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A PUBLICATION OF the holden arboretum
Fall
2010
Fall 2010
1
leaves
Fall 2010
Cait Anastis, Editor
[email protected]
Jackie Klisuric, Graphic Design
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
Jackie Klisuric
from the president
Mary A. Topa,
Director of Research
board of directors
contents
features
4 The Holden Arboretum:
5 Conservation
8 Partnerships
12 Where the Deer Roam
15 Research Update
18 Shorts
Place and Purpose
of Native Forests
Anne Clapp: Harvesting a Legacy
2
Jackie klisuric
departments
6 Plant Profile
7 Bird Bio
10 Volunteering
11 Ask Greg
16 Reflections of Beauty
Acer rubrum
Winter Wren
Improving Wellbeing and Longevity
Plant Q & A
Lotus Pond
Cover photo of
the blazing fall
color of Stewartia
pseudocamellia near
Blueberry Pond 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 8, 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
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Periodicals postage paid at Mentor, Ohio
Postmaster:
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Leaves: The Holden Arboretum,
9500 Sperry Road,
Kirtland, Ohio 44094-5172
This issue’s theme, “Place
and Purpose,” serves as
an umbrella over our
previous three issues’
subjects – conserving native
forests, growing trees and
communities, and engaging
children with plants – which
of course are Holden’s areas
of strategic emphasis.
Two years ago we embarked
on the strategic planning
the results of which you are seeing in these pages.
During the exercise, we asked many friends and
collaborators, both present and potential, “How would
you like Holden to improve the world?” We heard
many insightful answers, and we also inferred one
overarching impression, from the great number of
persons who appeared momentarily taken aback by our
question. Their startled expressions seemed to imply,
“We love Holden as a place to walk in the woods and
to admire beautiful gardens, but the thought of your
having great worldly impact, well, that’s a new one.”
That was not a universal response, mind you, but
common enough to suggest the following conclusion:
at this moment in time, and despite a long history
of impactful accomplishments, Holden is generally
more beloved as a place, than viewed as fulfilling
a noble societal purpose. Our objective, of course,
is to be wildly successful at both, to be valued as
an enjoyable and enriching place to visit and as an
important institution that inspires the improvement
of trees, forests and communities of our region.
The “place/purpose” duality plays out especially well
in Holden’s gardens. An outstanding garden display,
at a scientifically based public garden such as ours,
has three primary attributes: story, collections and
beauty. A “story,” as we use the term, is a message
that we wish a guest to glean from her visit, e.g.,
“Sustainable landscape design addresses plant function
as well as plant form, and the sensitive integration
of plants with buildings and hardscapes.” That is
one of 74 stories in the Holden Storybook, which
we have crafted over the past several months to
help guide our garden improvements and curatorial
decisions, as well as educational programs.
“Collections” refers to the specific plants in a garden
display, both their selection and their juxtaposition to
effectively tell the garden’s stories and to represent
the world’s great diversity of woody plants. Finally,
“beauty” speaks for itself, and is an essential
attribute. Often I am asked whether beauty needs
to be sacrificed on the altar of story and collections,
and the answer is an unqualified “no”. Designing a
garden to succeed in all three regards is a challenge,
indeed, but our own Arlene and Arthur S. Holden Jr.
Butterfly Garden and Myrtle S. Holden Wildflower
Garden exemplify the rewards of thoughtful planning,
curatorial decision-making and horticultural care.
As we head into autumn, please join me in admiring
the gorgeous show of fall color that surely awaits,
and in learning how different plants, from around the
world, react to our delightfully unpredictable seasons.
Clement W. Hamilton, PhD
President and CEO
Fall 2010
Leaves
Leaves
Holden’s Natural Areas
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
3
It is easy to explain The Holden Arboretum’s value as
a destination. Photographs, each worth a 1,000 words,
provide ample proof of the bright beauty of the gardens,
the cool solitude of the forests or the welcoming warmth
of the meadows. It is a place to enjoy a spring wine
tasting, a summer concert or a hike to take in fall color.
But those things only scratch the surface when it comes
to Holden, which is far more than just a pretty place.
Holden is also a shining example of the good that can be
accomplished with the support of dedicated individuals.
From Albert Fairchild Holden’s first financial gift and
Roberta Holden Bole’s initial donation of 100 acres in
1931 to the generous gifts, both large and small, made
by donors over the past 79 years, Holden is a potent
reminder of the extraordinary power of private support.
That private support has created a place that works
to improve the environment for citizens of Northeast
Ohio. Once described as a life raft for the future,
Holden preserves precious green space in large tracts
of land, providing a safe haven for wildlife, fertile
ground for plants and space for humans to discover
their place in nature. Holden helps to safeguard the
region’s water resources by protecting part of the
Our vision for the Holden Experience
watershed for the East Branch of the Chagrin River,
which ultimately flows into Lake Erie. But it takes
more than conservation to ensure future ecological
security. Holden’s outreach programs, which impact
children and adults, help to create and reinforce a
love of nature and a dedication to its conservation.
Holden teaches what it practices. Growing Students
in Science and other school programs turn
Holden into a living laboratory for area schools.
Professional development programs help area
teachers find new and better ways to engage their
students in lessons about the natural world. Adult
enrichment classes, tours and lectures spread
Holden’s messages beyond its 3,600 acres.
The arboretum’s staff also seeks to expand the
knowledge of the natural world. Holden scientists
are working to understand how forests and soils
in Northeast Ohio function during our extended
periods of cold temperatures and snow cover. A
recent grant from the National Science Foundation is
allowing scientists at Holden and Ohio University to
take a closer look at how forests and soil microbes
respond to changes in acidity and soil phosphorus
availability. A second collaboration with Kent State
University is exploring the rules governing the diversity,
assembly and distribution of soil microorganisms.
