Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Honors Nine Local Environmentalists with Awards

The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (NSA) honored nine individuals with awards at its annual awards event on November 4 in Lincoln.

Photo cutline: Back row, from left to right: Bob Zaruba, of Bennington; Dan Kostka, of Nebraska City; Aaron Thiessen of Central Community College, Hastings campus; Mike Vrtiska, of Cook. Front row, from left to right: Gus Von Roenn, of Omaha; Gordon Mueller, of Bennington; Kay Kottas, of Western; and Karma Larsen, of Lincoln. Award-winners not pictured: Monte and Lincoln Williams, of Clarks, and Mary Jane Frogge, of Lincoln.

The President’s Citation was awarded to Karma Larsen, of Lincoln, for her 20+ years of service as the communications and events coordinator for NSA.

“As NSA’s communications coordinator, Karma was the steady, informative and friendly voice of NSA,” said NSA Executive Director Hanna Pinneo. “Her love of gardening and all things natural clearly shone through in all her work, communicating a true love for Nebraska and all the beautiful trees, plants and wildlife it has to offer.”

The Affiliate Excellence Award was presented to Aaron Thiessen, head groundskeeper at Central Community College (CCC) in Hastings. Thiessen has served as co-chair of CCC’s Tree Campus Higher Education Committee and has worked closely with faculty to conductan extensive tree inventory using drone technology to collect pertinent data on species, size, health, and location of more than 1,000 trees on the Hastings campus. He has also partnered with faculty to integrate a service-learning component into curriculum that enables students to actively participate and invest in the beautification of their campus while also gaining hands-on experience in urban forestry.

The Jim Kluck Honor Award was presented to Mike Vrtiska, of Cook, for his work as the groundskeeper at Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn, an NSA affiliate site. Vrtiska, a certified arborist, was also recognized for his tree-planting efforts on the 160-acre property he owns near Cook.

Mary Jane Frogge, of Lincoln, was named this year’s recipient of the Educator Award for her 30+ years of work with the Nebraska Extension. As a Nebraska Extension horticulture associate, Frogge oversees the Lancaster County Extension Master Gardener program, is a leader on the Nebraska Extension pollinator team that recently developed the Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Certification program and leads the Lancaster County 4-H horticulture club.

The Blazing Star Award was presented to Kay Kottas, of Western, president and owner of Prairie Legacy Inc., a botanical consulting service and provider of retail plants and seed, and owner of Witt’s End Homestead LLC, a nursery that raises local ecotype native seed and plants.

The Volunteer Award was presented to Dan Kostka, of Nebraska City, for his many years of volunteer service at the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center in Nebraska City, where he serves as a nature guide, assists staff and visitors with tree and plant identification, plants trees and assists with controlled burns and other activities.

The Community Landscape Award was presented to Gus Von Roenn, founder and executive director of Omaha Permaculture, a non-profit that fosters community through sustainable land stewardship. Von Roenn founded Omaha Permaculture in 2013 with the mission to revitalize dilapidated vacant properties throughout Omaha, utilizing healthy ecosystems and urban agriculture to elevate the utility and value of these lots for the surrounding neighborhoods and the city overall.

Monte and Lincoln Williams, of Clarks were the recipients of this year’s Johnny Appleseed Award. Together the father-son team has planted 92,925 trees, beginning in 1975, when Monte purchased 1,400 seedlings from the Central Platte NRD to plant as a windbreak for livestock protection. Monte’s son, Lincoln, has followed in his father’s footsteps. In 1993 Lincoln purchased 800 acres from his father and grandfather and followed their conservation efforts by adding 116 acres toward habitat improvement. Together, Monte and Lincoln have planted an average of 1,900 seedlings every year for decades, and in doing so, have seen a marked improvement in the habitat for wildlife on their properties.

More information about the NSA Awards and the 2022 award recipients is available at plantnebraska.org/awards. Program Manager at (402) 471-2351 or agr.phyto@nebraska.gov.