R.I. Nursery and Landscape Association
honors URI staff, students

KINGSTON, R.I. -- February 8, 2001 -- Two staff members and six students from the University of Rhode Island were honored at the 82nd annual meeting of the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association in Newport last month.

Cheryl Tefft of North Kingstown, URI senior gardener, was made an honorary member of the association in recognition of her efforts to install and maintain the Learning Landscape Garden that surrounds the URI Cooperative Extension Education Center. Donated by the association in 1994, the Learning Landscape Garden is a model residential landscape designed to give homeowners ideas for landscaping their own properties while protecting environmental quality.

William Johnson of East Greenwich, URI plant science research associate, was made an honorary member for his dedication to assisting its executive board in the group's activities for many years.

Patrick Merner received the $1500 Case Hoogendoorn Memorial Scholarship awarded to a child or grandchild of a current member. Merner is the son of Michael Merner of Earth Care Farm in Charlestown. He was last year's winner of the group's Mario Pagliarini Memorial Scholarship.

Mark Richardson of Malvern, Penn., received the Mario Pagliarini Memorial Scholarship of $500 for earning the highest score on a plant identification exam. Lindsay Sisson of Exeter placed second and received a $200 scholarship.

Julie West of Narragansett was awarded the Martin Van Hoff Memorial Scholarship of $500 as the student with the highest grade point average studying urban horticulture, turfgrass management or environmental plant biology.

Lee Anne Freitas of Bristol and Janet Weilburg of West Kingston were each awarded the Medford Scholarship of $200 as the students who made the most significant contributions to the Learning Landscape Garden.

For Information: Todd McLeish 874-7892