Lucinda Mays receives Nebraska Statewide Arboretum award

Lucinda Mays of Chadron received the Jim Kluck Honor Award recognizing individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum or its affiliates. Mays is horticulturist of the Chadron State College Arboretum, an NSA affiliate site, where she has worked to improve the beauty and functionality of the campus green space. Mays’ efforts have included the native and pioneer plant celebration near the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center, the bioretention plantings near the Coffee Agriculture Pavilion and most recently an experiment with a pollinator-friendly living fence near the new Eagle Ridge student housing complex.

Nomination forms supporting Mays’ honor emphasized her exceptional skills as an educator and promoter of green space and indicate her opinion and advice is highly valued by many colleagues. In addition, nominations noted her tireless work to help the campus community and visitors, the people of Chadron and western Nebraska and others associated with NSA.

Amy Seiler of Scottsbluff received the Arboretum’s Educator Award for her efforts promoting and using native plants. Seiler’s passion and enthusiasm for prairie and native plantings is evident in all the work she does with school groups, forestry outreach and community landscape efforts.

Seiler was instrumental in getting a rain garden established in Scottsbluff/Gering and participates in many tree and landscape events and projects throughout western Nebraska.

For more information about the award winners or the statewide network of public landscapes modeling and promoting sustainable landscapes for healthy homes and communities, call 402-472-2971 or visit www.plantnebraska.org.