While Holden’s research program strives to expand our
knowledge of the world we live in, it also has an impact
on our home landscapes. At the David G. Leach Research
Station, Holden is committed to developing superior
rhododendrons for continental climates. The work
conducted by David Leach, and continued by Holden,
has resulted in two new hybrids, the yellow-flowered
‘Holden’s Solar Flair’ and a large-leaved early-bloomer
named ‘Holden’s Spring Herald’. These plants will soon
be available in limited quantities beginning in 2011.
4
People value Holden as an enjoyable
and enriching place to visit and as an
important institution that inspires
popular support for improving trees,
forests, and communities of the region.
Conservation of Native Forests by Cait Anastis, editor
As the caretaker of more
than 2,000 acres of forest,
The Holden Arboretum takes
special interest in the threats
facing Ohio’s forests and how this
important natural resource can be
conserved for future generations.
To formalize this interest, Holden
adopted a conserving forests strategic
initiative in 2009 to help guide Holden’s conservation
and research efforts (see the Winter 2009-10 issue of
Leaves, where we introduced the Conserving Native
Forests strategic theme). How Holden manages its own
forests and natural landscapes using science-based
practices can serve as an example for the management
of other native forests and woodlands in the region.
“The benefits of trees in our communities have been
well documented. Planting trees can reduce heating and
cooling costs, enhance
property values, prevent
erosion and have a positive
affect on both the mental
and physical health of
the people living in the
area.” said David Burke,
Holden scientist. “But
forests are different, they
are more than trees.”
“The effect of any one tree
by itself is less than a group
of trees together. While
trees in any location help to
improve air quality, provide
a habitat for birds and
animals, and offer shade,
the benefits are greater
when the trees are in larger
numbers,” Burke said. “When you get into forests, you
have those same benefits, but it’s magnified. You’re
still dealing with the ability to act as the lungs of the
planet, remove CO2 and reduce pollutants, but forests
have a bigger role to play in improving water quality.”
Why is Holden concerned about the health and
care of native forests? The region’s forests
are already are in a state of decline, said Clem
Hamilton, Holden’s president and CEO.
“The two major sources of decline are invasive organisms,
whose invasion is taking place at an ever increasing
rate, and pollution, which is not as severe as in the past
but still impactful to soil chemistry and plant health,”
he said. “Both stresses result in forests of decreasing
biotic health and diversity of trees, wildflowers, birds,
and insects, which is bad for its own sake but also for
the ecological services provided by our forests. For
instance, a heavily invaded forest typically has less leaf
surface area, which means less photosynthesis, less
CO2 uptake, and less environmental cooling. Also, a
less diverse forest is less effective at stabilizing slopes
and controlling storm water, because there are fewer
and less (mechanically) diverse roots to do the job. And
for those who care about wildlife, less diverse plant
life means less diverse animal life as well, as ecological
niches become fewer as the ecosystem simplifies itself.”
Urban sprawl and the resulting fragmentation of the
forests also contribute to the problem, said Mary
Topa, Holden’s director of research. The United States
loses roughly one million acres of forested land to
development every year. Of all the human impacts on
forests, development is one of the most significant
because of the severity of the land transformation and
permanency of the change. The fragmentation creates a
disturbed area along the edges of the remaining forest
and facilitates infiltration by invasive plants and invasive
pests. Large contiguous tracts of forest are necessary to
maintain forest interior bird species and other wildlife
that are rapidly diminishing in northeastern Ohio.
The negative impact that human populations can have
on Ohio’s forests, including increased fragmentation
of forests, also can impact the diversity of species in
those forests. When you create edges in forests, it
changes the temperature and moisture in the system,
which may negatively affect the plants living in the
forests, Burke said.
These changes can
affect how the forest
ecosystem functions,
and may change its
ability to perform
functions we have
come to depend on,
including air and
water purification.
A recent grant from
the National Science
Foundation is allowing
Holden’s scientists
to take a closer look
at how air pollution
can impact species
diversity and what
Ian adams
changes take place
in the function of the forest system as a result.
This research is exploring one aspect of the conditions
that impact our forests. Historically, habitat loss,
fragmentation and degradation resulting from the
transformation of forests, prairie and wetlands to urban
and agricultural systems have been the leading drivers
of species extirpation and extinction. However, in the
last century, unintentional introductions of invasive
pests and pathogens have had devastating effects on
tree species globally. We have already seen the impact
chestnut blight and Dutch elm disease have had on
our native chestnut and elm species, Topa said.
American chestnut was one of the most important
tree species in forests of the eastern United States
prior to the 20th century. American elm was especially
prized as a street tree, and had a graceful vase shaped
appearance. But two imported diseases, chestnut blight
and Dutch elm disease; largely eliminated these tree
species from our forests by the mid-20th century. A few
chestnut trees still exist, mostly as stump sprouts, which
never grow more than several feet tall before dying
from chestnut blight. Some of these stump sprouts
can be seen in Holden’s gardens, a testimony to the
effects of invasive species and pests on forest trees.
continued on page 14
Fall 2010
Leaves
The dual nature of the arboretum as a destination
and as an institution driven by its efforts to expand
scientific knowledge, conserve native forests and
serve as a resource for the community that we
hope guests will discover during their Holden
Experience. It is that combination that makes Holden
a vital and relevant resource for the region.
con
se
the
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series exploring The Holden Arboretum’s new
strategic directions, which were approved by the Board of Directors in 2009.
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Strategic Initiative: Place and Purpose
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5
Acer rubrum (red maple)
by Ethan Johnson, plant records curator
Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
by Rebecca Thompson, Growing Students and Science program coordinator
Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association’s Plant Selection
Committee in 1982. Our specimens average 40 feet in height
after 40 years and reward us each October with foliage that
simply glows. I noticed a specimen last fall on the south
side of Willoughby Fine Arts parking lot that was a prime
example of why this cultivar is still the best selling red maple
and perhaps even the best selling tree in the country.
