Download 1 A PUBLICATION OF the holden arboretum

A PUBLICATION OF the holden arboretum
Fall
2011
Fall 2011
1
leaves
Fall 2011
Cait Anastis, Editor
[email protected]
Jackie Klisuric, Graphic Design
administration
Clement W. Hamilton,
President and CEO
Interim Director of Research
Jim Ansberry,
Director of Finance
David A. Desimone,
Director of Guest Relations and Communications
Roger Gettig,
Director of Horticulture and Conservation
Brian Parsons,
Director of Planning and Special Projects
Stephen H. Sedam,
Interim Director of Development
Paul C. Spector,
Director of Education and Information Services
Nancy Spelman,
Director of Human Resources and Safety
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
Jackie klisuric
features
departments
6 Plant Profile
4 A New Leaf Project
Puts out the Welcome
Mat for Purple Martins
8 Holden
7 Bird Bio
Ask Charles
Highly Appreciated Stock
1
7
10
Holden Research
1
8
George Rose
11
Shorts
Plant This, Not That
19
12
The Restoration of Corning Lake
Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Katsura Tree)
American Goldfinch
Conservation and Wildlife Management
Fall Color
A Gift on Your Side!
Barbara Brown
Christopher A. Cullis
Simin Gharib-Naraghipour
Peter S. Hellman
Arlene M. Holden
Michael C. Marino
Cynthia A. Moore-Hardy
Ellen W. Jones Nordell
K.K. Sullivan
Timothy L. Swanson
Michael T. Victor
Ann T. Whitney
directors emeriti
Constance Norweb Abbey
Ralph W. Abelt
Miriam N. Gale
Jeanette Grasselli Brown
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
Holden Partnerships
Burning Bush
14
Holden Leadership
Meet our Board of Directors
Volume 9, Number 4
©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
2
On the Cover: Blueberry Pond
by Jackie Klisuric
Postmaster:
Please send address changes to
Leaves: The Holden Arboretum,
9500 Sperry Road,
Kirtland, Ohio 44094-5172
from the president
In my quarterly Leaves essays,
I enjoy exploring subjects
relating to horticulture, natural
history, conservation and
the economic and ecological
health of the environments
where we live, work and play
– all linked, of course, by
trees and what Holden does
to improve the world. This
quarter I would like to step
back and thank all of you who
so generously support Holden, through your hard work,
generous giving and partnership in our great mission.
When I moved to Northeast Ohio, I was told about the
Cleveland area’s historic and present-day philanthropic
generosity. In the past three years, I have seen that
reputation borne out in spades. Your selfless, philanthropic
drive is reflected not just in dollars raised, but in your
wisdom in understanding Holden’s particular situation.
For instance, someone with a superficial view might
say, “Holden has a large set of endowment funds, in the
neighborhood of $100 million, so why should I give to
such an already stable and well supported organization?”
Holden’s community sees right through that fallacy and
knows that our financial stability and our unparalleled
history of fiscal prudence and sustainability have placed
us in the enviable position of being able to use your
generous gifts for effective performance in the service of
our mission, not for hang-on-by-the-fingernails survival.
You know there is no question that we’re here for the long
haul, appropriate for an institution devoted to trees that
can live for centuries, and that your gifts are “put to work.”
I enjoy our conversations with all our donors because
they reflect your deep engagement with Holden’s goals
and performance. We love it when you ask, “How will my
gift make a difference?” “How many schoolchildren does
Growing Students in Science reach?” “How will the new
rhododendron learning garden promote knowledge of
rhodies’ diversity and garden use?” “How does the ecological
and horticultural knowledge generated by our scientists
help address real-world problems?” “How will my gift enable
Holden to protect and enhance our natural areas, in the face
of historically unprecedented ecological stresses?” These
are the critical questions, and you ask them at every turn.
I also thank all of you who are partners in advocating for
trees and green infrastructure. Especially in tight economic
times, it is easy for governmental decision-makers to
dismiss healthy trees and forests as mere amenities,
easy budget cuts compared to more “essential” services.
You and I know that green infrastructure often provides
more cost-effective solutions than engineering remedies,
say, for stormwater control; and that healthy, diverse
native forests are far more economically significant than
“just” as places to hike and appreciate nature. Sharing
our knowledge and perspective is essential, as Holden
becomes an ever more consequential force for good.
Your thoughtful, creative and generous partnership is
essential to Holden’s work. A thousand times, Thank you!
Fall 2011
Leaves
Periodicals postage paid at Mentor, Ohio
jackie klisuric
Clement W. Hamilton, PhD
President and CEO
3
masses, forming a naturalistic landscape, rather than a formal
one, but it will be purposely landscaped and maintained.”
The plants chosen will also serve as an additional draw for birds,
providing food and habitat around the lake. The new plantings will
also serve as a teaching tool, providing home owners with inspiration
for their own properties, showcasing the types of plants that work
well in the seasonally wet, poorly drained soils that surround the
lake and that can be found in many residential areas as well.
“Many homeowners in Northeast Ohio have creeks or small
streams running through their lands,” Hamilton said. “Our
riparian garden will give them ideas for meadow plantings that
are both more beautiful and more healthful for watersheds,
compared to typical lawn-dominated landscapes.” “Our riparian garden will give them
ideas for meadow plantings that are both
more beautiful and more healthful for
watersheds, compared to typical lawndominated landscapes.” – Clem Hamilton
The Restoration of Corning Lake
With the path around Corning Lake connecting guests to other
areas of the arboretum, including the planned Tree Crescent along
Sperry Road and the Tree Allée, which will lead to the Rhododendron
Gardens, the expectation is that it will remain a draw for guests.
by Cait Anastis, editor
“Corning Lake lies at the geographic and esthetic center of the
arboretum’s core area,” Hamilton said. “Renewing Corning Lake,
Lotus Pond, and the overflow channel connecting them, will lay
the groundwork for handsome tree plantings around the lake’s
perimeter, which will be as iconic as any element in the New Leaf
plan. Drivers on Sperry Road as well as guests in our new visitor
center will be drawn to the lake and its gardens, and thence
into the rest of our core area’s new and current gardens.”
photos by Jackie klisuric
Along the shores of Corning Lake, yellow warblers
perch on tree branches while tree swallows
soar out over the sparkling water. The lake is
a draw for birds and birdwatchers alike.
The trail around the lake provides beautiful
views and spots for peaceful contemplation.
However, problems exist beneath the lake’s surface.
Like all the ponds at Holden, Corning Lake is man
made, and over time, has filled in with sediment. The
result is places in the lake that are only 5 feet deep.
