Susan J. Meades
Sue Meades (left) with team members Danny Sayers (middle) and Derek Goertz (right) at Batchawana River, October 2004.
Susan J. Meades, a field botanist with 30 years experience, is the director of the Northern Ontario Plant Database project and does botanical consulting in Newfoundland and Labrador with Jacques-Whitford Envirnment Ltd., St. John's. Sue retired from teaching as an adjunct at Algoma University College in 2008, having taught Principles of Ecology, Diversity of Vascular Plants, Northern Ontario Flora: Plant Identification Techniques, Plant Systematics, and Ethnobotany. She has a B.A. (Botany) from Rutgers University (NCAS), an M.Sc. (Botany) from Eastern Illinois University, and attained Ph.D. candidate status (Plant Systematics) at the University of Connecticut before life and family took top priority. Sue lived in Newfoundland for 17 years, where she worked as a consultant and was instrumental in the establishment of Burnt Cape Ecological Reserve. She is the senior author of the Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Newfoundland and Labrador (Meades et al. 2000) and the author of Natural Regions of Newfoundland and Labrador (1990). Sue is also the botanical illustrator of the Forest Site Classification Manual: A Field Guide to the Damman Forest Types of Newfoundland (W.J. Meades & Moore 1989), Indicator Plant Species in Canadian Forests (Ringius & Sims 1996), and is currently working on an illustrated guide to the wildflowers of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Derek Goertz
Derek Goertz is an Algoma University student earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. He is a very talented outdoor photographer and has contributed many of the photos for the species description pages. He has been involved in many aspects of the project since February of 2004 including collection and preservation of plant specimens, species description, data entry, herbarium work, field work, and photography with an emphasis on macro photography.
Danny Sayers Jr.
Danny is a graduate from the Land Management Technician Program at Cambrian College, and has been working in the forestry field for over 20 years. Danny is also pursuing a degree in forest engineering. He is a member of the Batchewana First Nations of Ojibways and was a delegate for First Nations in the Joint Management Committee meeting for Canadian International Development Association project, 'Building Partnerships for Forest Conservation and Management in Russia'. The meetings were held in Moscow and Petropavalsk-Kamchatski, Russia in August, 2001. Danny joined the Northern Ontario Plant Database in May 2004. He has been involved with data entry, specimen collection and researching Anishinabe (Ojibway) plant names for the herbarium specimens.
Aaron Mosher
Aaron Mosher graduated from Algoma University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science, concentration in Math, and a minor in Biology. He will be attending teachers college at Lakehead University in the autumn following his graduation. Aaron joined the Northern Ontario Database project for the summer of 2006. He worked as a herbarium assistant collecting, pressing, and mounting plants and was also responsible for data entry.
Jake St. Amour
Jake St. Amour has recently earned his Honours Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Lakehead University. He hopes to have a strong future within the field of Environmental Sciences and Forestry. Jake received funding from the Job Creation Program of the HRDC to work for the Northern Ontario Plant Database Project as a researcher/ writer between December 2004 and February 2005. His duties included data entry, data and location verification, and specimen collection. He has since become an Insect Production Technician at the Great Lakes Forest Research Centre.
Jeff Fera
Jeff is a graduate of the Honours Bachelor of Science in Forestry program at Lakehead University. He received funding from the Job Creation Program of the HRDC to work for the Northern Ontario Plant Database Project as a researcher/writer. He was part of the team from September until December 2004 during which his responsibilities included data entry, data and location verification, and specimen collection. Jeff has since become a Forest Mensurationist at the Great Lakes Forest Research Centre.
Darren Schnare
Darren Schnare joined the Northern Ontario Plant Database project in January of 2003 and worked through April of 2004; his responsibilities included the design of graphics, scripting, page layout, and overall flow of the database and this website. Darren recently (2006) completed his B.Sc. (Honors) in Computer Science.
Meghan Krajchi
Meghan Krajchi was a student at Algoma University College studying in the B.Sc. Liberal Science program when she joined the Northern Ontario Plant Database project in March 2003. Her responsibilities included data entry, data and location verification, and specimen collection. She has since graduated from her program at Algoma and has gone on to achieve a Bachelor of Education degree in Science.