Another worthy red maple cultivar at Holden is ‘October
Glory’. Its fall foliage is a deeper red than ‘Red Sunset,’ and
it has on average wider branch angles that may prove to
be stronger than those of ‘Red Sunset’. One Acer rubrum
‘October Glory’ is located along the exit drive of the parking
area. There the soil is usually fairly dry in late summer
and as a result the tree turns color anytime between late
August and late September and is usually defoliated in
mid-October. In contrast an ‘October Glory’ planted in
the wet meadow south of the Arborvitae Collection has
turned color between late September and early October,
and is usually defoliated by early to mid November.
Robert L. Anderson, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Red maple provides brilliant fall foliage in our woodlands
and cultivated landscapes. Acer rubrum is the fourth most
common tree in the natural areas of The Holden Arboretum,
trailing Acer saccharum (sugar maple), Fagus grandifolia
(American beech), and Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree).
It is native from southern Ontario to Newfoundland,
south to eastern Texas and just north of Miami, Fla.
One of our more impressive red maples is in the Sugarbush
woods, west of Sperry Road and south of the stream, on a rise
just east of the wetland. It has a height of about 90 feet, a
spread of about 44 feet and a diameter at breast height (DBH)
of over 40 inches. Its age is hard to guess, but it is most likely
more than 100 years old given its large trunk and its bark that
has shed the shaggy strips common to mature red maples.
Of the 112 red maples planted in Holden’s gardens and
fields, 77 remain (19 died and 16 were removed). There are
currently 20 cultivars (cultivated varieties) of Acer rubrum in
our plant collection including 10 individuals of ‘Red Sunset’.
Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’ was highly recommended by the
The flowers of red maple appear in March-April and color
the tree a subtle reddish haze. Trees are either male or
female. By mid to late May seeds are ripe and ready to be
carried off by the wind. Seed crops can be so heavy some
years on female trees that not much foliage is produced until
June. There are a number of naturally occurring hybrids of
red maple with silver maple. These Freeman maples, Acer
x freemanii (A. rubrum x A. saccharinum) tend to be faster
growing than red maples. Some selections have been made
that combine the best qualities of both parents. Acer x
freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’ grows over 2’ per year and has red
fall foliage in October, sometimes starting in late September
and ending in early November. One ‘Autumn Blaze’ planted in
the Specimen Tree Collection as a balled and burlapped tree,
with a trunk measuring 2 inches in diameter 6 inches above
the ground in 1990 measured 53’ x 40’ in October 2009.
plant facts
Light
Soil type
Mature size
Best location
Source
Full sun to part shade
Moist acid soil, many adapted to
wet and some adapted to dry soils.
50’ - 60’ (90’) with a
lesser or equal spread
USDA Zones 3b - 9a
Local garden centers
paul stein
Ólafur Larsen
bird facts
Description
Reddish-brown upperparts; wings,
tail and buff-colored belly barred
with black; very short tail frequently
held upright; sexes similar.
Size
3.25 inches
In North America it breeds from Alaska
and British Columbia east through
southern Canada to Newfoundland, and
south to California, northern Idaho, the
Great Lakes region, and southern New
England, as well as in the mountains to
Georgia. Spends winters across much
of the southern U.S. south to southern
California, the Gulf Coast and Florida.
Winter wrens were first described in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, a
Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist. The only wrens found
outside the Americas, occurring in Europe, Asia and North Africa,
winter wrens can be observed in many different habitat types,
from cliffs to riparian areas to various coniferous/mixed forests
foraging on insects, insect larvae, millipedes, spiders and other
invertebrates in dense tangles, fallen logs and other dead wood.
Per pound, winter wrens deliver a song 10 times more
powerful than a crowing rooster. The woodwind wren
musicians produce a continuous song out of two voice boxes
for eight seconds or more. Weighing less than half an ounce
individually, male winter wrens put their whole body into the
effort; breast heaving, tail trembling, tipped heads pouring
notes out of its gaping beak. The tinkles, twitters and trills
cascade the male winter wrens territory exclaiming, “this is
my spot and unless you are a breeding female, GET OUT!”
Leaves
Winter wrens are prominently polygynous, a male can
have, at any one time, more than one female with an
active nest on his territory. An active nest may contain
five to eight white or slightly speckled eggs. The female
incubates the eggs for 12 to 16 days. Both parents feed
the young, which leave the nest at about 19 days.
Continuous melodious notes and trills,
lasting up to 10 seconds.
Best location to view at Holden
Molly Offutt Memorial Boardwalk,
Pierson’s Creek and Stebbins’s Gulch
In Ohio, winter wrens breed only in the
northeast part of the state including
Holden. Males build several nests in
hemlock ravines. The normal round
nest of grass, moss and lichen or
leaves is tucked into a cavity in tree
trunk, crack in a rock or crotch of a
branch 6 feet off the ground. The nests
are never lined with feathers or hairs
until the female chooses one to use.
The population of the winter wren
is stable or even increasing in some
areas. However, the exotic woolly
adelgid, a small aphid-like insect,
has greatly reduced hemlock (Tsuga
canadensis) in the eastern United
John A. Weidhass
States, including Northeast Ohio. This
reduction could cause a population
decline for winter wren. If you are buying hemlock trees, keep
an eye out for white cottony growths on the needles and twigs
or other signs of hemlock woolly adelgid. If you see such signs,
call your local nursery inspector or ODA’s Plant Pest Control
office at 614.728.6400 and someone will inspect those trees.