4
The project is aimed at improving the aesthetic
qualities and ecosystems of both Corning Lake
and the neighboring Lotus Pond, which will
in turn, contribute to the quality of the water
During the processes, work crews will be redesigning
the edges of the lake. Right now, the Corning Dam
is a straight shot, said Roger Gettig, director of
horticulture and conservation. After the work, it
will be less obvious that there is a dam, making
the shore line more visually interesting.
In addition to removing sediment, new shelves
will be added to the rim of the pond to create a
shallow area for water plants to thrive, Gettig said.
The shelf will also make the lake safer, providing
shallow areas along the shore. During the work, a
new overflow from Corning Lake into Lotus Pond
will be created to showcase riparian plantings.
The project will be similar to work done in 2010
and 2011 at Hourglass Pond in the Helen S. Layer
Rhododendron Garden. Starting with these projects
will create a foundation for later projects, as well
as give the ground the opportunity to recover from
the process of dredging and to allow the new plants
time to mature. The end goal is to create a pleasant
walking experience for guests while advancing
their understanding of how to create and manage
a sustainable manmade landscape, Gettig said.
“We’re going to plant different trees and shrubs along
the shore,” Gettig said. “Red stemmed dogwood,
for example, buttonbush, sweetbay magnolia,
swamp white oak and willows will be added to the
shoreline. The new trees will be added in large
Fall 2011
Leaves
Created in 1939 when the dam was completed on
land donated by Warren H. Corning, sediment build
up has made the lake shallower, reducing the levels
of oxygen in the water and eliminating the depths
needed for aquatic life to survive the winter. One of
the first projects outlined in Holden’s New Leaf master
plan would correct those problems. Work will include
dredging the lake to restore water to healthier depths.
The current discussion regarding Corning Lake depth
specifications is that it should have several connected
pockets at 8 feet and these basins will occupy 2530 percent of the total area, said Brian Parsons,
director of planning and special projects. In order to
accomplish this, he estimates that 100,000 cubic yards
of material will have to be removed from the lake.
flowing into the Pierson Creek watershed, said
Clem Hamilton, Holden’s president and CEO.
Symphyotrichum novae angliae (New England aster)
5
Jean-Pol GRANDMONT
American Goldfinch
(Carduelis tristis)
by Rebecca Thompson,
Growing Students in Science program coordinator
American Goldfinches are found in every land habitat in
every season in Ohio. They usually flock together in weedy
fields, open flood plains, suburbs, parks, backyard feeders
and overgrown areas. They can wander and will move
between habitats to locate better food resources. American
goldfinches are herbivores who eat almost exclusively
seeds, although an occasional insect is consumed
inadvertently while eating seeds from the asteraceae
family (sunflowers, thistle, asters, etc.). Grasses and trees
such as alder, birch, and conifers are also a favorite of the
American goldfinch. They also consume large numbers
of weed seeds. At backyard feeders American goldfinch
primarily prefers nyjer (thistle) seed. Flocks will move up
to five miles per day between feeders (Middleton 1993).
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
(Katsura tree)
Ethan Johnson, plant records curator
This beautiful shade tree is native to China and Japan, with
leaves that somewhat resemble those of Cercis (redbud).
It is most commonly a low-branched tree, or even multitrunked. There are only two species of this tree in its
family, Cercidiphyllaceae. The other species, Cercidiphyllum
magnificum, is a rare small tree from the mountains of Honshu.
These are the “last of the Mohicans” of a formerly dominant
and widespread tree of the Northern Hemisphere in the age
following the demise of the dinosaurs.
At The Holden Arboretum, next to the Warren H. Corning Visitor
Center is a 28’ x 30’ specimen of Katsura tree planted 32 years
ago. Its root system was compromised in 2005 by the removal
of a heating oil tank beneath its branches, but it is still a worthy
tree for this prime location. Its foliage turns apricot to yellow in
October and on warm sunny days the senescent leaves emit a
fragrance reminiscent of caramelized sugar or cotton candy.
In the Helen S. Layer Rhododendron Garden, north of Heath
Vale is a fine specimen collected as seed in Hokkaido, Japan in
October 1997. This single-trunked male tree is 27’ x 13’. Next to
that tree from Japan are four young specimens raised from seed
collected in Gansu, China in September 2005. These all exhibit
stunning red fall foliage and muted red new leaves in spring and
early summer. Their heights range from 11-14’ with spreads of
about 6’. These four are still juvenile. The trees from Hokkaido
started reaching sexual maturity at 12 years of age.
occasionally be unsightly, it does not significantly impact the
tree’s health.
Along the entrance drive to the Warren H. Corning Visitor Center
is a specimen of a weeping Katsura, Cercidiphyllum japonicum
‘Pendulum’ planted by an underground spring in 1993. This tree
with cascading branches now measures 18’ tall and 25’ wide. In
the nursery trade the cultivars ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Tidal Wave’
have the same growth habit. ‘Morioka Weeping’ has a strong
central leader and can reach 60’ in height. Weeping Katsuras are
all male clones.
In the landscape, success with Cercidiphyllum is most often
thwarted by drought stress. Container-grown plants are
recommended as these trees are not easily transplanted. The
tree is not susceptible to any major disease or insect pests.
A Katsura with five trunks in the Upper Baldwin measures 44’
tall by 37’ wide 48 years after being received as an 8” seedling.
A handsome specimen south of the pond at the David G. Leach
Research Station in Madison is 45’ x 42’ but its age is a mystery.
Mature trees develop somewhat shaggy grayish-brown bark
that adds to their charm.
The handsome foliage and the marvelous scent of the fallen
leaves are the primary attributes of this fine shade tree. Most
children or people young at heart might enjoy having Katsura
tree leaves to pile up and play in.
Flowering is brief, usually no more than one week. Female
trees are covered in a reddish haze when in full bloom. The
½- to ¾-inch long, slender green banana-shaped fruit split
open along a central suture and shed their tiny winged seed
in fall and winter. Male trees have reddish stamens that shed
yellow pollen. Katsura trees are wind-pollinated and have no
petals or showy sepals. Most years flowering occurs entirely in
April with end of March starts being rare at Holden. The leaves
unfold and expand shortly after the flowers have faded in April
and are subject to frost damage in some years. While this can
Description
Black wings and white wing bars.
Breeding males: bright yellow body.
Non-breeding males: olive to tan
body. Females: yellow green under
parts, throat and breast.
Size
length 4-5 inches;
wingspan 7-9 inches
Range
Summer range across North
America from coast to coast; winter
range includes southern Canada and
stretches south to parts of Mexico.
