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Crawford County Native Receives State's Top Conservation Honor
12-27-2010
On December 9, 2010 the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)awarded its highest honor to five individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the protection and enjoyment of the state's natural resources. One of those five inductees into the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame was Dr. Ronald L. Stuckey who grew up in northern Crawford County.
ODNR Director Sean Logan was joined by Governor Ted Strickland for the awards ceremony, which was held at the agency’s Fountain Square Complex in Columbus. Governor Strickland recognized Director Logan for his efforts to encourage families to reconnect with nature and improve the health and welfare of Ohio’s children.
The Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame was established by ODNR in 1966. To date, 155 individuals have been accorded the honor, which recognizes a lifetime devoted to the preservation, protection and wise management of Ohio's natural resources. Previous Hall of Fame honorees include the legendary Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman), Ohio-born explorer John Wesley Powell, botanist Lucy Braun, conservationist/novelist Louis Bromfield and another Crawford County native, Paul Bigalow Sears who was a world famous ecologist.
Ronald L. Stuckey was nominated for Hall of Fame induction by Division of Wildlife employee, Jim McCormac. Mr. McCormac’s citation of Stuckey’s work included the following: Few Ohio botanists, past or present, can match Dr. Ronald Stuckey’s record of contributions to the state of Ohio and its natural resources. Stuckey is an internationally recognized important authority on the identification and geographical distribution of aquatic and wetland plants in North America. He was an important influence on several generations of Ohio State University students during his tenure as professor of botany from 1965-1991. Many of Stuckey’s former students have gone on to noteworthy careers in natural resources. A big believer in learning botany in the field, Stuckey has spent countless teaching hours in Ohio’s wetlands, teaching plant identification and the intricate roles that plants play in our ecosystem. Much of his work has been done at Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island in Lake Erie. To help Lake Erie-related research and education, Stuckey established the Ronald L. Stuckey Stone Laboratory Teaching Endowment Fund. In addition to his classroom and field accomplishments, Stuckey has authored more than 100 scientific journal papers and several books, including his latest, /Flora of Erie Islands: Its Origins, History and Change.
Dr. Ronald Stuckey grew up on a farm in Lykens Township, about 13 miles northwest of Bucyrus. Stuckey graduated from Lykens High School and then received a BS in Biology from Heidelberg College, Tiffin. He earned both his MA and Ph. D degrees from the University of Michigan. In addition to being a professor of Botany at The Ohio State University, Dr. Stuckey directed the University’s herbarium.
The Crawford Park District honored Stuckey in 2009 for his countless contributions which advanced botanical and ecological knowledge. His lifetime of work took him from local farm boy to that of a world renowned expert on the identification and geographical distribution of aquatic and wetland plants. Stuckey’s ODNR Hall of Fame induction is a great honor and will hopefully inspire area youth to set high personal goals for education and service to society.
Article submitted by the Crawford Park District
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