Fall 2010
6
Voice
Range
7
jackie klisuric
partnerships
of the countryside. Occasionally, she flew to
Norway while Roger conducted his business
meetings. In Norway, her favorite destination,
she enjoyed visiting with relatives and friends.
Anne Clapp, harvesting a legacy
by Pam Eichenauer, director of development
Anne is a woman of many talents. She is
an accomplished seamstress and knitter,
a skill passed down through her mother.
Her culinary skills, especially with baked
goods, are second to none. “Jule kakke” or
Christmas bread was a favorite Norwegian
recipe she made during the holidays. She
also loved to entertain guests in their home
and proudly owned many sets of dishes from
all over the world. Anne still volunteers on
Holden’s Lantern Court Advisory Committee
and is interested in historical furniture.
Anne Clapp has a breathtaking view of Holden
from her back window. Visitors to her home,
working their way up the winding driveway,
are immersed in nature from the grassy
meadows to a tranquil pond and through a
thick forest before reaching her beautiful home
atop one of Lake County’s highest elevations
at 1,250 feet. With quiet admiration for her
surroundings, Anne appreciates the home
she and Roger bought over 40 years ago.
She grew up in Duluth, Minn. Her parents were
originally from Norway, a country she grew
to love. It was her father’s job as an engineer
with American Steel and Wire that brought
her family to Cleveland. As a young woman,
Anne attended Flora Stone Mather College,
now part of Case Western Reserve University,
obtaining a liberal arts degree. After college she
worked for the Lubrizol Corp. as a secretary,
and that’s where she met Roger Clapp.
Believing that young people learn best
through hands-on experiences, Roger
and Anne were instrumental in starting
Holden’s Intern Program. Roger’s hobbies,
even before retiring as president and CEO
of the Lubrizol Corp. in 1976, included
woodworking; cultivating orchids;
propagating plants, including geraniums
which he donated to Holden’s plant sales;
and tending to his orchard. Interns were
employed by the Clapp’s on two-week
rotations to help them with their orchard.
Roger’s talents produced much fruit, in
more ways than one, but even with her
excellent cooking skills, Anne couldn’t
possibly use all the apples. So they donated
much of their crop to friends, family and to
Holden’s Harvest Moon Festival for the apple
bobbing contest. Devoted to his hobbies,
Anne recalls an alarm that would sound in
their bedroom in the middle of the night
indicating that the greenhouse temperature
was getting precariously low. Roger would
don his snowsuit and boots, trudge across
the yard and tend to the greenhouse heaters.
Daughters Martha, Sue and Jane
We are grateful for the Clapp’s involvement,
generosity and passion for Holden. Their
timeless footprints remain evident today
in current staff members – Roger Gettig,
director of horticulture and conservation;
Ethan Johnson, plant records curator; Brian
Parsons, director of planning for special
projects; and Sharon Graper, manager
of formal programs – who began their
careers in Holden’s intern program.
Roger Clapp
Fall 2010
8
Anne and Roger Clapp
Roger’s job at Lubrizol required him to
travel extensively to establish a presence
for the company in Europe, Asia and
Australia. Anne enjoyed driving with Roger
in these foreign places to get the feeling
Leaves
Anne Clapp
A widower with three daughters, Roger was
a successful businessman and engineer from
Texas. Anne was instantly attracted to his
kindness and intelligent inventiveness. They
were married in Chagrin Falls in 1957 and lived
in Pepper Pike for several years. They joined
Holden and enjoyed hiking in the natural areas.
They both became very involved at Holden,
Roger serving on the Board of Directors for 14
years, and Anne serving as a volunteer. It was
their love of nature and the countryside that
brought them to Kirtland where they purchased
the home in which Anne now resides.
With three daughters, seven grandchildren
and nine great grandchildren, Anne feels
especially blessed. Although Roger passed
away in 2002, she still recalls him stopping
in with his cap on to see her when she
volunteered in the Museum Store at Holden.
9
Volunteering
volunteering
ask
Greg
improves your well-being and longevity.
by Stefanie Galbreath, volunteer coordinator
Research shows that people who volunteer live healthier
more fulfilling lives. Concurrently, other studies concluded
that people with access and exposure to natural settings
have been found to be healthier, more relaxed and less
depressed. That leads me to draw my own conclusion,
which is that volunteering in a natural setting is the optimal
volunteer experience. It provides a double whammy or the
ultimate one-two punch for good health and happiness.
According to a recent study released by the Corporation
for National and Community Service, there is a significant
connection between volunteering and good health.
The report, The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A
Review of Recent Research, shows that volunteers have
greater longevity, higher functional ability, lower rates
of depression and less incidence of heart disease.
“Volunteering makes the heart grow stronger,” said David
Eisner, CEO of the corporation. “More than 61 million
Americans volunteer to improve conditions for people
in need and to unselfishly give of themselves. While the
motivation is altruistic, it is gratifying to learn that their
efforts are returning considerable health benefits.”
The Health Benefits of Volunteering documents major findings
from more than 30 rigorous and longitudinal studies that
reviewed the relationship between health and volunteering,
with particular emphasis on studies that seek to determine
the causal connection between the two factors. The
studies, which were controlled for other factors, found that
volunteering leads to improved physical and mental health.
Stefanie galbreath
“This is good news for people who volunteer,” said Robert
Grimm, director of the Corporation’s Office of Research
and Policy Development and senior counselor to the CEO.
“This research is particularly relevant to Baby Boomers,
who are receiving as well as giving when they help
others. Just two hours of volunteering a week can bring
meaningful benefits to a person’s body and mind.”
The Corporation for National and Community
Service improves lives, strengthens communities,
and fosters civic engagement through service and
volunteering. Each year, the corporation provides
opportunities for more than 2 million Americans
of all ages and backgrounds to serve their
communities and country through Senior Corps,
AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America. For
more information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.