A variable and intricate mix
of warbles and trills, with a
distinctive tone. Often calls
while in flight po-ta-to-chip
Best location to
view at Holden
Buckeye Bud Bird Feeding Station,
Myrtal S. Holden Wildflower
Garden (Woodland, Prairie Area)
Light
Soil type
Mature size
Best location
Source
Full sun to part shade
Moist and fairly well
drained and must not dry
out, acidic to neutral
50-60’ or more with a
lesser to equal spread
USDA Zones 5-8
At select local garden
centers, through a
landscaper or via mail order
American goldfinches breed later than most North American birds. They
wait to nest until late July or early August when milkweed, thistle, and other
plants have produced fibrous seeds. Their nest is usually assembled in
shrubs or saplings in an open setting 4-10 feet above the ground. Females
constructs the open cup nest with grass and plant fibers; attaching the
nest to the tree or shrub with spider webs. Nests are often woven so
tightly that they can temporarily hold water. Females complete the nests
by lining them with plant down and hair. It takes a female up to six days
to build a nest approximately 3 inches across and 2-4.5 inches high.
Female goldfinches usually lay five pale-blue or greenish-blue eggs.
They, unlike the male, incubate the eggs. Males feed females on the nest
throughout incubation and take on an ever increasing role in feeding the
nestlings as they grow older. Eggs hatch in approximately 12 days. Brownheaded cowbirds sometime lay their eggs in the nest of the American
goldfinch. The female incubates the egg until it hatches. However few
cowbird chicks live longer than three or four days. This is due to the low
amounts of protein found in the vegetarian diet of the goldfinch. American
goldfinch nestlings will fledge about 12 days after hatching. Fledglings are
dependent on their parents for at least three weeks after leaving the nest.
American goldfinches are abundant and widespread. Populations appear to be
stable. However bird populations, including those of the American goldfinch
adjust in response to changes
in the environment around
them. Decreasing amounts of
breeding habitats including food
and nesting plants, resulting
from changing agricultural
practices and the expansion
of urban areas, may contribute
to future population declines.
Fall 2011
Leaves
bird facts
Voice
plant facts
6
mike dougherty
Sometimes referred to wild canaries, American goldfinches
are the only finch that completely molts its body feathers
twice a year, once in early spring and again in late
fall. In early spring, breeding season, male goldfinch
become a vibrant yellow by late fall the yellow feathers
turn a tan to olive color. The new fall feathers are much
denser than their summer plumage. These soft feathers
provide an additional layer of insulation to help keep
them warm throughout the winter. Black wings and white
wing bars are present throughout the entire year.
7
Purple martins are a colonial species and prefer to
nest near other martins. Providing multiple nest
sites in the form of gourds or multi-room houses
in the same location increases the chances of
success. It’s not unusual for a backyard nesting
structure to support dozens of nesting martins.
by Mike Watson, conservation biologist
The story of purple martins is a fascinating example
of population management and species conservation.
Like other native cavity nesters, martins historically
relied on woodpecker holes, dead hollow trees and
other naturally occurring cavities across the landscape.
Unlike other cavity nesters, though, martins have
essentially abandoned natural cavities and now rely
almost exclusively on man-made nesting structures.
Martins are insectivores and catch their food
in flight. They also drink in flight – skimming
the surface of a pond, stream, or lake to get
a drink of water. As a result, martin colonies
are very active places with birds constantly
in flight and interacting with one another.
Because they catch their meals in fight, martins
need space. Successful nesting structures are
usually located in open areas – at least 40 feet
from the nearest tree. They also like to be close to
water and human activity. It’s also smart to avoid
shrubby habitats that might attract house sparrows.
This behavioral shift started before the arrival of
European settlers to North America. Purple martins
attracted the interest and attention of Native
Americans. Early documents indicate that Native
Americans used hollow gourds to encourage martins
to nest in their villages. Colonies of martins provided
a number of services to their human landlords: they
helped control insect populations, their constant
activity kept crows and vultures away from crops
and drying meat, and they likely provided hours of
entertainment in the form of song and social antics.
As with other cavity nesting species, purple
martins have to compete with two aggressive,
non-native birds that will readily attack and
kill martins and take over nesting sites. House
sparrows and European starlings pose serious
risks to martin colonies; regular monitoring of
the martin housing helps prevent these nonnative species from becoming established.
The hollow gourds that the Native Americans provided
would have been safer and more reliable than natural
cavities for the nesting martins. As a result, nest success
would have been higher for the birds that chose to build
their nests in the gourds. This is thought to be the driving
force behind the martins’ shift from natural nesting
cavities to the use of gourds and other human-made sites.
Today, it is thought that purple martins east of the
Rocky Mountains rely completely on human supplied
cajay
Leaves
Holden volunteers will be checking the gourds for activity. Holden’s
first martin houses are located near Fisherman’s Ponds.
The first of two nesting rigs has been installed at
Holden this year, near Fisherman’s Pond to the
south of Kirtland-Chardon Road. A site for the
second rig is still under consideration. Each rig
consists of a pole and six hollow gourds. Each
gourd has an access port that allows staff and
volunteers to open and inspect the contents. This
way, we can track the nesting activity of the martins
and manage the house sparrows or European
starlings if they attempt to use the gourds. As we
have success at one or both of these sites, we will
add more gourds and perhaps a multi-chamber
house in order to allow the colony to expand.
The martin housing was made possible by a
grant from the Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust.
Mike Watson and volunteers Gwen Alius and Jacqueline Reu
check the nestbox.
Fall 2011
8
structures for nesting. This would make martins the
only species to make such a complete shift in nesting
behavior. Bluebirds, swallows, wrens and other cavity
nesting species will readily use human-made houses,
but also build nests in naturally occurring cavities.
Like many of Ohio’s birds, purple martins perform
an amazing migratory feat every year, spending the
winter in South America and returning to Ohio in the
spring. The first martins to return to an area are often
called “scouts” because it was thought that these birds
were scouting out nesting sites and would then lead
the rest of the colony to the chosen location. However,
these ‘scouts’ are in fact the older individuals who are
returning to sites where they successfully nested in the
previous years. Younger birds arrive several weeks later.
Predators can also pose a threat to martins.
Snakes and raccoons can be stopped by installing
predator baffles on the pole that supports the
nesting gourds or nest boxes. Avian predators,
though, are harder (or impossible) to stop. Several
hawk species are known to catch and eat martins,
though generally this predation doesn’t reach
a point where it puts the entire colony at risk.
jackie klisuric
This behavioral shift raises an interesting question: If
humans were to stop providing gourds and houses for
the purple martins, what would become of the species?