Darla Bedore
Darla Bedore is an Algoma University College student in the B.A. Psychology program. Data entry and data verification are Darla's main responsibilities. She was with the project from June 2002 until April 2004.
Dallas Linley
Dallas Linley is former Algoma University College student. He went on to earn a B.Sc. (Hon.) in the Integrated Biology Program and a M. Sc. in Biology at Laurentian University. Dallas has worked on all aspects of the Northern Ontario Plant Database Project, including data entry, photography, specimen collection, and webpage layout. He worked with the project during the summers of 2002 and 2003.
Steve Mogg
Steve Mogg is an Algoma University College graduate in the B.Sc. Math degree program. Steve worked with the project from September 2002 -February 2003 and was involved in data entry and data verification. He plans to pursue a degree and career in Statistics.
Marty Pruce
Marty Pruce was an Algoma University College student from 2000-2003. He graduated in May 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Marty worked with the Northern Ontario Plant Database program during the summer of 2002, entering data and assisting with field collections of plant specimens. Marty also worked on reorganizing and accessioning the AUC herbarium.
Chris Faukner
Chris Faulkner is now an Algoma University College graduate with a B.Sc. in Liberal Science and an accelerated degree in Computer Science. Chris worked with the Northern Ontario Database project during the summer of 2002. His responsibilities included reformatting data received from the Claude E Garton Herbarium, original database design, and collection of plant specimens
Erika North
As the present curator of the Claude E. Garton Herbarium, Erika North has come full circle in her interest in the plants of northwestern Ontario. Erika reports that, starting in her teen years, she "wanted to know the names of the local plants and even attempted some botanical style illustrations (watercolour, 11 x 17 cm.,
Joe-Pye-weed,' undated). There were few illustrated flower books then. If high school biology would have consisted only of botany, I may have gone that route, but I decided on chemistry and went on to receive a Masters of Science degree from Queen's University in 1968." Erika spent several years as a chemistry laboratory instructor at Lakehead University, then began taking biology courses at Lakehead, with a goal towards research. After becoming acquainted with Claude Garton, Erika started volunteering at the herbarium and accompanied him on some field trips. When Claude's health problems became severe enough that he stepped down as curator, Joan Crowe took over as acting curator and Erika continued to volunteer in the herbarium. When Joan retired in 1993, Erika became acting curator. After Claude Garton passed away in 1996, Erika was promoted to curator of the Claude E. Garton Herbarium.
Anne Tan
Anne Tan was a foreign student from Singapore, finishing up her degree in molecular biology at Lakehead University. Ann worked on data entry and specimen mounting with the Northern Ontario Plant Database project during summer of 2002.
Dr. Greg Zimmerman
Dr. Greg Zimmerman, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Biology has been at LSSU since 1995. He teaches Ecology, Plant Ecology, Biostatistics, and Intro Biology and supervises numerous senior thesis projects. Greg's research interests center on plant community responses to disturbances, including community responses to invasive plants and biocontrol of invasive plants. He received his Ph.D. from Colorado State University in 1986.
Deb Metsger
Deborah Metsger has been employed as Assistant Curator in the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology at the Royal Ontario Museum since 1981. She is responsible for the management of the ROM'S Green Plant Herbarium (TRT). She has conducted floristic investigations throughout the province, most recently as part of the ROM's Aquatic Communities of Walpole Island project, and is a member of the Walpole Island Ecosystem Recovery team. Deborah is currently completing a systematic investigation of the relationship between black maple, Acer nigrum, and sugar maple, Acer saccharum. She is co-editor of the book Managing the Modern Herbarium (Metsger and Byers, 1999), and co-author of the ROM Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Ontario, published in April 2004. She has been extensively involved in the development of several ROM galleries and exhibits including the Hands-on Biodiversity Gallery and has conducted numerous public programs, lectures, and displays.