Research suggests that
volunteering is particularly
beneficial to the health
of older adults and those
serving 100 hours annually.
According to the report:
• Another study found that
volunteering led to lower
rates of depression in
individuals 65 and older.
• A Duke University study found
that individuals who volunteered
after experiencing heart attacks
reported reductions in despair
and depression – two factors
that that have been linked
to mortality in post-coronary
artery disease patients.
jackie klisuric
Leaves
I collected an acorn from the ground
in the fall and want to try and grow it.
If I plant it in a pot will it grow?
A:
One of life’s enjoyable moments is growing a
plant from a seed you have collected. It can be
really exciting when it is from one of the large nut trees.
One of the challenges with acorns, and other nuts, is
that of collecting viable seed or keeping the seed viable
once you have it in your possession. The key is to not
let the acorns dry out. Additionally, acorns lose viability
due to pests especially weevil larvae which get inside
and feed. Infested acorns often have a visible pinhole
where the egg was inserted. Acorns bearing any holes
or cracks should be discarded. Viability can also be
determined by floating the seeds in water. Those that
float are not viable, while those that sink are sound.
A seed from the white oak group will send out a root
in the fall with the shoot following in the spring. It is
important to collect the acorn soon after it falls from
the tree before the root has extended. The seeds from
this group can only be stored dry for a short time. They
should be sown soon after harvesting in the fall either
into pots or in the ground. Acorns from the red oak group
will remain dormant through winter and germinate in the
spring, sending out both roots and shoots. These can be
sown either in the fall or spring. With either group, they
will need a cold moist treatment before the shoot tip will
emerge thus if you plant them in pots you will need to
provide this cold stratification for up to three months
by placing in a location that gets cold but doesn’t freeze
such as in an attached garage or within your refrigerator.
The temperature should be between 33-41 degrees. In
early spring, shoots will emerge from the acorns sown
in pots. The pot should be brought into a sunny room
where the seedlings can be cared for until it is safe to
place them outdoors. If you want to sow acorns from the
red oak group in the spring, store them in damp clean
sand or course sphagnum moss in a plastic sandwich
bag and place them in the refrigerator. This will also
provide the cold stratification requirement needed.
• An analysis of longitudinal data
found that individuals over 70
who volunteered approximately
100 hours had less of a decline
in self-reported health and
functioning levels, experienced
lower levels of depression,
and had more longevity.
Please contact the Volunteer Office to find out how you can get involved.
Q:
It helps to know which oak you are working with. Oaks
are classified into two different groups. The English
oak group includes species such as the white oak, bur
oak and chestnut oak. The second group is the red oak
group, which includes pin oak, black oak and willow oak.
• A study of adults age 65 and
older found that the positive
effect of volunteering on physical
and mental health is due to the
personal sense of accomplishment
an individual gains from his
or her volunteer activities.
• Two studies found that
volunteering threshold is
about 100 hours per year,
or about two hours a week.
Individuals who reached the
threshold enjoyed significant
health benefits, although there
were not additional benefits
beyond the 100-hour mark.
by Greg Wright,
nursery supervisor
Follow these few guiding principles and
you will have greater success growing one
of these giants from the forests.
ian adams
Fall 2010
10
Please consider volunteering at Holden. There are
so many ways to get involved – inside, outside,
weekdays and weekends. Visit holdenarb.org for a
complete list of volunteer opportunities. Contact
the volunteer coordinator at 440.602.8003.
11
Another example is the impact of deer on one
of our native butterflies. The reduction of native
wildflowers due to deer browse helps facilitate
invasion by non-native garlic mustard. West Virginia
white butterflies, which normally feed and lay their
eggs on native toothworts, have been seen laying
eggs on garlic mustard when toothwort populations
are low. However, eggs laid on garlic mustard are
usually less successful than those laid on native
wildflowers. So, not only can high deer densities
reduce the native host plants for the West Virginia
White, but deer can also increase the density of
the non-native invasive garlic mustard which is
also a threat to the butterfly’s population.
Where the deer
roam
by Mike Watson, conservation biologist
White tailed deer are have played an important
role in Ohio’s history, serving as a source of food,
clothing and materials for tools for the state’s early
Native American population and European settlers.
Prior to European settlement of Ohio, it is estimated
that the deer density was probably 8-10 deer per
square mile. However, unregulated hunting and
widespread habitat loss led to a rapid population
decline and by the early 1900s there were no
deer left in Ohio. Since that time, efforts by state
officials allowed for a dramatic population increase,
so that today the state is home to an estimated
650,000 white tailed deer. These deer are not
distributed evenly across the state; some areas have
documented more than 100 deer per square mile.
This dramatic population increase was paralleled
by dramatic increases in the number of deervehicle accidents and in the number of deer
damage complaints – deer eating hostas, corn or
other valuable plants. And many people across
the state began to notice that deer damage isn’t
limited to cars and hostas; our native plant and
animal populations were also being impacted.
Deer eat plants almost exclusively, though there are
a few surprising exceptions – bird eggs and fish.
The plant species and the parts of the plant they
eat depend upon the season. During the spring and
summer, deer feast on herbaceous plants, leaves,
fruits and tree seedlings as they become available.
In the fall, as plants die or become dormant, the
deer rely more on nuts and fruits. During the winter,
these food sources are generally quite limited and
the deer must eat lower quality foods – primarily
woody plants, including buds and small twigs.
12
The spread of coyote into the region and the slow
return of bears will add predation pressure to the
deer herd. However, neither of these predators can
be considered deer-specialists. Both are generalist
predators that rely more on easier prey and nonanimal foods. In fact, humans are the only animals
in Ohio today that can substantially impact deer numbers,
and hunting is a vital part of deer population management.