Could they switch back to using naturally occurring
cavities? If so, how quickly would it happen and how low
would the population drop before the shift was complete?
So for now, purple martin conservation efforts
require that we provide housing as the first step.
Regular monitoring of the nests allows us to track
the progress and development of eggs and chicks. It
also allows us to deal with competitors or parasites
before they seriously threaten the colony.
jackie klisuric
jackie klisuric
Holden Puts Out the Welcome
Mat for Purple Martins
9
Highly appreciated stock - a gift on your side!
George Rose
by Stephen Sedam, interim director of development
by Pam Eichenauer, former director of development
While the stock market can be a bumpy ride at times, if any
highly appreciated stock is a part of your portfolio, you should
consider it as the source of your next contribution to Holden.
Here’s why.
• You could avoid paying the 15 percent long-term capital
gains tax, which is advantageous even for those who do
not itemize their deductions.
• You avoid any federal income tax that might be incurred
by selling the stock.
• A gift of stock is 100 percent deductible in the year it is
donated.
• With gifts of stock you can deduct up to 30 percent of your
adjusted gross income with a five-year carryover period
for gifts in excess of this amount.
Most importantly, you may be able to support the mission of
The Holden Arboretum at a level greater than if your gift was
made with cash.
To make such a gift, contact your brokerage firm and ask them
to transfer stock to Holden at the level that works for you.
It’s advisable to contact your financial advisor before making
substantial gifts. The value of a gift of stock is the mean
between the high and low on the day the stock transfers.
In 1946, George came back from the war and immediately
returned to college where he got his BChE in 1948.
He has worked in petroleum, petrochemicals and coal
conversion since then.
Gifts of stock can
be used for many
purposes, such as:
Audra, a fashion illustrator in New York, married George
in 1949 after an eventful but brief courtship.
George and Audra have two sons, Evan and Scott. Evan
has a doctorate in physics and works at the Los Alamos
National Laboratory in New Mexico. Scott is a systems
engineer for the University of Washington in Seattle but
lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. They have four
grandchildren who are embarking on equally impressive
careers of their own.
•Your annual gift to Holden
•A tribute gift to honor a
•
•
•
family member, friend or
colleague
A memorial gift for a
departed loved one
A gift in support of Holden’s
“New Leaf” capital campaign.
A special gift in support of
your favorite program
If the time is right for you to make a gift of highly appreciated
stock to help support The Holden Arboretum, please contact
Alicia Soss, associate development officer, 440.602.3848.
George and Audra Rose
At age 87, George Rose is a walking encyclopedia of
scientific knowledge, political insight, history and
interesting stories with a well-honed appreciation for trees
and the environment. His experiences as a boy are what
ultimately led him to become an avid supporter of The
Holden Arboretum.
George was born in 1923 to Sarah and Morris Rose,
Russian Jews who escaped from Czarist Russia in 1910.
George’s mother came to the United States first; Morris
followed, running away from home because he was in love
with Sarah. George’s father was a watchmaker.
Although times were tough – George vividly remembers
the Great Depression when a line of people, waiting to
get their money out of the bank, wrapped around the
building four times – his early memories are of the many
opportunities that surrounded him. He lived most of his
life within walking distance of the Bronx Zoo and the
New York Botanical Garden, some of which was “under
glass” and could be visited year round. He grew up with a
keen appreciation that having access to such educational
and cultural institutions was truly an asset to one’s well
being. He spent much time walking, thinking, reading,
and enjoying the beauty and serenity of these places. The
Metropolitan Museum of Natural History was also an asset
being a five cent subway ride away.
At age 19, George went to New York University to study
chemical engineering, but his college days were shortened
by the draft. Although his father tried to convince George
that he should apply for a deferral, George wanted to
follow his friends who had enlisted before him. He soon
found himself building control towers at forward air bases
in such places as New Guinea, the Phillipines, Guam and
Saipan. He recalls only having fired a rifle once, in terror
and in self defense, after landing in an open field in Leyte
and getting shot at by the enemy from the nearby jungle.
George was hired by The Standard Oil Company in 1965
and retired in 1985, after which he co-founded a company
in Deer Park, Texas. After his second retirement in 1995
he returned to their home of 30 years in Shaker Heights. It was then that he and Audra gave a charitable gift
annuity (CGA) to Holden.
A CGA is a contract between a donor and a charity that
is initiated by a gift of cash or property in exchange for
a partial tax deduction. The charity then agrees to pay a
guaranteed, fixed rate of interest for the life of the donor,
his/her beneficiary or both.
George has invested in the mission of the arboretum
for many reasons. He believes Holden’s conservation
of native forests is imperative for the protection of the
Chagrin River and beyond; that Holden provides the tools
and means to educate oneself; and, as the New York
Botanical Garden once provided for him as a young boy,
Holden provides experiences which enhance one’s quality
of life.
Although he technically retired, George is still working as
a consultant in the ethanol business. He is an expert in
the oil industry, which now requires the use of biofuels.
He openly calls the ethanol business “one of the greatest
frauds perpetrated on the American people,” because
corn is an inexpensive staple in so many foods and it is in
limited supply. In his opinion, a better alternative would
be cars going further on a tank of gasoline or cars that
are powered by electricity
Although he grew up in New York City, he discovered
at an early age that the tranquility of nature plays
an important part in a well-balanced life. George’s
convictions about preserving the natural beauty he
enjoyed as a young boy have left an indelible mark on his
own life and the lives of those who will come after him.
Fall 2011
Leaves
As a young boy, George contacted scarlet fever and the
family’s apartment was quarantined for several months.
Knowing of his constant thirst for learning, George’s father
bought him a set of encyclopedias. While recuperating
from his illness, George read the entire set of books,
from A to Z.
10
partnerships
11
plant this
not that
by Annie Raup, education intern
Hundreds of plants have been introduced to the United States from other parts of the world. Some have come
here accidentally in seed stock, while others were brought here intentionally for horticultural use. A small
number of these introduced plants have gotten a little too comfortable in their new environment. Because they
have no native predators and produce lots of fruit and seed that are efficiently dispersed, they are invading
natural areas. The aggressiveness of these invasive plants affects natural areas and wildlife by decreasing
biodiversity, competing with native and rare plants and eliminating wildlife habitat and food sources.
