FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW ENGLAND WILD FLOWER SOCIETY HONORS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS BY MAINE RESIDENTS

Four Winners from Maine

Awards to Maine residents Barbara and Charlie Grunden of Falmouth, Thomas Vining of Bowdoin, and Patrick Chasse of Mt. Desert for exceptional achievements in native plant horticulture and conservation from New England Wild Flower Society.

Chasse fourth from left, Grundens five and six from left, Vining not present

  Framingham, Massachusetts —  New England Wild Flower Society honored four Maine residents with awards at the November Annual Meeting held at Garden in the Woods headquarters.  The New England Wild Flower Society is dedicated to protection of native North American flora, and the health of natural habitats. 

Charlie Grunden and Barbara A. Grunden of Falmouth received the Maine State Award honoring individuals or organizations that have done great works in the field of botany or horticulture benefiting a New England State. Molly Beard, Society Trustee, presented the award to the Grundens for sharing superb botanical skills and photography expertise far beyond the call of duty during an unprecedented 896 hours as Plant Conservation Volunteers (PCVs) and Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE) volunteers.

"Biological diversity is a key value with plant conservation and an integral part of our interest," say Barbara and Charlie Grunden. Both participated in the Society's award-winning Plant Conservation Volunteer program since its inception and have seen new rare plant occurrences, providing reports that are the model of clarity and completeness. The Grundens thanked the Society saying, “We applaud New England Wild Flower Society and current and former staff like Chris Mattrick, John Burns, Ted Elliman, and the marvelous support of those in the fellowship program like Aaron Marcus and Hannah Vollmer."  In addition to their work as PCV and IPANE volunteers working with conservation action with rare plants and invasive plants, they also serve as Friends of the University of Maine Herbarium, and volunteer for the Delta Institute Herbarium.

 The Taylor Education Award recognizes an individual or a group for original and significant work that promotes public understanding and appreciation of temperate North American plants, Dr. Thomas Vining of Bowdoin, Maine was honored with the 2007 Taylor Education Award for providing diversified and high-quality botanical education through the Delta Institute of Natural History.  His many organizational collaborations and publications were also recognized including his collaboration with Society Research Botanist Arthur Haines on the Flora of Maine.  

Vining received his undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Bates college and his doctorate from the University of Maine for his work on the molecular systematics of the Pinnaceae family and the genus Tsuga. Vining's extensive publication credits include articles for the Bulletin of the Josselyn Botanical Society of Maine, co-author of the Flora of Maine, a Manual for Identification of Native and Naturalized Vascular Plants of Maine with New England Wild Flower Society's Arthur Haines, and Living on the Edge, co-authored with Ruth Grierson, a guide to tide pool animals, seaweeds, and seaside plants, both published by V.F. Thomas Co. In August 2003 Dr. Vining founded the Delta Institute of Natural History in Bowdoin, Maine, on the principle that environmental protection and enjoyment of nature is enhanced with a greater knowledge of its diverse interrelationships.

Patrick Chassé, ASLA of Mt. Desert Island, Maine was honored with the first New England Wild Flower Society Landscape Design Award.  The award recognizes the achievements of a New England-based firm or individual specializing in landscape architecture or design with a long-term commitment to the use of native plants in exceptional or distinctive landscape compositions. The Society launched the award in 2007 to mark the 75th anniversary of Garden in the Woods, Society headquarters and world-renowned living museum and calls attention to the use of native plants for sustainable and beautiful landscapes.

"This award is the highest level of recognition I can imagine for my work," says Chassé.  "Since my childhood wanderings in the woodlands of northern Maine, I have been interested in the way humans and their cultural paraphernalia fit into the natural fabric of the earth One of my goals for the landscape is to tie it into its natural context.  Utilizing native plants is a way to blend into the regional character without undermining the sophistication of any landscape design.  Achieving a balance between concept and context provides the best harmonic for serene living on the land.”  Based  in Maine, Chassé designs residential and some campus and institutional landscapes on the East coast of the U.S. incorporating a broad range of cultural influences. He received a Bachelors degree in Biology and a Masters of Environmental Education from the University of Maine in Orono and graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Design with a second Masters in Landscape Architecture.  He also attended the Haystack School of Crafts in Deer Isle, ME, and Sheffield University in Sheffield, England where he was a visiting lecturer.  He taught at the Arnold Arboretum and the Graduate School of Design of Harvard University and has served as Curator of Landscape at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, MA since 2005.  Featured in publications worldwide, his designs may be seen in Page Dickey’s Breaking Ground:  Portraits of Ten Garden Designers, Denise Otis’ Grounds for Pleasure: Four Centuries of the American Garden, and periodicals such as House & Garden, Architectural Digest, Abitare, Town & Country, and Gardens Illustrated.

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To nominate an individual or group for next year's awards contact Karen Pierce at kpierce@newenglandwild.org or visit www.newenglandwild.org.   Phone 508-877-7630.   END

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