So, why is it important to manage the deer population? If we
do nothing, the population will eventually reach an ecological
carrying capacity that will limit further population growth.
Why not just let this ‘self regulation’ occur? The problem
is that many different species, including deer, and many
ecological processes are impacted by high deer numbers.
Clearly, deer browse causes damage to individual plants.
And clearly the amount of damage done depends on the
amount of the plant that has been eaten. The removal
of a few leaves will likely have a very small effect on that
plant. The loss of a large number of leaves means lower
photosynthesis rates, which can reduce the plant’s chances
for survival. Heavy browse on flowers or flower buds will
affect reproductive output. And the loss of most or all of the
above-ground plant material can mean death for that plant.
Different deer densities will affect plants populations in different
ways. Low to moderate deer densities may not substantially
change the size or density of a particular population of plants.
High deer densities will mean that many plants will suffer
extensive damage. Plant survivorship and reproductive ability
will be at risk, and the population will probably decline. Trillium
provides an interesting example of the complexities of deer
browse impacts on native plants. Trilliums are long-lived plants
– up to 30 years! Each adult plant produces a single flower and
relatively few seeds in a given season. After a seed germinates,
it will go through several life stages before flowering. When
a deer eats a flowering trillium, that plant regresses to an
earlier life stage. Demographic studies show that where deer
populations are high, the trillium population is biased towards
three-leaf, non-flowering plants. So even though the deer may
not be killing large numbers of individual trilliums, their repeat
and selective browsing on flowering plants can greatly reduce
the number of seeds produced by that population. And because
Deer impacts that change plant populations will
mean that the composition of plant communities
will change. Deer prefer certain species and avoid others.
At a given deer density, the affects will be greatest on populations
of preferred species. This biases competition towards the unpreferred plant species. Eventually, the plants that deer avoid will
become the dominant plants in the community. Ferns, for example,
produce chemical compounds that taste bad to deer. As a result,
deer generally avoid ferns. Heavy browsing over many years shifts
the competitive balance strongly in favor of ferns, resulting in a
“fern park,” an area heavily dominated by unpalatable ferns and
lacking the native wildflower community that should be present.
High deer densities can also
have a serious impact on
humans. High deer numbers
mean increased numbers of
continued on page 14
In a natural system, any impact on one species will affect other
species. In the case of extensive deer browse, the impact on
plant populations will affect any animal that relies on that plant.
For example, birds that feed or nest in the forest understory
will suffer as deer reduce the amount and diversity of plants.
Studies have shown a measurable negative impact to songbirds
when deer populations exceed 10 deer per square mile.
Fall 2010
Leaves
Ohio’s deer herd is generally biased slightly towards
females; for every buck there are usually about 1.5
does. Each healthy adult female is likely to produce
twins. Risks to survival include predation, starvation
and severe winter weather. However, in Ohio most
of these factors are relatively limited. Wolves and
mountain lions no longer roam our woods. Winters
are rarely severe enough to kill substantial numbers
of deer. And the patchwork of woods, agriculture
and residential property provides plenty of food
during most of the year. Without any substantial
risks to the deer herd, a population can grow very
rapidly. For example, six deer were introduced to
the University of Michigan’s George Reserve research
property in southern Michigan in 1928. By 1933,
the population had grown to more than 160 deer.
terry ross
trillium seeds do not remain viable in
the soil for very long, it is likely that
the population will decline under high
browse pressure. Exclosure studies have
shown that protecting a population from
deer results in high percentage of flowering
plants, and a positive population growth rate.
As a deer population increases, their food sources
are spread thin and average individual deer
health suffers. Body size decreases,
fewer fawns survive and more
deer starve over the winter.
Furthermore, increased deer
densities allow diseases
and parasites to spread
more quickly through the
population. Basically, the
“self-regulation” of the
deer population means
letting deer suffer.
wildflower photographs by brian parsons
13
continued from page 13
deer-vehicle collisions, and increased damage to
landscape, ornamental and agricultural plants.
Large deer populations can also pose a risk of
diseases spreading from deer to humans or domestic
animals. For example, deer are a host species for
the ticks that carry Lyme disease, so a large deer
population could act as a reservoir for the disease.
Research Activities in Holden’s
Deer are a natural part of Holden’s landscape and an
integral part of the ecosystem. And just like having
too many deer is unnatural for Holden’s forests,
having no deer is also unnatural. Restoring a healthy
balance that maintains diversity in our natural areas
is the goal of responsible land stewardship, and deer
population management is a vital part of that effort.
by Mary A. Topa, PhD, director of research
Because there are multiple threats to forest
health, and some threats such as global climate
change cannot be immediately managed at the
local level, it is vital that we deal responsibly
with any threat that can be managed locally.
Deer overpopulation is one of those threats.
Finding the right balance
When considering deer management on the scale
of tens or hundreds of acres, managers must take
more direct control over the size of the population.
Remember, the current lack of predators is one
of the factors allowing deer populations to grow
so large. Deer management by means of hunting
is essentially replacing the predation pressure
that native predators used to impose. Hunting
has proved to be the most efficient and effective
means of deer population management.
Current threats facing our forest include Emerald Ash Borer,
an insect native to Asia that attacks ash trees. First discovered
in Michigan in 2002, this insect has spread to nine other
states in the region, including Ohio. The Emerald Ash Borer
kills ash trees within three to five years of infestation.
In 2005 Holden began a large scale study looking
at the impact of deer on our forests. The study
Non-native plants, including garlic mustard, a plant from
Eurasia that invades both young and mature forests, also pose
a threat to the integrity of our forests, crowding out native
species and changing the make-up of the forest ecosystem.
“The societal need is tremendous, and we are in a
position – with expertise and resources, including
more than 2,000 acres of forest in various states of
health – to make a difference,” Hamilton said.