The Native Alternatives
Vaccinium corymbosum (highbush blueberry) is an upright, rounded deciduous shrub that grows in
moist habitats, such as swamps and bogs, in the eastern United States and Canada. Hardy to Zone
3, it can reach 6-12 feet tall and wide. This species is the parent of many cultivars that are grown for
commercial blueberry production. Dainty white or pink bell-shaped flowers appear in late spring, followed
by edible blue fruit in summer that is enjoyed by both wildlife and humans. Glossy dark green leaves
turn brilliant red to purple in fall. The best fruit set and fall color occurs under full sun, but the plant
can tolerate partial shade. As a member of the Ericaceae (heath family), which includes rhododendrons,
heaths, and mountain laurels, highbush blueberry performs best in acidic soils. This shrub has no
serious pest or disease problems and is best used for mass plantings and informal borders. Look for
highbush blueberry in the Myrtle S. Holden Wildflower Garden along the stream and in the bog below
the prairie garden. Vaccinium ‘Ornablue’ can be found in the Arthur S. Holden Sr. Hedge Collection.
Plant This, Not That features a list of native alternatives to a commonly used landscape plant that has become
invasive. The alternatives were chosen because their characteristics – form, flowers, fruit or fall color – that are
similar to that of the invasive and fulfill the same landscaping need. On a broader scale, native plants help create a
healthier ecosystem, attract a greater diversity of wildlife and may minimize the need for fertilizers and pesticides.
The Invasive
Euonymus alatus (burning bush)
Known for its brilliant red fall color, Euonymus alatus
(burning bush) was introduced from Asia in 1860 as
an ornamental shrub. Many cultivars are available,
and despite its invasive tendencies, burning bush
continues to be widely planted. It easily adapts to
different soil types, has no significant pests or diseases,
and is extremely shade-tolerant. Birds feed on the
fleshy fruits and disperse the seeds. Burning bush
naturalizes in woodlands, where it forms dense stands
that outcompete native plants in the understory.
Vaccinium corymbosum
Euonymus alatus (with red foliage) in native forest
Kurt Stüber
Vaccinium corymbosum
©Copyright Mark Brand, 1997-2001
Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) grows in moist woods in the northeastern United States and the Great
Lakes region, but can also grow further south in higher elevations of the Appalachian Mountains. Hardy to
Zone 3, this deciduous shrub has an upright, mounded form and can reach 4-6 feet in height and width.
Clusters of white flowers appear in the spring as glossy green foliage unfolds. Brilliant red to burgundy foliage
and small black fruits develop in early fall. The fruit is edible, but extremely tart and bitter when raw, giving
the shrub its name of chokeberry. Birds will rely on the fruits as food if the availability of other sources is
limited. Black chokeberry prefers full sun to partial shade and can adapt to wet or dry conditions, but prefers
neutral to acidic soil. Use this shrub for mass plantings, informal borders, and pond plantings. Look for
black chokeberry in the woodland section of the Myrtle S. Holden Wildflower Garden, west of the stream.
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Aronia melanocarpa
Copyright David G. Smith
Aronia melanocarpa
Photo by Louis-M. Landry
12
Euonymus alatus Richard Webb Bugwood.org
Fall 2011
Leaves
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series on recommended landscape alternatives to invasive plants.
13
Holden’s Board of Directors
by Cait Anastis, editor
Guiding The Holden Arboretum is a board of trustees made up of 20 volunteers members of the community.
Our board members bring a wide range of experience to help Holden continue to grow and thrive.
Chairman Joseph J. Mahovlic is
president of The Providence Group, a
private investment company in
Chagrin Falls. In addition to his work
on Holden’s board, he is an active
member of the community, serving
as president of the board of trustees
of Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic
Riding Center and chairman of the
board of Hopewell, a therapeutic
farm community for adults with
severe mental illness. In addition,
Mahovlic serves on the board of
Vocational Guidance Services, Catholic Charities and the
Cleveland Restoration Society. He is also a life trustee of the
Cleveland Zoological Society. In the for-profit world, he serves
on the boards of three private companies.
Mahovlic’s wife Kathy served as manager of Holden’s volunteer
and special events programs before retiring in 2006. They live
in Waite Hill and have two adult children.
Vice Chairman Paul R. Abbey is the
chairman and founding partner of
Fairport Asset Management, a
Cleveland based comprehensive
Wealth Management Co. A long-time
supporter, neighbor and “family
friend” of The Holden Arboretum, he
serves on Holden’s Development, and
Finance and Investment Committees
and is chairman of Holden’s New Leaf
Campaign. He and his wife Connie
Norweb Abbey served as
chairpersons for the On Holden Pond
benefit in 2006, and the couple was recognized as Holden’s
Volunteers of the Year on National Philanthropy Day.
In addition to his work at Holden, Abbey also serves as a
member of the board of the College of Wooster and is the
former president of the Wooster Alumni Association. He and
his wife, who is a Holden director emeritus, reside in Kirtland
adjacent to The Holden Arboretum. They are the parents of
three daughters.
14
Vice Chairman Robert R. Galloway, a partner with Baker
Hostetler, maintains an active practice in estate planning. He
is experienced in drafting wills and trusts, and in planning
the ownership succession of closely held businesses by
sophisticated means, such as family limited partnerships,
“defective” grantor trusts and partnership “freezes.” In
fiduciary matters, Galloway has taken the lead role
representing several prominent banks and trust companies
Vice Chairman Sarah L. Gries, the
president and CEO of Gries Financial
LLC, is a certified financial planner
whose firm manages more than $300
million in assets internally and
provides investment advisory services
for substantially greater assets. She is
also a founder and chairperson of
Fieldstone Realty Partners LLC, a real
estate investment advisory firm
providing private real estate
opportunities to its clients. In
addition to the time spent working on
behalf of Holden, she is a life trustee of Hawken School and a
board member of Case Western Reserve University, Town Hall
and the Gries Family Foundation. She is on the Visiting
Committee of the Weatherhead School of Management and sits
on several advisory committees.
She enjoys traveling, horseback riding, dressage, skiing, hiking,
photography and gardening along with having a special interest
in education, horticulture and preserving the environment.”
Vice Chairman Leslie W. Jacobs is a
senior partner with the law firm
Thompson Hine LLP. His practice
focuses on antitrust investigations
and related civil and criminal
litigation; trade secrets and unfair
competition; white collar crime;
business torts and commercial
litigation; international transactions
and joint ventures; intellectual
property licensing and litigation;
mergers and acquisitions; internal
investigations; and corporate
governance matters. He served as law clerk to Chief Justice
Kingsley A. Taft at the Supreme Court of Ohio. From 1967 to
1979, he was a lieutenant commander in the United States
Naval Reserve (Intelligence). In addition to his efforts at
Holden, he also serves on the executive board of the Greater
Cleveland Council of the Boy Scouts of America, is an active
member of the Cuyahoga County Republican Party, and he is a
former deacon of the Fairmount Presbyterian Church.