Julianne Mayo
Julianne is working as a database assistant at the Royal Ontario Museum in the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology (ROM, CBCB). She worked on updating the Northern Ontario Plant Database with samples from the ROM's collection in 2004. Julianne finished her M.Sc. (Aquatic Ecology) at the University of Toronto, Zoology Department in January 2003. Her M.Sc project focused on fish-habitat interactions. For her research, Julianne spent a summer swimming in Poorhouse Lake (south-central Ontario) collecting fish and habitat data as well as macrophyte samples. She completed an Honours B.Sc. (Biology) at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB in 2000. She is also a Certified Environmental Practitioner In Training (CEPIT). Julianne has extensive data management experience through her involvement in multiple research projects and through her work experience in environmental consulting as both a field person and data manager. She has been a long-time recreational 'plant-girl' and is excited to be a part of the ROM s partnership with the Northern Ontario Plant Database.
Dr. Peter Ryser
Dr. Peter Ryser is a plant ecologist and professor at Laurentian University in the Department of Biology. He investigates plant traits that underlie interspecific variation in biomass turnover rates, i.e., growth and death, and how these traits influence interrelationships among the different species as parts of an ecosystem. His research started in semi-natural dry grasslands in Europe, but now he has bought hipwaders and studies wetlands in Northern Ontario (sedges and stuff). After school in Finland he studied in Switzerland and got his first degree (Dipl.Sc.Nat.) and Ph.D. at ETH Zurich, where he also got a
venia legendi. In between, he spent two years as a post-doc in Utrecht, the Netherlands, studying grass roots. He has lived in lovely northern Ontario (so many sedges!) since 2001. He teaches Principles of Ecology, Plant Ecology, Plant Ecophysiology, and Stress Physiology of Plants.
Mitchell Shaw
Mitchell Shaw is currently earning a B. Sc. (Hons.) student in Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecology at Laurentain University. Along with this honors science degree he is also enrolled in a Bachelor of Education (Lev. 2) concurrently. When he is finished this five year program he plans to teach science at the intermediate level, grades 7 to 10. He is currently working in the Laurentian University Herbarium, through this work/study program for the summer of 2006. Mitchell's main duties involve data entry, location verification, mounting and incorporating species, general maintenance of the Laurentian University collection, and organization of the Laurention University Student Herbarium. He has found working in the Laurentian University Herbarium to be an enjoyable learning experience, through this position he is gaining broader knowledge of plant species that he will be able to use in the field in the future.
Crystal Demmer
Crystal Demmer is a Laurentian University student in her 3rd year of the Integrated Biology program. Crystal worked with the Northern Ontario Plant Database program from February 2004-April 2004 doing data entry. She plans to pursue a career as a secondary school science teacher.
Matthew Fish
Matthew Fish is a Laurentian University graduate from the Honours English program. Matthew joined the Northern Ontario Plant Database project in February 2004, entering specimen data. He is also involved in filmmaking, photography, and writing in the North.
Jill O'Hara
Jill O'Hara is a Laurentian University student in the B.Sc. Conservation and Restoration Ecology program. She will be pursuing a Masters degree in Plant Ecology in May 2004 at Laurentian. She joined the Northern Ontario Plant Database in February 2004 and has been involved with data entry.
Natalie Webster
Natalie Webster is currently earning a B. Sc. (Hons.) in Zoology as well as a Certificate in Environmental Biology at Laurentian University. She has been involved with data entry for the Northern Ontario Plant Database since January of 2004.
Peter Nosko
Peter Nosko is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Biology Department at Nipissing University. Peter is also an adjunct professor in the Biology Department at Laurentian University. His background is in plant ecology and he has conducted research in forest, wetland, and tundra ecosystems. He teaches courses in general botany, general ecology, plant ecology, and environmental issues in forestry. He also teaches Nipissing's Biology Field Camp at the Petawawa Research Forest. Peter serves on the advisory committee for the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network, is Coordinator of Terrestrial Biology for the Nipissing-Alcan Environmental Research Preserve and Director of the Nipissing Biodiversity Project. He is collaborating on research projects with the staff of the Petawawa Research Forest and the Centre for Environmental Monitoring. Peter has been responsible for developing biology programs at Nipissing and was involved in the planning and development of significant new teaching and research facilities. Among these is the new Nipissing University Herbarium and plant growth facility.
Richard Quick
Richard Quick is a Lake Superior State University student majoring in Biological Sciences. Richard joined the Northern Ontario Plant Database project in May 2003. His responsibilities include data entry, data and location verification, and specimen collection. He received his A.S. from Western Oklahoma State University in 2002.