9 minute read
Learn about the newly named Logsdon Pond and the Bradt family’s dedication to Holden Forests & Gardens
Left to right top row: Beth Whipple, Ann RzepkaBudziak, Caroline Tait. Bottom row: Mike Logsdon, Jill Koski, Dave Logsdon.
Heath Pond Renamed Logsdon Pond
With Gratitude to our Donors By Deborah Miller, Vice President of Development
David “Dave” Logsdon and J. Michael “Mike” Logsdon have some things in common. Both are long-time members of Holden Forests & Gardens. They are first cousins. Both wanted to make a gift to honor their late partners who died from cancer within months of each other. And both wanted to carry on the Logsdon family legacy while directly impacting Holden
Forests & Gardens.
When Dave and Mike approached the Development department during the spring of 2020, they had an interest in naming a tree or garden bed at the Holden Arboretum in memory of Janice Logsdon (Dave’s wife) and Pamela Tanner (Mike’s partner). Both women had recently passed away. Dave, chairman of Wayne Homes and retired president and CEO, regularly visited the Cleveland Botanical Garden and Holden Arboretum with Jan and their three children. Mike had managed capital projects in ten states for Weston Inc. until he retired in 2008, when he was inspired by Eliot Paine, former CEO of the Holden Arboretum, and immediately began volunteering. He was later tapped to run the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s facility operations when it affiliated with the Holden Arboretum and did so for three years until he retired a second time.
During an early summer day, several members of the Development and Horticulture and Collections teams toured the Logsdons to various locations at the Arboretum for potential naming. One opportunity stood out — Heath Pond. The pond area was slated for renovation in the long-range plans. Caroline Tait, vice president of horticulture and collections; Annie Rzepka Budziak, director of arboretum horticulture; and Beth Whipple, horticulturist, shared the details of plans they had for the area. However, funding was not available to execute those plans. In addition, Horticulture and Collections had a need to grow the department and help train the next generation of horticulturists.
“We know the importance of sharing knowledge and preserving nature, that’s why we’ve been long-time supporters of HF&G,” Dave reflects. “Mike suggested that we create an endowment designed to always engage those younger than us, so we expanded our memorial gift to include the annual hiring of an intern.”
Conversations over the next couple of hours led to a significant interest by the Logsdon cousins to not only impact the immediate renovation of the pond but help ensure its long-term maintenance and encourage interest in the horticulture field. Together, they decided to make a significant gift that would impact both the present and future of Holden Forests & Gardens.
“We have always been cognizant of providing opportunities to engage our youth to nature, and as we encountered the interest and excitement of the interns while touring the Arboretum, we simply decided, almost on the spot, to propose an endowment specifically for an intern,” states Mike.
A portion of the gift is being used directly toward renovation costs for the pond area, while most of the gift has established The Logsdon Family Intern and Horticulture Fund.
—Dave Logsdon
This endowment fund will encourage future generations to pursue an interest in horticulture through an annual internship while maintaining the horticultural beauty of the Holden Arboretum for future generations. “It’s especially gratifying that our immediate families have already joined us by providing benches, signage and more,” adds Dave. “I encourage others to join us in growing this endowment fund.”
In thanks and recognition for the support of Dave and Mike Logsdon and the Logsdon Family Foundation, Holden Forests & Gardens has renamed Heath Pond (originally named for the plants that surround the pond) to Logsdon Pond. In addition, both Jan and Pamela will be remembered by the placement of two benches near the pond. “Mike and Dave recognized the opportunity to remember their loved ones through the renovation of a significant water body on which many plants and creatures depend,” states Caroline Tait. “Connecting past, present and future in this way is deeply meaningful and brings the donation to life allowing HF&G to renovate Logsdon Pond in less than half the years planned. In addition, donating to create an endowed intern position builds resilience into the Horticulture team and allows the gift to have broader impact and scope throughout Horticulture programming. We are grateful that Mike, Dave and the Logsdon family have put their support and trust in HF&G as we seek to impact communities through our mission and vision.”
Operation Renovate
Behind the scenes of creating the new Logsdon Pond ecosystem.
Why did this area need an upgrade and what was done?
Back in the early 2000s a variety of herbaceous perennials were planted at various locations around the pond. Over the last 15 or so years the edges were overtaken by noxious weeds and invasives species and were in danger of eroding where the ground cover had died off giving easy access to geese. To prepare for the new plantings, we smothered the existing plant material with cardboard and mulch. This technique is herbicide free, which is a great sustainable practice we often use in many of gardens here at the Holden Arboretum. This is essential when working close to waterbodies to prevent leaching of chemicals which kill pondlife, and is a very effective technique to use throughout the garden. Hundreds of herbaceous perennials, woody shrubs and trees were ordered and planted in both 2020 and 2021 — more than 1300 in all!