Serving as a member of The Holden
Arboretum’s board of directors is
just the latest Holden connection for
Vice Chairman C. W. Eliot Paine.
Joining the arboretum’s staff in 1964
as an assistant horticulturist, he
moved into the position of
educational director in 1967, before
leaving the Holden in 1970 to fill the
position of director at the Garden
Center of Greater Cleveland. He
retuned to Holden in 1983 to serve
as executive director, retiring in
1995, and joined the organization’s
board of directors in 1998.
Board Secretary Stephen J. “Josh”
Knerly, Jr. is a partner in the firm of
Hahn Loeser + Parks, LLP, focusing his
practice in nonprofit corporate law, art
law, closely held and family owned
businesses, and international
transactions. He served as the firm’s
chief executive officer and managing
partner from 1993 through 2008.
Knerly assists nonprofit corporations in
matters such as corporate governance,
legislative issues and general corporate
matters and tax issues. He has also represented museums in
many different matters including acquisitions, construction and
expansion projects, outsource agreements, legislative issues,
dispute resolution and executive compensation agreements. A
member of the State of Ohio’s Global Markets Advisory Team,
he also serves on the board of the Greater Cleveland Chapter
of the American Red Cross. He is trustee and secretary of the
French American Chamber of Commerce and Consul Honoraire
de France for Northern Ohio. Knerly also is a member of the
Corporate Council of the Cleveland Botanical Garden and of the
Business Leadership Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Dr. Barbara Brown is assistant professor of anatomy in
orthopedic surgery at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College
of Medicine where she teaches human gross anatomy. Her
specialty is human origins research. She has been involved
in paleontological fieldwork in Ethiopia, Kenya and Pakistan
for more than two decades. She is also president of the Louise
H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation. As long-time members,
leadership donors and neighbors of Holden, Barbara and her
family have been very supportive of The Holden Arboretum. She
and her husband Dr. Steve Ward live in a home in Chardon that
borders Stebbins Gulch.
Christopher Ashley Cullis, has had a
varied career that has spanned three
continents and experience at both
academic and federal institutions.
Growing up in Rhodesia (now
Zimbabwe), he taught chemistry and
physics at the high school level before
moving to England to continue his
graduate work. He has held permanent
appointments at the John Innes
Institute from 1971 until 1985 and at
Case Western Reserve University
(CWRU) since 1985. His research
activity has concentrated on looking at the DNA in plants and
how it varies. This research has been supported from a variety
of public and private sources. In addition to his research, he has
served as dean of mathematics and science at CWRU from 1989
until 1993 and program director for the Plant Genome Research
Program at the National Science Foundation from 2000 until
2002.
He has been actively involved in teaching and outreach
initiatives including the development of new programs at the
university – The College Scholars Program and the Master’s
of Science in Biotechnology Entrepreneurship. He also started
the biotechnology training program for high school teachers
and students, which developed in the center for Science and
Mathematics Education. He also started, and continues to
run, NovoMark Technologies Ltd., a biotechnology company
with laboratories in the incubator facility in University West in
University Circle.
Simin Gharib Naraghipour, a professor
of French literature, languages and film
at Lakeland Community College, has
previously taught at CWRU, Cleveland
State University, Lake Erie College,
Notre Dame College and Hawken
School. She also taught foreign
language classes to executives at Alcan
Corporation. She also spent several
years as a film reviewer and
entertainment reporter for WJKW
Channel 8 in Cleveland and served as a
research consultant with British
filmmakers Peter Newington and Michael Gill who were making a
film documentary on Surrealism during the Surrealism Festival at
University Circle. She uses this experience as a media coach for
corporate executives at American Greetings Corporation. Her
community involvement includes service on the board and
community organizations such as the Cleveland Museum of Art,
the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Institute of Art, and Le
Cercle des Conferences Francaises de Cleveland.
She is an avid tennis player, movie buff and loves to travel
with her family. She is married to Dr. Hossein Naraghipour, a
cardiovascular surgeon.
Peter S. Hellman retired as president,
chief financial and administrative
officer and a director of Nordson
Corporation in January 2008. Before
joining the company in 2000, Hellman
spent 20 years in senior operating
and financial management positions
in the high technology,
manufacturing and petroleum
industries. Most recently, he was
president and chief operating officer
of TRW Inc., where he also served on
its board of directors and as a
member of the management committee. He serves on the
board of Baxter International Inc., Owens-Illinois, Inc. and
Qwest Communications International Inc. An active member
of the community, he is a trustee of Case Western Reserve
University, LifeBanc and Western Reserve Academy.
Hellman also serves on the National Advisory Committee of
the Urology Institute of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and is
a councilman of Hunting Valley, Ohio where he resides with his
wife Sunnie.
Arlene Holden, is a long-time friend
and advocate of The Holden
Arboretum, who is also actively
connected with Holden’s members,
volunteers and the community at large.
A member of Holden since 1990, her
service to the community also includes
the boards of the Cleveland Botanical
Garden and Willoughby Fine Arts
Association. She is past member of the
Painesville Library and Playhouse
Square Boards. Other affiliations
include the Lake-Geauga Committee,
the American Association of University Women, the American
Red Cross and her ongoing work coordinating the Arthur and
Arlene Holden Foundation.
Fall 2011
Leaves
Vice Chairman Jonathan E. Dick is
the managing director of Primus
Capital Partners, LCC. He joined the
company in 1991 and has 15 years of
private equity experience, focusing
on the firm’s business services and
communications investment activities.
He also serves as a director of Focus
Receivables Management, Inc.,
Paycor, Inc., Pegasus Development
Company, LLC and Universal Tax
Systems, Inc. In addition to his service
to Holden, he is a member of the
Harvard Business School Club of NEO Investment Committee.
Dick is a past president of the Harvard Business School Club of
NEO, past board member of North Union Farmers Market and
past board member of various private companies. He and his
wife Suzanne and daughter Maggie live in Pepper Pike.
in fiduciary litigation and other disputes involving trustees
and beneficiaries. He has a keen interest in land conservation
and has represented many private landowners and nonprofit conservation organizations in land transactions using
techniques such as bargain-sales, conservation easements and
conservation zoning. He is a fellow of the American College of
Trust and Estate Counsel. He was named to the 2009 and 2010
edition of The Best Lawyers in America, and to the 2009 Super
Lawyers list.
