FOUR OHIOANS RECEIVE STATE’S HIGHEST CONSERVATION HONOR
Three others recognized for efforts to promote Ohio’s natural resources

The ODNR Hall of Fame

Bertalan Szabo

Jean Woodhull

Charles Harper

Richard Pierce

COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) today awarded its highest honor to four individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the protection and enjoyment of the state's natural resources. Inducted into the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame were Bertalan Szabo of Akron, Jean Woodhull of Oakwood, the late Charles Harper of Cincinnati and Richard Pierce of Baltimore.

The department also presented its annual Cardinal Award for conservation achievement to John Ruthven of Georgetown, Jim Kerr of Lisbon and Dr. Horton Hobbs of Springfield.

ODNR Director Sean D. Logan presented the awards during a ceremony at the agency’s Fountain Square Headquarters Complex in Columbus.

The Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame was established by ODNR in 1966. To date, 146 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 and conservationist/novelist Louis Bromfield.

Viewed as a mentor by many northeast Ohio birding enthusiasts, Bertalan Szabo has dedicated his life to educating young and old about the wonders of nature. He retired in 1991 as chief naturalist for Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, having led for 34 years thousands of visitors through its diverse system of greenways. Since 1958, he has been a member with more than a dozen conservation organizations, including 23 years with the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Sanctuary Council. Today, he is an active member of the Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Council, National Association for Interpretation, and Chief Naturalist Emeritus for Summit County Metro Parks. Szabo remains an active birder, often seen pursuing this passion along the Towpath Trail and in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

For the past 50 years Jean V. Woodhull has been a leading force in the creation and preservation of Ohio’s natural landscape, both in her home community of Dayton and beyond. Believing in the empowerment of citizen advocates, she leads by example, providing countless volunteer hours to projects that inspire a sense of responsibility in bettering our natural world. Woodhull was part of the 1960s grassroots effort to create Five Rivers Metroparks, serving on its board of commissioners for several years. She is a co-founder of Cox Arboretum, had a strong hand in the success of Wegerzyn Gardens and in bringing the RiverScape park project to Downtown Dayton. For her commitment to greenspace and gardens she has received numerous recognitions, most recently the 2007 Aullwood Audbon Society’s Marie S. Aull Environmental Achievement Award. Living her commitment to conservation, Jean Woodhull continues to be a leader and outspoken advocate on environmental issues of the day.

For more than 50 years, the late Cincinnati artist Charley Harper distilled nature down to geometry, color and planes. Harper, describing his art as “minimal realism,” loved sharing the world of nature from his creative perspective. His instantly recognizable wildlife art can be found in prints, books, posters, dozens of magazines, as well as in many national museums and galleries. Notably, Harper focused his artistic talents on birds native to Ohio. As an advocate of wild bird conservation, he produced the logo for Raptor, Inc., a Cincinnati-based non-profit that focuses on the preservation and rehabilitation of birds of prey. He also illustrated the poster “We Think the World of Birds” for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. His admirers say that through Harper’s iconic view of wildlife, he widened the audience for wildlife and wildlife art.

An avid outdoorsman and dedicated wildlife conservationist, Richard Pierce served as the chief of the ODNR Division of Wildlife from 1991-1995. During that time he increased the division’s land holdings by nearly 50 percent, including the major acquisitions of Egypt Valley and Woodbury state wildlife areas. As an advocate for wildlife diversity he is credited with supporting innovative work on the research and management of butterflies and moths, freshwater mussels, peregrine falcons and neotropical birds. Pierce’s leadership also helped pass landmark legislation to create the first legal hunting season for the mourning dove and Sunday hunting in Ohio. Following his career with ODNR, he served as director of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and as the first director of the Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office for Ducks Unlimited.

The ODNR Cardinal Award honors individuals and organizations demonstrating exceptional awareness and concern for ideals reflected in the department’s mission statement: to ensure a balance between the wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all.

John Ruthven	Jim Kerr	Dr. Horton Hobbs

As a young boy growing up in Cincinnati, John Ruthven often visited the banks of the Ohio River with a sketchpad in hand, dreaming of preserving wildlife through art. He established his career as a wildlife artist in 1960, winning the Federal Duck Stamp contest with a painting of redhead ducks. Ruthven is known locally and worldwide for his artistic and financial contributions to conservation. He received the President’s 2004 National Medal of Arts for his efforts as an artist and naturalist to conserve our natural treasures. Ruthven created the art for the very first Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp in 1982. He generously donated his artwork in 1997 for the Cardinal License Plate, which now adorns the bumpers of nearly 35,000 vehicles and generates millions of dollars for wildlife conservation. Ruthven’s art continues to adorn many Division of Wildlife publications.

Columbiana County resident Jim Kerr has been sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge of the state’s natural resources for more than 30 years with citizens and students of northeast Ohio and the tri-state area. Kerr founded and developed the Beaver Creek Wildlife Education Center at Beaver Creek State Park, which provides education opportunities to people of all ages. A dedicated conservationist, Kerr frequently takes his exhibits “on the road” to classrooms, scouting groups and others. For several years he has provided programming and animal mounts that enhance the Natural Resources Park during the 12-day Ohio State Fair. A career high school and college biology teacher, Kerr is a strong proponent and partner of the ODNR, and is a founder of the Preservation of Ohio State Parks, a statewide friends organization supporting the department’s Division of Parks & Recreation.

Thanks to Dr. Horton Hobbs, biology professor at Wittenberg University in Springfield, some of Ohio’s most hidden natural resources are being brought to light: caves. Harboring clues to the state’s geologic past, and providing habitat to some of our most unique wildlife species, Dr. Hobbs has almost single handedly resurrected cave research in Ohio. A limnologist with a strong caving background, Hobbs formed the Wittenberg University Speleological Society in 1980. Since then, the number of documented Ohio caves has increased from 27 to more than 120. Those efforts also led to the discovery of new cave-adapted species and adoption of the Ohio Cave Protection Act. Hobbs is considered to be one of the nation’s top biospeleology experts. He is currently working with the Division of Natural Areas & Preserves, documenting the plants, animals and microbes living within Ohio’s caves.

Click on each photo for a higher resolution version.
Brett Harper and Director Logan	Director Logan and Dr. Hobbs	Jean Woodhull and Director Logan
Director Logan and Jim Kerr	Director Logan and Dick Pierce	Director Logan and John Ruthven

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For Further Information Contact:
Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6860