four children – Larry Fordham, Amy
In the fall on sunny weekends, they went to Stebbins
Gulch. “The hike was demanding and we got temporarily
lost the first time, but we loved it,” he said. On Sunday
afternoons in the fall, they walked the pathways. “The
boys would see who could kick up the most leaves.”
He wants to be remembered as someone who was
“uncommon” and whose values were shaped by the trials
and tribulations of life.
When asked what estate planning advice he’d give others,
he said, “While everyone is different, arrange plans to meet
your personal financial needs as well as your charitable
goals.” Lynn wants to be sure that Jo, his wife and allsupport giver, is looked after, with bequests going to his
children and the rest to charity, including Holden.
“Holden represents the outdoors and nature to me,” he
said. “It was an easy decision to pick Holden.”
Whatever happens as a result of his gift, Lynn wants it to
be named for the “Fordham Family” in consideration of
their shared experiences at Holden. He wants it to serve as
recognition of Holden’s importance to the Fordham family
with the expectation that his contribution will enhance the
experience of future members, visitors and their families.
While inspired by his past experiences, his generous gift
will continue to have an impact far into the future.
Lynn has lived a full life. His research has been
acknowledged to be significant internationally, he
has provided leadership for the creation of a major
new non-profit for technical innovation and he has
played a key role in establishing entrepreneurial
businesses. Lynn still manages his and Jo’s investments
and philanthropy. This is despite a setback when in
June 2007, he lost his eyesight. With Jo’s devoted
assistance, he has been able to adapt to being blind.
With a strong desire to perform and contribute, his
professional success came in part from his eagerness to
embrace challenges, to learn quickly and make decisions
incisively. He said that his personal reward “comes from
solving the difficult problem, climbing the mountain and
not just the view from the top.”
He has helped many others along the way. He has
contributed to the establishment of university
facilities including the Fordham Center for Biomedical
Larry Fordham, Amy Foster, Janet Parkhurst,
Dale Fordham, seated Lynn Fordham.
Winter 2010-11
Leaves
Now at age 86 and retired, he and his wife Joellen “Jo”
Fordham live in Lexington, Ky. He left Northeast Ohio in
1979 for Dallas, Texas, as an executive with Diamond
Shamrock Corp. Yet, these experiences at Holden with
his young family were so cherished by Lynn that they
figured prominently when he established a testamentary
charitable remainder unitrust. The trust provides for his
wife as living beneficiary with the remainder going to
selected charities, including The Holden Arboretum.
defining years he lived and worked in Northeast Ohio.
But the most cherished aspects of Holden for
Lynn were the promise of spring and the glory of
autumn. He used to take his older daughter, Janet,
to see the trillium in spring and fondly remembers
the rhododendrons, the dogwoods and certainly
the crabapples. “When the crabapples are out
you’re overwhelmed by their perfume,” he said.
Engineering at his alma mater. He has supported the
search for new scientific and medical breakthroughs.
He has also contributed to the promotion of effective
leadership with a future endowment for a Visiting
Professor of Leadership program and the requirement
that winners of his academic scholarships also have a
record of demonstrated leadership. He and Jo have made
contributions to libraries, both academic and public, and
to a regional reading service for the blind and impaired.
9
volunteering
Robin Ott, Holden’s
New Volunteer Coordinator
by Cait Anastis, editor
jackie klisuric
As a volunteer, you are not only helping out an organization, you
are showing your advocacy for an issue and having an impact no
matter how many hours you have to dedicate to an organization.
“It really is the little things,” Ott said. “You don’t have to give
100 hours a year, you can give 10 hours here and there and
you are still making a difference. One of my favorite quotes is
“volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote
in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote
every day about the kind of community you want to live in.
2010 Volunteer Clambake
Ted Herrick Named 2010 Volunteer of the Year
Watering Can Award Winners
“Whether it is passing your love of nature to the next
generation or taking care of an area or raising money
to fund programs, by volunteering at Holden, you are
letting your actions speak louder than words.”