15
Jackie klisuric
Holden’s Board of Directors
Michael C. Marino, president and
CEO of Wyse Advertising, Inc., has
helped build Wyse into one of the
top-10-ranked independent
advertising companies in the United
States. Managing offices in Cleveland
and Detroit, the company serves a
number of nationally recognized
brands, including Smucker’s, Dirt
Devil, Marathon, Mead, Sherwin
Williams, Purell, Rubbermaid and
Rockwell. He is a former member of
the board of the Cleveland
Advertising Club, and currently serves on the board of the
Cleveland Artist’s Foundation. An amateur orchid grower,
focusing on art-shade phalaenopsis and species
paphliopedilums, Marino is also an avid collector of mineral
specimens, favoring crystallized examples of the carbonate
minerals and minerals from Midwest localities.
Cynthia Moore-Hardy, president and
chief executive officer of Lake
Hospital System, has been with the
Lake Hospital System since 1988. She
is a member of the Health Care
Administrators Association of
Northeastern Ohio, the American
Hospital Association, and a member
and a fellow of the American College
of Health Care Executives. She serves
on the boards of Fifth Third Bank,
Leadership Lake County, the Center
for Health Affairs and the Health
Advisory Board of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. In
addition she is the Northern Ohio Regent, Regent’s Advisory
Council of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a
Delegate to the Regional Policy Board of the American Hospital
Association. A native of Cleveland, Cynthia is married to Jeffery
Hardy. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, playing the piano,
reading, travel and Ohio State University football.
K. K. Sullivan is a lifelong community
volunteer who is actively involved with
many local organizations. She is a
member of the Cleveland Clinic Art in
Leadership Board, the Playhouse Square
Board (Chair 2003-2006), the Holden
Arboretum Council, the Cleveland
International Piano Competition, Lost
Tree Charitable Foundation Visiting
Committee and Hospice of Western
Reserve Capital Campaign Committee.
She is a trustee emeritus for the Great
Lakes Science Center.
16
Michael T. Victor is the president of
Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio.
Prior to his inauguration, he was
dean of the Walker School of
Business, Communication and Hotel,
Restaurant and Institutional
Management at Mercyhurst College
in Erie, Pa. Before embarking on a
career in the academic arena, he
served as president/CEO and then
chairman/CEO of Pyramid Industries
in Erie, Pa. He also practiced law at
MacDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton in their Corporate Law
Department in the mid 1980s. His community involvement
includes service on the a number of boards, including the
Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges and Universities,
Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland, Leadership Lake
County, Learning About Business, Erie Playhouse,
International Assembly of Collegiate Business Educators,
Pennsylvania State University, and many others.
He and his wife Craige have two sons and two daughters.
Ann T. Whitney, is a long-time friend
to Holden and has chaired various
arboretum events, including plant
sale, On Holden Pond, Ski Fair and
the new Sperry Road opening
celebration. Active in the community,
she is the president of the Shaker
Lakes Garden Club, chairperson of
the Mozambique mission committee
at St. Francis of Assisi, the former
president and current treasurer of the
Gates Mills Land Conservancy and
served as treasurer of the Garden
Club of America’s Annual Meeting in 2000.
ask
Charles
by Charles Tubesing,
chief horticulturist
She and her husband Dick have two college-age sons and
reside in Gates Mills.
Timothy L. Swanson, the chief
investment officer for Key Private
Bank, is responsible for the depth,
breadth and quality of the firm’s
investment offerings to high net
worth individuals and nonprofit
entities, and is accountable for the
performance of the firm’s $20 billion
in assets under management. Prior to
joining Key Private Bank, Swanson
served as the chief investment officer
for the Private Client Group at
National City where he was
responsible for the firm’s $30 billion in assets under
management. He also served as president and trustee of the
Allegiant Funds, National City’s mutual fund family. An
accomplished public speaker, Swanson has appeared in local
and national media publications and broadcasts, including
CNBC, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal.
Swanson lives in Shaker Heights with his wife and two
daughters. He serves as an elder at Bay Presbyterian Church,
and enjoys playing golf in his free time.
Raised on a farm in Chardon, Ohio,
Ellen Winifred Jones Nordell said she
has always appreciated the natural
landscape of Northeast Ohio. “Not
until I moved away, though, did I truly
understand what a real jewel this area
is,” she said. “I have lived in New
Haven, Dusseldorf (Germany),
Washington D.C., Chicago, Milwaukee,
Huntsville, Mequon and then 11 years
north of Boston in Prides Crossing,
Mass. In August of 2009, we moved to
Gates Mills. Nordell has been a
consultant, a counselor and coach. Her community involvement
includes working to raise both money and awareness for
schools, environmental programs and charities.
She and her husband, Peter Nordell Jr., are the parents of three
boys and a girl.
Q:
A:
Why do the leaves of
many deciduous trees
color brightly before they
fall? What determines
whether it will be a good
year for fall color?
As nights get longer in late summer and early fall it is a
signal to broadleaf trees to begin preparing for winter.
Growth ceases, and photosynthesis grinds to a halt in
the leaves. Chlorophyll, the green pigment responsible
for photosynthesis, breaks down and the green color
fades. This reveals carotenoid pigments that have been
present in the leaf all along. These are responsible for
yellow and orange leaf colors. Reds and purples are
the colors of anthocyanin pigments, which are derived
from sugars that are trapped in the leaves as their veins
begin to close off prior to leaf drop. You can count on
species whose leaves color yellow, such as tulip tree,
Liriodendron tulipifera, and bitternut hickory, Carya
cordiformis, to color reliably every year. Black gum or
tupelo, Nyssa sylvatica, also produces its red-orange to
scarlet leaves consistently each fall. Other trees, such
as sugar maple, Acer saccharum, color more intensely
in some years than in others. In those cases, maximum
color development is said to result from a combination of
several warm, sunny days and cool, but frost-free nights,
which increases the amount of sugar trapped in the
leaves and results in higher anthocyanin levels.
Fall 2011
Leaves
Sullivan has chaired seven benefits for Playhouse Square
including the grand openings of three historical theaters
in Playhouse Square. Her active role in the community also
includes co-chairing benefits for UNICEF, the Western Reserve
Historical Society and Cleveland Clinic Florida. She and her
husband, retired attorney Joseph D. Sullivan, reside in Kirtland
Hills and North Palm Beach, Fla.
continued
17
shorts
Holden Research
News
Research Interns Study Forest Ecology.
