The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has awarded the state’s highest conservation honor to three individuals for their outstanding contributions to the protection and enjoyment of Ohio’s natural resources.
Inducted into the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame were husband and wife conservationists Clyde Gosnell and Dr. Louise (Omie) Warner of Ashville and water quality and scenic rivers advocate Mike Fremont of Glendale.
Dr. Warner, together with her late husband, founded the Stratford Ecological Center in Delaware.
“Ohio is fortunate to have so many committed conservationists with a deep passion for educating and including the public in their work,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “Their positive influence will continue to impact our state far into the future.”
Instead of its annual induction ceremony, and in a format keeping with current COVID-19 health guidelines, ODNR coordinated time for Director Mertz to meet separately with the Hall of Fame inductees to acknowledge and celebrate their accomplishments.
Clyde Gosnell and Omie Warner have dedicated their lives to the protection, preservation, and enhancement of Ohio’s environment and its precious natural resources, with their accomplishments over the last 30 years being particularly noteworthy. Omie and her late husband, Dr. Jack Warner, founded the Stratford Ecological Center, located in Delaware. This 236-acre site consists of a non-profit educational organic farm and nature preserve. Clyde helped found the Appalachia Ohio Alliance, a regional non-profit conservancy dedicated to the conservation and stewardship of natural land and water areas throughout Southeastern Ohio. More recent accomplishments for this dynamic couple include being the driving force behind the building of the John Glenn Astronomy Park and the re-routing of State Route 664 near Hocking Hills State Park to improve visitor safety. Both Clyde and Omie are members of numerous ecological, agricultural, and conservation-based organizations and have created a legacy of environmental, agricultural, and natural resource protection and conservation for the benefit of Ohio and its people.
Mike Fremont is a dedicated river conservationist whose decades of work for Ohio’s waterways is a lasting gift to generations of Ohioans. A founding member of the Little Miami Conservancy, he was instrumental in the creation of the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program in 1968 and the designation of the Little Miami River as Ohio’s first state scenic river in 1969 and its designation as the state’s first national scenic river in 1973. Mike is a true river conservation visionary who helped found several other organizations including the statewide river conservation organization, Rivers Unlimited, in 1972 (serving as president until 2003), the Mill Creek Alliance, and the Friends of the Great Miami. Throughout his career, Mike has been a passionate advocate for river conservation, and he has long been a leading proponent in applying the latest research to advance river protection in Ohio.
The Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame was established by ODNR in 1966. Currently, 175 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 and novelist Louis Bromfield.
For more information about the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame program, please visit ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/stewardship-citizen-science/Hall-of-Fame-award