Fun Fact: A lot of the plant material was sourced from local, family owned nurseries. (Klyn Nurseries and Herman Losely and Son located in Perry, OH, and North Coast Perennials in Madison, OH) For those plants we could not source locally, we ordered from a native plant nursery in Pennsylvania (North Creek Nurseries).
What was planted?
Hibiscus moscheutos, Asclepias incarnata, Iris versicolor, Pontederia cordata, Matteuccia struthiopteris, Chelone glabra, Chasmanthium latifolium, Onoclea sensibilis, Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’, Pycnanthemum flexuosum and Acer palmatum ‘Tamuke yama’ Many of the plants are either straight species or cultivated varieties of plants native to our area. We chose plants that are commonly found around ponds and in flood plains. These plants will seed in and create a naturally self-sustaining landscape. The combination of woody and herbaceous plants provides four seasons of interest; whether it be the colorful blooms, the color and textures of foliage, or the sights of seeds and berries. These plants are also great food and habitat sources for pollinators and birds.
What do you love most about the new renovation?
“My favorite part is witnessing all of the monarch activity on the swamp milkweed, Asclepias incarnata, that we planted.”
— Beth Whipple
“Every time I walk past I’m reminded of the importance of this landscape for our guests and for their commitment to its stewardship.” — Caroline Tait
MEET THE STAFF
Debbie Miller joined Holden Forests & Gardens in October 2018 as Vice President of Development. She has worked in the fundraising profession for over 25 years, most recently at Baldwin Wallace University as a senior philanthropy advisor. As Director of Development for Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center, Debbie oversaw a successful comprehensive campaign for a new building for the Center located in University Circle. Debbie achieved her Certified Fundraising Executive certification in 1998, holds an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University and BBA from the University of Toledo.
A Family Tradition
Several generations of the Bradt family have been drawn to Holden Forests & Gardens.
By Chris Keeney, Major Gifts Officer
After moving from Detroit to Mentor in the mid-1960s, it did not take long for Rosemary and Robert Bradt to become members of the Holden Arboretum. That quick decision helped to shape the life and influence the career of their daughter, Judy Barnhart, a retired naturalist for the Geauga Park District and current Holden Forests & Gardens volunteer. The family tradition remains alive in the next generation with a few of the Bradt’s grandchildren pursuing environmental careers.
Having grown up in households that encouraged experiences in nature, Robert and Rosemary placed an emphasis on getting outside for their six children. Their adventures at the Holden Arboretum were even highlighted in the Wall Street Journal with a picture of Robert and four of their children, including Judy, walking through a meadow and collecting flowers.
Judy continued to explore the Arboretum into her teenage years as she would ride her bike with a friend and take off trial hikes to see more of the property. Those excursions were a launching point as she eventually returned to Holden as an intern for three years in the 1980s. As a graduate student at Kent State, Judy used Little Mountain and other areas at Holden for the research sites for her thesis. Working alongside Brian Parsons during one stint, she developed a lifelong interest in native plants.
“I am currently president of the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio,” says Judy. “I was a seasonal with Brian in 1982 when they had their founding meeting. I remember being in the audience. Next year, we are celebrating our 40th anniversary as an organization, and we are going to celebrate it here at Holden because this is where it all started.”
Holden Arboretum was a prominent part of another special occasion for Judy when she took wedding photos with her husband
Judy Barnhart ready to begin her volunteering shift in the Myrtle S. Holden Wildflower Garden.
Gary on the campus. Since retiring from the Geauga Park District in 2017, Judy has been volunteering with Holden Forests & Gardens with the horticulture team.
“I love learning to propagate plants because I have a passion for it,” Judy notes. “I love working with Annie [Rzepka Budziak, director of arboretum horticulture]. She’s so knowledgeable in plant propagation.”
Reflecting on nearly 60 years of visiting Holden Arboretum, Rosemary was poignant.
“We just love the place,” she says. “We enjoy and appreciate nature. The grounds are beautiful. There are so many things to enjoy there.”
While the family has spread across the country over the years, the love of nature that became rooted at Holden Arboretum remains.
Rosemary and Robert’s granddaughter and Judy’s niece, Maris, worked in the DNA lab at the Holden Arboretum over the summer. Plus, two other grandchildren are currently studying horticulture and forestry respectively.
It’s quite possible the Bradt family tradition at Holden Arboretum could have another chapter soon.
MEET THE STAFF
Chris Keeney joined Holden Forests & Gardens in February as the Major Gifts Officer and is based at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Prior to HF&G, Chris was the Director of Development at EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, and he has also worked at the United Way of Greater Cleveland and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Chris looks forward to building the culture of philanthropy at HF&G and meeting donors and members.