Robin Ott
Volunteers play an active role in keeping The
Holden Arboretum running smoothly. They can
be found working in the gardens, leading tours,
serving as school guides, assisting with special
events and working in the administrative offices.
The challenge is coordinating Holden’s active
pool of more than 400 volunteers. Taking up that
challenge is Robin Ott, Holden’s new volunteer
coordinator, who joined the staff in July. Ott replaces
outgoing coordinator Stefanie Galbreath.
The wide range of activities taking place at Holden and
the enthusiastic nature of Holden’s volunteers helps
Ott find the right fit for a volunteer. “They get really
excited about all the opportunities and that makes
my job easier,” Ott said, “and, if they don’t like what
they are doing, they can move to another area.”
As the new volunteer coordinator, she is looking at
areas where she can help the program grow and
continue to improve. In 2011, she will be focusing on
the land stewardship program, finding volunteers to
help manage Holden’s extensive natural areas. She
will also be working to improve outreach, training
volunteers to work at booths at area festivals and
events, spreading the word about Holden.
In addition to these two areas, Ott will also be overseeing
a transition to a new volunteer database system,
Volgistics. The new system will allow volunteers to
submit their hours and sign up for opportunities online.
10
“Many of our volunteers have been here for 10, 15 or
20 years, and its really special for the program to have
that institutional background and wisdom,” she said.
“Those are really the best people to train new volunteers
and serve as mentors for new volunteers. They’re
passionate about the organization. Everyone really cares
about what they are doing and puts in their best.”
Ott comes to Holden from Adoption Network Cleveland,
where she served first as the organization’s volunteer
coordinator and was later promoted to outreach coordinator,
managing volunteers, special events, membership and
community outreach. A graduate of Ursuline College in
Pepper Pike, Ohio, her introduction to the non-profit world
came when she got involved in coordinating community
service projects on campus. She decided she found
her calling and went on to obtain her Master’s in Public
Administration, with a concentration in nonprofit management
and leadership, from Cleveland State University.
“I love organizing things and coordinating projects,” she
said. “[as a volunteer coordinator] I get to work with so
many types of people and it is fulfilling to me to help
an individual find their dream [volunteer] job.”
Her love of the outdoors, instilled in Ott and her
siblings by her parents, made Holden a natural fit.
“My mom and dad were big on taking us out on hikes and
exploring, what we would call nature play today,” she said,
“They always made us a point of kicking us outside. I think
that impacted all three of us. We all like to be outdoors.
My sister is a gardener, I love hiking and walking in the
woods and my brother is into outdoor sports.” She added
that one of her favorite things to do as a child, and still
today, was to sit in outside under the trees and read.
Working at Holden, she finds the ability to sit in the gardens
on a break or take a golf cart out to check in with volunteers
working on the grounds very rejuvenating. She also sees
Holden as a good place to work while starting her family. Now
expecting her first child, she will be on leave in December
and January, and plans to return to work in February.
“I know balancing work and motherhood is not going to be
easy, but I look forward to all the new experiences both at home
and at Holden. It will be amazing to watch both my baby and
daily surroundings blossom. I cannot wait to go on my first
snowshoe hike, visit Stebbins Gulch [which she had to avoid
during pregnancy] and prepare for next year’s growing season.”
Burton resident Theodore “Ted” Herrick was named The Holden
Arboretum’s 2010 Volunteer of the Year during the Annual
Volunteer Recognition Program and Clambake on Sept. 11.
This annual award recognizes an individual who goes
above and beyond to contribute a needed service and
devote a significant amount of time to Holden.
Sally Frantz, Ginny Roedig, Dan Elliott
Lantern Award Winners
Herrick began volunteering at Holden in the spring of 2009. He
serves as a VIP (Volunteer Interpretive Person) Guide and leads
Holden Highlights tram tours. Since he began, his knowledge,
gentle manner and sense of humor have made him a guest favorite.
“Ted always takes the time to get to know everyone that he talks
to and they are all important in his eyes,” said Kristie Hawley,
assistant manager of guest relations, one of the individuals who
nominated Herrick. During the past year, Herrick also contributed
the most time of any volunteer, more than 200 hours.