The interior of Holden’s forests are in pretty good
shape, said Nathan Beccue, Holden’s natural areas
manager, but invasive species can be found along
the outer edges of the forest where members of the
conservation staff work to keep them from spreading.
One step that property owners can take to help keep invasive
plants from damaging the forest is to learn to recognize
invasive species so that they can be controlled on their own
property and prevented from spreading into wooded areas.
Holden’s ecological research focus on forest health, diversity
and ecosystem function, with an emphasis on plant-soil
interactions, is complemented by research studies such as
Benard’s because these complementary studies examine a
different aspect of forest ecosystem health, emphasize the
important role our natural areas play as living laboratories,
and contribute to Holden’s strategic focus on forest
conservation. Benard is collaborating with Holden scientists,
David Burke and Sarah Carrino-Kyker, on a research project
that is examining how the genetic diversity of wood frog
tadpoles affects microbial productivity in vernal pools, and
whether the tree species surrounding vernal pools can affect
tadpole food consumption, reproduction and habitat use. To
learn more about the research that Benard is conducting at
Holden and the Cleveland Metroparks, register to attend his
Nov. 10 Scientist Lecture, “Effects of habitat fragmentation
on amphibian population size and extinction risk.”
Hyla versicolor
Hyla versicolor mating
Learn more about Benard’s research at http://filer.case.
edu/mfb38/lab/benardlab.html.
Holden scientist David Burke and research specialist
Charlotte Hewins sample experimental ponds
set-up at Squire Valleevue and Valley Ridge Farms,
Case Western Reserve University’s field station.
Fall 2010
14
Deer densities at Holden are high, but not nearly
as high as they are in many parts of Ohio. Yearly
deer population estimates at Holden put our
density at 20-30 deer per square mile – two to
three times higher than precolonization. Cuyahoga
Valley National Park, however, has documented
densities as high as 130 deer per square mile.
What is the difference? Holden has been managing
deer populations for decades, using hunting in
the natural areas to regulate population growth.
Cuyahoga Valley, however, has not been able
to use hunting to manage its deer herd.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ash trees
are important ecologically and economically. Ash trees fill
gaps in the forest and provide shade for the forest floor. They are very desirable for urban tree planting because
they grow well under difficult conditions. Ash wood is
valued for flooring; furniture; sports equipment, including
baseball bats, hockey sticks and oars; tool handles; and
supplies for dairies, poultry operations and beekeepers. Benard’s long-term data sets and model testing will improve
not only our understanding of basic ecological and evolutionary
processes, but help detect trends (e.g. declines) in populations
and provide valuable insights for developing conservation
strategies to protect native amphibian populations. Data
obtained from the local surveys will be valuable in monitoring
and assessing the efficacy of constructed wetlands and
vernal pools, and in planning and assessing reintroduction
efforts. Benard is also testing for the prevalence of disease
(e.g. Ranavirus) and parasites (e.g. trematodes) that have
been linked to amphibian declines or deformities elsewhere.
Developing conservation strategies for amphibians is critical,
given the alarming number of extinctions in just the last
two decades and the rate of global amphibian decline.
Bufo americanus
juan carlos lopez-gutierrez
Leaves
What deer density is OK for a natural system?
This is a difficult question, but most land
managers in the Midwest aim for deer densities
close to 10 deer per square mile. Not only is
this density similar to historic density estimates,
it is also a density where deer impacts to
plants and animals are quite minimal.
Conservation of Native Forests continued from page 5
Mike Benard’s field sampling staff
Mike Benard
West Virginia white butterfly
Holden’s natural areas are highly attractive to field researchers
because of the potential for building the type of long-term data
sets that are essential for determining how species respond
to changing environments. Mike Benard, Ph.D, an assistant
professor in the Department of Biology at Case Western
Reserve University (CWRU), has established some long-term
field sites in the Squire Valleevue and Valley Ridge Farms at
CWRU, The Holden Arboretum and Cleveland Metroparks.
His research focus is in ecology and evolutionary biology,
and he is primarily interested in how amphibian species and
populations adapt to and persist in the face of environmental
change over space and time (http://filer.case.edu/mfb38/lab/
benardlab.html). Amphibians may experience a broad range
of challenging environmental conditions during their larval
stage, such as different predators or variable drying rates in
ponds. Consequently, tadpole traits that are advantageous
under one environmental condition may not be advantageous
in a different environment. Benard is interested in determining
how quickly these traits can evolve and whether evolution of
these traits affects the probability of local extinction. He uses
data obtained from both field and laboratory experiments to
build models that can be tested against long-term field data.
Mike Benard
What options are there to deal with the impact
of deer? The answer depends on the scale of the
problem. Backyard ornamentals or garden plants
can be protected with fencing or deer repellent. But
this quickly becomes impractical at larger scales.
Natural Areas
Mike Benard
judy Semroc
Unfortunately, deer are not the only threat to our
natural systems. Trillium, for example, is not only
a favorite snack for deer, but it is also sensitive
to soil acidity, and therefore at risk due to acid
rain. Invasive worms can dramatically modify the
forest floor, potentially putting a variety of plant
populations at risk. Deer browse on these plants
might push their populations beyond a tipping
point causing the populations to collapse. Emerald
Ash Borer will probably kill 100 percent of the
ash trees in our forests, leaving substantial light
gaps in the canopy. Heavy deer browse could
prevent these gaps from filling in and increase
the chances of invasion by non-native plants.
tracks deer density and monitors the diversity, density, and
growth of herbaceous and woody plants. This will tell us
what impact deer have on the health and diversity of our
forests. It will also give us information about the chances
for recovery from the damage done by deer browse.
15
Lotus Pond
16
Fall 2010
Leaves
Jackie Klisuric, Holden’s graphic artist, captures the panoramic beauty of the
Display Garden in the fall from an elevated perch on a cherry picker.