Three undergraduate interns worked in The Holden Arboretum’s
Research Department this summer, helping to study the effects
of acid rain on forests. Kaitlin Coyle, Case Western Reserve
University; Rose Egelhoff, Pomona College; and Hannah Wilson,
Allegheny College pictured below, assisted Holden scientists as
they examined how trees and soil microbes respond to acid rain.
The interns helped with sample collection and analysis of plant
growth and nutrient content, and learned how DNA methods are
used to identify microbes living in soil and on plant roots.
Holden Scientists Present Research at
International Meeting.
alter nutrient cycling and potentially further enhance nutrient
uptake for host plants (Soil Biology & Biochemistry 43 [2011]
1042-1050). This work furthers our understanding of how ECM
fungi impact the soil environment, microbial communities and
nutrient turnover in forests.
Can Invasive Species Affect Soil Fungi
and Nutrient Cycling?
Invasive species are either native or non-native plants or
animals that overpopulate an area and cause disruption to an
ecosystem. Two common invaders of eastern forests, including
forests at Holden, are eastern white tailed deer and Alliaria
petiolata (garlic mustard). In a recent paper, Holden scientists
David Burke and Charlotte Hewins, together with collaborators,
Michael Weintraub, University of Toledo; and Susan Kalisz,
University of Pittsburgh, investigated whether deer and garlic
mustard affect soil fungi and nutrient cycling in eastern forests
(Soil Biology and Biochemistry 43 [2011] 795-803). Surprisingly,
deer had little effect on soil fungi and soil nutrient cycling,
even four years after exclusion from some experimental plots.
On the other hand, the density of garlic mustard plants was
associated with mycorrhizal fungi that help herbaceous plants
acquire nutrients but was not associated with ectomycorrhizal
fungi that assist trees in nutrient capture. These results
suggest that invasive species have some potential to affect soil
biodiversity and nutrient cycling in forests and those invaders
may have specific effects on forest organisms.
Leaves
Director of Human Resources
Obituary
Being able to interact
with staff
Julia Viel
members, seasonals and volunteers
from all parts of our organization.
Enjoying our beautiful grounds.
My favorite site on the grounds
Lotus Pond and enjoying whatever is currently in bloom
What do I do when I’m not at work?
Gardening, reading, listening to beautiful music, watching the
Food Network. Ina Garten is my favorite
Elizabeth “Betsy” Emlen Walker, 98, who
volunteered her time with Holden’s Blue
Bird program, died June 15.
A resident of Cleveland Heights, Walker
was active with the program until 2002.
She also volunteered at the Shaker Lakes
Nature Center.
What is the one thing visitors should be sure to see or do
when they come to Holden?
Meet our newest seasonal group - The Gnomes. I think they’re
working either the second or third shift. So far on first shift, I’ve
only seen them standing around.
In 1962, The Holden Arboretum launched a new
program, working with several colleges and
universities, to give students the opportunity to
work at Holden and gain first-hand experience
on the workings of a museum of woody plants.
White tailed deer
terry ross
Several of Holden’s full-time staff members started
their careers as Holden interns, including Roger
Gettig, director of horticulture and conservation;
Sharon Graper, manager of formal programs;
Charlotte Hewins, research specialist; Ethan
Johnson, plant records curator; and Brian Parsons,
director of planning and special projects.
The program includes current students as
well as graduates interning at Holden to gain
practical experience in the field. This year,
Holden is hosting several interns from places
around the world, including: l-r Annie Raup, Celine Janz, Jakub Szczytkowski, Mike Moylan and Jon Van Wagoner
•
•
•
Alliaria petiolata (Garlic mustard)
•
Horticulture intern Celine Janz of Switzerland, a student
at the University of Applied Sciences Zurich in environmental
engineering majoring in urban gardening.
Horticulture intern Jakub Szczytkowski of Poland, a graduate
of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences with a bachelor’s
degree in horticulture. Plant records intern Mike Moylan of Ireland who is studying
horticulture at the Waterford Institute of Technology where he is
currently in his second year and majoring in landscape design.
Conservation intern Cody Uhas of Avon Lake, Ohio who is majoring in
fish and wildlife management at West Virginia University. •
•
Education intern Annie Raup of Virginia, a graduate of James Madison
University where she earned her degree in biology with a concentration
in ecology and environmental biology.
Horticulture intern Jon Van Wagoner of Chagrin Falls is interning
at Holden through a program organized by Edward Tuhela, the
landscape horticulture teacher at the Gates Mills Environmental
Education Center. He will attend Pennsylvania State University in the
fall to study landscape architecture and has received scholarships
from the Ohio Landscape and Nursery Association as well as
numerous local garden clubs.
Fall 2011
18
What do I do at Holden?
The Holden Arboretum Intern Program
Ectomycorrhizal Mats Create Unique
Microhabitat for Soil Fungi and Bacteria.
Conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest are dominated by trees
that form associations with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi. ECM
fungi are important to trees because they help trees gain nutrients
such as nitrogen and phosphorous from soil. But can ECM fungi
affect other microorganisms in soil and nutrient turnover? As
part of her doctoral research at Oregon State University, Holden
scientist Laurel Kluber studied ECM fungi that form dense, fungal
mats that can colonize 25-40 percent of the forest floor in some
Douglas-fir forests. Kluber and her collaborators found that
these mycorrhizal mats have unique physical and biochemical
properties that distinguish them from surrounding non-mat
soils (Soil Biology & Biochemistry 42 [2010] 1607-1613). Further
investigation of mats formed by the genus Piloderma showed
distinct fungal and bacterial communities compared to non-mat
soils and different levels of soil enzyme activity, indicating that
some ECM fungi and their associated microbial communities can
Nancy Spelman
What do I like about my job?
Holden scientists gave three research presentations at the annual
meeting of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) in Austin,
Texas, Aug. 7-12, 2011. The ESA meeting is one of the premier
international meetings for ecologists, and the theme of this year’s
meeting was Earth Stewardship: Preserving and Enhancing the
Earth’s Life-support Systems. Presentations by Holden scientists
focused on the effect of human activity on soil biodiversity and
biodiversities impact on plant growth. Presentations covered
such topics as the effects of acid rain on the diversity of
mycorrhizal soil fungi (Laurel Kluber), how nitrogen pollution
may affect microbial diversity in aquatic systems (Sarah CarrinoKyker) and whether the growth of plant seedlings is affected by
mycorrhizal fungi and nearby adult plants (David Burke).
Highlights
meet
19
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Fall Morning
brian parsons
Acer saccharum (sugar maple)