The annual appreciation event thanks the organization’s
volunteers for their hard work and honors those individuals
whose service was outstanding during the past year. This
year’s theme was “Flower Power” and staff members donned
their tie-dye shirts and bell bottoms to present the past year’s
accomplishments with a soundtrack of Beatles music.
Seven volunteers were honored for reaching 1,000 Hours of Total
Service, including Nancy Dilgren, Ardeth Gunton, Ray Halliwill, Dale
Keenan, Joanne Monasky, Sherry Schubert and Howard Simon.
Cindy Shega, Al Hanes
Special Recognition
Three other special awards were presented that evening.
The Watering Can Awards, recognizing volunteers who add
“a personal touch and bring life to the areas in which they
volunteer” were presented to Sally Frantz, Ginny Roedig and
Dan Elliott. The Lantern Awards, recognizing volunteers
who “light the path so that more can be achieved or whose
enthusiasm and energy light up one’s day”, were presented
to Cindy Shega, Barbara May and Al Hanes. Finally, volunteer
guide Ted Herrick was named the 2010 Volunteer of the Year.
All volunteers who contribute 25 hours of service or more
during the past year received an invitation for two to this
special event. The Holden Arboretum invites anyone interested
in becoming a volunteer to contact Robin Ott, volunteer
coordinator, at 440.602.8003 or visit holdenarb.org.
Nancy Dilgren, Sherry Schubert, Joanne
Monasky, Ardeth Gunton, Howard Simon
Winter 2010-11
Leaves
One of Holden’s great assets is the longevity of
its volunteers.
For those considering volunteering at Holden, but who may
be on the edge, Ott offered encouragement, “Volunteering
is one of those things that require you to just get out and do
it. Try something new; you’re not going to be left high and
dry. I am here for you and there are great veteran volunteer
mentors and staff to learn from. There is a lot of support.”
11
The Holden Arboretum
Gnome and Garden Exhibit
They have been banned by England’s Royal
Horticultural Society and roamed the globe
looking for good deals on hotels for an internet
travel company. Now gnomes are invading
the gardens at The Holden Arboretum.
In June 2011, Holden will host Gnomes and Gardens,
showcasing the talents of area artists and framing their
work with the beauty of Holden’s gardens and natural
areas. The summer exhibit will feature five-foot-tall
gnome sculptures, decorated by 20 area artists.
Slated to open Father’s Day weekend and run until
Sept. 25, the exhibit draws its inspiration from
the Cow Parade exhibits, which feature life-sized
sculptures of cows, started in Zurich, Switzerland
in 1998 and recreated in a number of cities around
the world, including Chicago in 1999. Since then,
other forms have been used to connect the public
art project to the cultural heritage of specific cities,
including several in Ohio – guitars to reflect the
part Cleveland played in the history of rock and
roll, pigs in Cincinnati to connecting to the city’s
historic meat packing industry, Packard Motor Cars
hood ornaments in Warren where the company
was founded; and penguins in Youngstown in
honor of Youngstown State University mascot.
While Holden considered a number of different
forms for its exhibit – trees, deer, acorns and
birdhouses – garden gnomes were the final choice.
“Garden gnomes are fun and whimsical,” said
David Desimone, director of guest relations and
communications. “Also much of our Display Garden is
larger than life, so our five foot tall garden gnomes will
appear in “scale” in many of the gardens. In addition,
we wanted to select a form that would appeal to
children. We tested several options with local artists
and the overwhelming choice was garden gnomes.
The panel of judges, chaired by Desimone,
will include representatives from area
art museums, art galleries and local
artists. The panel includes:
• Dana Depew, owner
of Asterisk Gallery
• Emily Felderman, artist
• Alex Nichols, interim CEO
of Massillon Art Museum
• Tom Poole, director of
communications and senior
designer, at the Museum
of Contemporary Art
• Gloria Ritter, artist
• Dante Rodriquez, owner
of Wall Eye Gallery
Gnome and Gardens follows
two very successful art in the
gardens exhibits hosted at
Holden – Dave Rogers’ Big Bugs
in 2005 and the Holden Express
Garden Railroad by Applied
Imagination in 2007. Both years
set attendance records for Holden.