17
shorts
staff updates
Volunteers earn a ticket to Disney
Four new full time employees joined the staff in the
gardens, laboratories and support offices at The
Holden Arboretum in the spring and summer.
Give a Day, Get a Day
The magic of Disney was at work at The
Holden Arboretum earlier this year as new
volunteers appeared to take part in several
Holden events in the winter and spring.
Nate Beccue
Carri-an Varga
Starting in January, the Walt Disney Co. launched the
Give a Day, Get a Disney Day program with the goal
of encouraging one million Americans to volunteer.
Volunteers who registered with Disney and completed
a day of volunteer service received a ticket to Disney’s
theme parks. The company reached their one
million volunteer goal in less than three months.
jackie klisuric
The Holden Arboretum benefited from this call to
volunteer with 58 new volunteers pitching in at Pancake
Breakfast, a spring clean-up day in the Helen S. Layer
Rhododendron Garden and the annual Arbor Day
celebration. According to Stefanie Galbreth, Holden’s
volunteer coordinator at the time of the program, the
commitment made through the Disney program was a
first visit to Holden for some of the new volunteers.
Stefanie galbreath
In March, Nate
Beccue started work
as natural areas
manager at Holden.
In addition to the
management of
Holden’s 3,000 acres
of natural areas, he
also will conduct
public outreach
in natural history,
ecology, conservation
and forestry and work closely with Holden scientists
to ensure the seamless integration of science-based
management of natural areas and ecological research.
private event rental coordinator
victoria lindeman
natural areas manager
Most recently Beccue served as the natural resources
specialist for the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes. Prior
to that, he was the natural areas manager at the
1,500-acre Allerton Park and Retreat Center at the
University of Illinois, where for a short time he also
held the position of deer management specialist.
He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in
natural resources and environmental sciences from
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He and
his wife and son are residents of Cleveland Heights.
Woofstock 2010
Sept. 19, 2010
Bring your canine friends and join the fun at the Geauga
Humane Society’s Woofstock at The Holden Arboretum.
The fun kicks off early at 8am with doggie activities and
a warm up, followed by the Blessing of the Animals at
8:45am and a 9am one-mile fun walk. Then from 10am
until 3pm, guests can enjoy the pet agility course, get
their questions answered at Rescue Village’s Ask the
Trainer, take part in cool canine contests, enjoy live
music by Replay and shop along Vendors’ Rrrow.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Rescue Village.
Lori Gogolin
victoria lindeman
A thin strip of bog iron was uncovered at The Holden Arboretum
near Owl Bog. An impure iron deposit that is found in bogs and
swamps, bog iron was first discovered during the Pre-Roman
Iron Age. Because bog iron is formed in bogs and contains
silicates that can form a protective layer during the smelting
process, bog iron can be more rust resistant than other irons.
In Lake County there were 4 to 6 furnaces operating
between 1825 and the 1850s, with the largest in Madison,
Ohio. Those furnaces produced iron for a number of goods
including clock parts, kettles and wagon wheels.
In the 1830s, the Madison industrial works produced
more than 30 tons of iron a week. Bog iron is a renewable
resource, however, over harvesting of trees for the
charcoal needed for the iron making processes led to
the decline of bog iron production in the 1850s.
jackie klisuric
She earned her associate’s degree in horticulture
from the Kent State University. Her experience
includes working as a grower/propagator at Gilson
Gardens in Perry, Ohio, and working with her
husband’s landscaping business. She also worked in
Holden’s Guest Relations Department on a temporary
basis for several months back in 2006. She lives
in Kirtland with her husband and two children.
Pamela Tauer was hired
in April as a research
specialist, whose primary
responsibility will be
working with Steve Krebs,
director of the David G.
Leach Research Station.
She has a bachelor’s
degree in forestry and a
master’s in forest resources
from Oklahoma State
University in Stillwater, Okla. She was employed at the
university first as a forestry technician, then as a research
technician for about five years, a greenhouse supervisor
for a year, and a senior agriculturist for the past seven
years. She and her family now live in Munson Township.
Fall 2010
At one point, a large layer, between 6 to 12 inches deep was
uncovered when Oak Pond was excavated, according to Brian
Parsons, assistant to the president for special projects. There also
used to be rocks formed from bog iron in the Myrtle S. Holden
Wildflower Garden, but these have broken down over time.
Horticulturist Lori
Gogolin joined the staff
in June as a member
of the Horticulture
and Conservation
team. Gogolin is
responsible for the
Arlene and Arthur S.
Holden Jr. Butterfly
Garden. This is a
return to the garden
for Gogolin, who spent three summers as a
seasonal worker in the Holden Butterfly Garden.
research specialist
victoria lindeman
Bog Iron Resurfaces
Varga is a graduate of
the University of Akron, where she majored in mass media
- communications: broadcasting. Most recently she was
the event/catering supervisor at Cuyahoga Community
College (CCC) Metro Campus as an employee of ARAMARK,
where she planned, coordinated and executed daily events
for that campus, the college’s district headquarters, and
Tri-C’s regional campuses as well as for the board of the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Greater Cleveland Film
Commission. Her experience includes employment as an
owner/event services representative at Flight Options, a
relocation counselor for Sirva Relocation and a corporate
sales coordinator at the Bertram Inn and Conference
Center in Aurora. She is a Newbury resident. Her husband
Russell is a career officer in the Air Force and is stationed
at Youngstown AFB as part of the 910th Airlift Wing.
Pamela Tauer
horticulturist
jackie klisuric
In the Guest Relations and
Marketing Department,
Carri-an Varga joined
the staff in June as the
private rental facilities
coordinator. In this role she
will work with members
and guests who are
interested in holding a
private event at Holden.
19
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