Holden Forests & Gardens

Thursday night, we had the privilege of honoring our dedicated volunteers at Holden Forests & Gardens. It was a fantastic evening at the Cleveland Botanical Garden celebrating alongside colleagues, board members, staff, and 150 volunteers who enjoyed raffle baskets, upcycled crafts, flower arranging, s’mores, and live music. In recognition of their outstanding efforts, awards were given to individuals who demonstrated exceptional service and commitment. Congratulations to Sandra Cobb, who received The President's Volunteer Service Award for Lifetime Achievement, and Mary Ann Negenborn, who was recognized as our Volunteer of the Year. Our volunteers play a vital role in our community, bringing dedication, positivity, and a wealth of knowledge that fuels our mission. Over the past year, 858 volunteers contributed an astounding 20,174 hours to essential projects—whether planting trees, collecting seeds for our Seed Bank, volunteering at events, monitoring birds, or organizing the archives. Their collective impact touches every corner of our gardens and forests. If you’re passionate about making a difference and want to join a community of inspiring, nature-loving individuals, we invite you to explore opportunities with us: https://lnkd.in/eiVUN2ZX Thank you to each of our volunteers for the invaluable impact you make every day!

Congratulations to our CEO, Ed Moydell who was recently honored from his alma mater, Oklahoma State University’s Ferguson College of Agriculture. Ed was one of seven individuals recognized for their outstanding contributions to agricultural sciences and natural resources at a ceremony on October 11. These prestigious awards highlight individuals who have supported key initiatives like the New Frontiers campaign, created scholarships, and served as advocates for the agricultural industry. The 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award, established in 1983, recognizes alumni who serve as role models for students. This year, OSU Agriculture unveiled a new, custom-designed buckle for Distinguished Alumni as the award.

Calling All Cuyahoga County Residents: Election Day is fast approaching. Are you aware of Issue 55? This is a funding initiative on the November 5th ballot to continue arts funding in Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC). CAC provides grants to nearly 300 arts and culture nonprofits each year based in and serving Cuyahoga County residents. The Cleveland Botanical Garden receives funding annually from CAC. The Board of Directors of the Cleveland Botanical Garden has endorsed this issue via resolution approved on September 30, 2024. We encourage you to vote yes on Issue 55 to provide continued funding for Cuyahoga’s arts and cultural institutions. Thank you! You can learn more about Issue 55 here: https://lnkd.in/grKe2Sdu

I'm pleased to announce that last week the Ohio Division of Natural Resources- ODNR Division of Forestry recognized Holden Forests & Gardens for our outstanding contributions to forestry in Ohio. We are one of two honorees recognized at an award ceremony last Thursday at the Forest of Honor ceremony in Zaleski State Forest. Jessica Miller Mecaskey, Woodland Community Forester at HF&G, accepted the award. In the awards presentation, ODNR's Joh Kehn stated "The commitment of HF&G to fostering sustainable forestry practices and engaging private landowners sets a national example of community driven conservation." After the ceremony, trees were planted in the Forest of Honor to recognize the award recipients. Induction into the Forest of Honor recognizes those who have contributed significantly to the accomplishment of the Division of Forestry’s mission and the advancement of Ohio forestry. The Ohio Division of Forestry promotes the wise use and sustainable management of Ohio’s public and private woodlands. Excellent and inspiring work, team! In addition to Jessica, special thanks to HF&G Staff members Beck Swab, Katie Stuble, David Burke, and Chad Knisely, as well as the state service foresters who fostered the formation of the Working Woods Learning Forest.

Earlier this month, the Cleveland Botanical Garden was the first awardee to be certified as a Cuyahoga County Business Resource Champion, a program from The Solid Waste District that recognizes and honors exceptionalism in the workplace at reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting. The award for Platinum Certification was presented to Cleveland Botanical Garden on August 5. Director of Facilities, Nico Viola, CFM, SFP accepted the award. Congratulations to our great CBG team and sincere thanks to the Solid Waste District for this honor! You can learn more about the certification process at https://lnkd.in/ewYmyy-Y Photo: Elizabeth Biggins-Ramer, Nico Viola, CFM, SFP, Doreen Schreiber

Last week, our Holden Seed Bank celebrated its one-year anniversary with a special "A Celebration of Seeds" event at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Plant-loving guests enjoyed birthday cake, networking, and a panel discussion about the value and joy of native seeds with experts from Holden Forests & Gardens, Pollinator Partnership, Cleveland Metroparks, and Wild Ones Greater Cleveland. Diane Bickett, Eco Speaks CLE podcast host, monitored the panel. The seed bank was created to support large-scale forest restoration efforts in the Great Lakes region by providing locally sourced native tree seeds. HF&G supports regional restoration efforts by serving as a hub for the collection and distribution of native seeds. We want to increase forest cover throughout the Great Lakes region, and we want those forests to be as biodiverse and resilient as possible. You can learn more about the Holden Seed Bank and how you can get involved on our website. 

Due to significant storm damage, The Holden Arboretum will remain closed through the weekend. This week our Horticulture, Collections, and Arborist teams came together to assess the damage and execute a clean-up plan. Their efforts are integral to the preservation of our living collections and will ensure a safe and timely re-opening. We appreciate your patience, stay safe!

Stressed out by these uncertain times? Join Dr. Donald A. Rakow on Saturday, June 8, for The Benefits of Nature for All Ages at the Holden Arboretum! Join the discussion on how connecting to the natural world can reduce stress, promote mental health, and lead to positive health outcomes for all ages. Dr. Rakow is a retired associate professor of Horticulture in the School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, and former co-director of the Cornell Graduate Program in Public Garden Leadership. Dr. Rakow is the former coordinator of the Nature Rx@Cornell program, and the co-author of the text, ‘Nature Rx: Improving College-Student Mental Health Cites’ (Cornell University Press, 2019). Dr. Rakow continues to be active in the American Public Gardens Association, for which he has chaired numerous committees. The Association has recognized his contributions to this field with its Service Award (2009) and Award of Merit (2015). This talk will explore some of the major stressors in our modern world as well as recent scientific evidence that confirms that spending time in nature can improve human health. After this talk, you will leave with a new understanding behind the power of nature and motivation for adding nature engagement into their regular routine. Interested? Visit the link for tickets and more information: https://lnkd.in/guyTqtfC

Earlier this week, our President & CEO Ed Moydell met with Representative Shontel Brown and staff from the Office of Representative Max Miller. Ed also met with Senator Sherrod Brown and with staff from the Office of Senator JD Vance. They discussed HF&G’s expanding forestry work – supported by IRA funding – as well as ongoing tree pest and disease research. We are grateful for their support of our work here at Holden Forests & Gardens, and we look forward to welcoming them for visits at both the Cleveland Botanical Garden and Holden Arboretum!

Congratulations, Ed! The Holden Forests & Gardens team is pleased to share that our President & CEO Ed Moydell has been named one of Cleveland’s top leaders in 2024. Cleveland Magazine’s “Cleveland 500” recognizes Northeast Ohio leaders that are finding new ways to grow and prosper in a rapidly changing world. We are thrilled that you received this honor, Ed and are excited about what’s to come. (And now we’re off to find you a gardening and scooter club to join)! https://lnkd.in/gzHJbuSc