“For 2011 we wanted to partner
with local artists rather than bring
in an artist from out of the region,”
Desimone said. “Working with local
artists allows us to have a greater
impact in the local community.
As wonderful as Big Bugs and The
Holden Express were, we feel that
there are many talented local artists.
This exhibit allows us to spotlight those
artists working in our own communities.
Goblins
in the garden
12
October 2010
Winter 2010-11
Leaves
“We are aware that garden gnomes are not without
their own bit of controversy,” Desimone said. “After
an early entry into England’s Chelsea flower shows,
garden gnomes, considered low brow, were banned
by the Royal Horticulture Society for most of the 20th
century. Over the past 10 years, these figures have
had a bit of a resurgence in both Europe and America.”
An open call for artists was issued in September, with
judging scheduled for January, giving them about
three months to submit a proposal, which will include
a rendering of the proposed gnome as well as
samples of the artists past work. Those proposals
will be reviewed by a panel of seven judges.
all photos by jackie klisuric
13
Saying goodbye to
by Cait Anastis, editor
the white oak
Growing on the shores of Oak Pond, the white
oak (Quercus alba) was a source of wonder and
inspiration to guests visiting the Helen S. Layer
Rhododendron Garden. Beautiful even in its
decline, it was a landmark in the garden.
In August, crews removed the dying tree to ensure
the safety of our guests. Before they went to
work cutting down the landmark oak, members
of the staff gathered to say goodbye.
Because of the tree’s advanced age, steps had already
been taken to preserve the legacy of this landmark
tree. In the spring of 1999, Charles Tubesing,
Holden’s plant collections curator, grafted a scion
from the old white oak onto a swamp white oak. The
goal was to produce a clone of the tree to replace
it when it finally succumbed, Tubesing said.
Holden staff members say goodby to the white oak.
The grafted tree was then planted near the old oak
in 2001. It will now become part of a new bed that will
cover about 3,700 square feet around the spot where the
white oak once stood on the west side of Oak Pond. A
Holden donor is providing the resources for the new
bed. The Max and Irene Yeran Memorial Bed is being
created around three existing ornamental trees to set
the stage – a red bud, a purple-leaved Japanese maple
and a Thujopsis (hiba arborvitae), an unusual evergreen
– and will include a mix of plants, designed to provide
color and interest in the garden throughout the year,
said Viki Ferreniea, Holden’s lead horticulturist.
“Often we speak of trees in the abstract, praising their
collective beauty and societal benefits. But there also
is value in honoring individual trees that have played
important roles in our lives, or as Jacob Strutt wrote
in his Sylva Brittanica in 1822, trees that we regard ‘as
[our] chronicler and land-mark.’ Our white oak, even in
its advanced but picturesque decay, has been such a
tree,” said Clem Hamilton, Holden’s president and CEO.
The tree has been declining for several decades and
horticulture crews have been removing dead branches
from the tree as they have died to prevent falling
branches from injuring guests in the garden, said Roger
Gettig, director of horticulture and conservation. While
there is merit to leaving the decaying trunk in place to
provide habitat for wildlife, something Holden does in
its forests, the location of the tree in the popular Helen
S. Layer Rhododendron Garden makes this a safety risk. As the tree is removed, attempts will be made to
salvage parts of the white oak, including a large burl
on the trunk, for use elsewhere, Gettig said. If any
of the parts are salvageable and of interest, they
will be saved for possible use when Holden builds
Adventure Woods, a children outdoor exploration
area proposed in the current Master Plan.
Tyrone Earl cuts the large top pieces of the oak.
Reggie Blake, Larry Federici and Tyrone Earl of Pro Tree.
Horticulturists had estimated the age of the tree at
more than 375 years, but cautioned that estimate
could be off based on the lack of information about
growing conditions it faced during its early years.
Once the tree was cut down, a count of the rings
by Ethan Johnson, plant records curator, showed
the tree was at least 350 years old and could be
as old as 400 years. Rot at the tree’s core made it
difficult to count the rings at the trunk’s center.
Leaves
Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum)
is also marketed by Lake County Nursery in Perry, OH as
Gold Dust. Maria Zampini of Lake County Nursery said* “Gold
Dust was discovered more than 100 years ago by the now
defunct Baker Nursery, Painesville, Ohio, and the original tree
can still be seen at the family home there.” This clone has
leaves blotched, spotted and streaked yellow. One ‘Variegata’
planted in 1956 in the field north of Corning Lake now
measures 59’ x 36’ and another, planted in 1978 at the David
G. Leach Research Station in Madison, measures 68’ x 50’.
Both ‘Moraine’ and ‘Variegata’ are hardy in USDA Zone 5b.
In the floodplain of the Myrtle S. Holden Wildflower Garden
east of the Prairie Garden is a 1982 Holden Arbor Day
seedling that now measures 52’ x 28’. Our fastest growing
sweetgum, was planted in the sandy loam of the David G.
Leach Research Station in 1999 and now measures 52’ x
18’. It is the selection ‘Moraine’ and its growth rate is twice
that of the wildflower garden tree and three times that of
the ‘Moraine’ in the silt loam of the Display Garden.
When the white oak first started growing, the area around
it was unpopulated. Native tribes had left the region and
European settlers had yet to arrive. During its lifetime,
it witnessed the arrival of the Mormons in Kirtland
in 1833. It towered over the landscape while James
A. Garfield campaigned for president from the front
porch of his home in Mentor in 1880. It was here when
work began to create The Holden Arboretum in 1931.
In the landscape, sweetgum is best suited to sunny spots where
the soil is acidic and moist but not swampy. It makes a very
attractive specimen, street or shade tree with outstanding foliage.
* Quoted in American Nurseryman, Dec. 15, 2007, p.90.
Larry Federici makes the last cut.
Winter 2010-11
14
Work on the new bed started in August and will continue
in the spring. Set in the midst of the Layer Rhododendron
Garden, it will offer the opportunity to demonstrate to the
public examples of plants that are natural companions
for rhododendrons, providing visitors with examples that
can be used in home landscapes. The front area is moist
and wet at certain times of the year with a dry gentle
slope behind. This will allow for the use of a variety of
perennials and woody plants. The area is in a sunny part of
the garden, so a variety of azaleas will be used, including
some of David Leach’s summer and July flowering azaleas.
continued from page 6
The revised age places the tree’s birth at the same time
as the early colonial period. It could have already taken
root when the Mayflower landed in 1620; when New
Amsterdam was founded 1625; and when St Peter’s
Basilica was completed in 1626. It most certainly had
started to grow by the time British troops captured New
Amsterdam in 1664, renaming the city New York.
All photos by jackie klisuric
The swamp white oak or Quercus bicolor, was selected
as a root stock for the graft because it grows in poorly
drained soils. “We think that the hydrology of the location
changed, becoming wetter when Oak Pond was installed in
1970 and that had a hand in the decline of the white oak.”
15
14th Annual
Members
Photo contest
Icy Splendor
People’s Choice
Adult - Bruce Orr, Cedar Waxwings
at False Cypress Collection
President’s Choice
Adult - Susan Guild- Foster Pond
This past winter, an ice storm
turned tall grass into lacy
sculpture and covered the
grounds with a blanket of deep
white snow. Stopping by Holden
on a snowy afternoon, guests will
find a winter paradise for cross
country skiing, snowshoeing
and hiking. A walk in the winter
woods is the cure for cabin fever.
Leaves
16
People’s Choice
Junior - Skyler Sorgen, Corning Lake
President’s Choice
Junior - Kathleen Deley,
Ponderosa Pines
Winter 2010-11
Check out the class schedule
for winter classes and hikes.
17
shorts
New trail markers put In place
A new trail marking system is now in
place on four of The Holden Arboretum’s
trails, making it easier for police and
rescue workers to find lost or injured
guests in case of an emergency.
New tags have been put in place along four
of Holden’s trails to help staff, volunteers
and guests pinpoint where they are along
the trail should an emergency arise. Posts
along the trail are now marked with a
colored plastic tag with a letter and a
number printed on it. Police have located
these markers using a GPS unit, allowing
the locations to be mapped. Maps will
then be carried in the patrol vehicle,
allowing police to easily locate markers.
“Over the last year and a half since I have
been here, the police department staff
has taken calls concerning lost individuals
on our trails,” said Holden Police Chief
David Frank. “Our hope was to give a
reference point that individuals could
use if help was needed while hiking on
these trails. We feel these will be good
reference points that anyone can use.”
This summer The Holden Arboretum mourned the loss of two
dedicated volunteers and a former member of the horticulture staff.
Obituaries
While the tags will be used to help
locate lost hikers or direct rescue
workers in the case of a medical
emergency, they also will serve as an
aid for staff directing maintenance
workers out to deal with downed trees
or a washed out section of the trail.
The first trails marked include:
Woodland Trail: White tab with
a black letter W then a number
Pierson Creek: Blue tag with
a black letter P then a number
Old Valley: Red tag with a
black letter V then a number
Marjorie “Marge” Mellon died Aug. 14 in Cleveland, Ohio. A
special education teacher, she worked during her career with
the learning disabled. An active member of the community, she
had been a Holden volunteer for five years, working as a school
guide. Her service to the community also included volunteering
as a reading tutor at the Buckeye Woodland Elementary School in
Cleveland and work with the Cleveland Council Reader’s Theater.
The police department is
considering expanding
the system in the future to
include other areas, including
Little Mountain, Stebbins
Gulch and Carvers Pond.
Jeff P. Dallman, a former Holden employee, died in
August. Dallman, a certified arborist, worked for
The Holden Arboretum for 26 years. He also used
his skills to improve the landscaping at Chardon’s
schools. In September, a Princeton Elm was planted on
the grounds near Holden’s crabapple collection and
dedicated to his memory by his family and friends.
Shawn Lea
Bole Woods: Orange tag with
a black letter B then a number
William “Bill” Doolittle, died on June 7. After retiring
as a chemical engineer for the Lubrizol Corp in 1998,
the Chardon resident spent eight years introducing
the public to Holden’s gardens and natural areas as
a VIP Guide. He was also a volunteer for the Geauga
County United Way and the Buckeye Trail Association.
Record year for bluebirds
More than 400 bluebird fledglings found
their wings at The Holden Arboretum,
including five orphaned bluebirds
who found homes in foster nests.
The 406 birds fledged this year makes
2010 the second best year for bluebirds
since Holden’s program began and
only the third time since 1994 that the
number of fledglings topped 400.
rehab center at Penitentiary Glen. The
orphaned blue birds were placed in
foster nests at Bicknell, Upper Baldwin
and Corning. The five orphans appear
to have fledged successfully.
For more details on the results
of this year’s bluebird program,
visit our web site at holdenarb.org/
home/bluebirdupdate.asp
During the year, Holden fostered
five orphaned bluebirds from the
Bluebirds at Holden: 1990-2010
800
# of Eggs
# Live Young
700
18
#fledged
1 1999427
2 2010406
3 2006402
4 2001396
5 1995388
6 1998377
7 2000365
8 2009360
9 1994355
10 1996313
600
534
500
439
406
400
300
200
100
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
Total # of copies 8,000
8,000
Paid/requested 4,134
outside county mail
subscriptions
4,192
Paid/requested 3,097
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3,130
Statement of ownership,
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Publication title: Leaves
Publication No. 0518-2662
Filing Date: Sept. 21, 2010
Issue Frequency: Bi-monthly
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Issue date for the following information: Fall 2010
Mailing address of headquarters: same
Full name and complete mailing address of the publisher,
editor and managing editor: The Holden Arboretum,
addresses the same.
Editor, Cait Anastis; Managing Editor, N/A
Owner: The Holden Arboretum, address the same
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organization and the exempt status for federal income tax
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