Professor Masashi Ohara is a Japanese botanist and plant ecologist whose decades of research have contributed to our understanding of the biology, ecology, and evolution of Trillium, a distinctive spring wildflower found in the forests of Japan and North America. For more than four decades, Professor Ohara has studied the evolution, reproduction, genetics, and ecology of Trillium species in Japan, as well as their comparative life histories in Japan and North America.
During his doctoral studies, he conducted research on North American Trillium at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, in collaboration with botanist Frederick H. Utech. His comparative studies across Japan and North America have provided a broader perspective on the diversity and evolution of Trillium life histories. His long-standing career at Hokkaido University in Sapporo provided a foundation for extensive field research and long-term studies of these fascinating woodland perennials. He is now Professor Emeritus at Hokkaido University.

Professor Ohara’s research has focused particularly on the life histories of Trillium, exploring how individual plants grow, reproduce, change through their lifetimes, and persist within forest ecosystems.
A defining feature of his work is the combination of detailed field observation with long-term demographic studies. By following individual plants and populations over many years, he has helped reveal aspects of the life cycles of Trillium that cannot be understood through short-term observations alone. His research has also examined the reproductive ecology and seed dispersal of Trillium, including the fascinating relationship between Trillium seeds and ants. Ant-mediated seed dispersal plays an important role in the movement and establishment of these plants within forest communities, and Professor Ohara’s work has contributed to a deeper understanding of this ecological relationship. Through decades of careful field research, Professor Ohara has sought to uncover the hidden lives of plants that many people know primarily for their beautiful spring flowers. His work demonstrates how long-term observation can transform our understanding of a familiar woodland plant, revealing its complex life history, evolutionary history, and ecological relationships.

Saturday Event Speakers

Nancy Stranahan is the Director of the Arc and was one of the non-profit’s founders in 1995. She has guided the organization through nearly three decades of its phenomenal growth. She focused the organization’s early efforts in building its first preserve, the Highlands Nature Sanctuary, which is now the largest in a system of nearly 30 preserves. Prior to Nancy’s long engagement with the Arc, she co-managed Benevolence Bakery and Cafe in the Columbus’ North Market, and served as Chief Naturalist for Ohio State Parks.

Field Trip Leaders

David Ackerman has spent his career immersed in the natural world, working as a naturalist in Michigan, Ohio, and California before studying in Wildlife Biology at Humboldt State University. He later returned to Ohio to start a family and help run the family business while remaining deeply involved in conservation efforts. Dave served on the board of the Ohio chapter of The Sierra Club, co-chairing the Forests and Public Lands Committee, and contributed to ecological research through surveys for the U.S. Geological Survey. In recent years, he has found a new passion for sharing his love of nature with the Arc’s community of staff and volunteers. “There’s nothing better than being in the woods with my fellow ‘Nature Nerds’ and learning from them. It feeds my soul.”

David Baker and his wife, Kim (the Arc’s Outreach Coordinator), have been OSU 4-H leaders for nearly 20 years in Adams County, Ohio. They find joy in mentoring young people and believing that the future of our planet depends on the investments we make in them. For years, they nurtured a dream to protect the back-forty of their farm, a landscape defined by a deep limestone gorge. Their dedication led them into a partnership with the Arc, and today, Quiverheart Gorge Preserve stands as a testament to their vision and commitment to conservation. David has called this land home since he was 12 years old, making its preservation especially meaningful.

Marjie Becus Marjie Becus grew up playing in the woods.  Later, a botany course really opened her eyes to what she was enjoying.  She has worked or volunteered with various state and local groups, doing plant lists and reporting rare plant species.  She loves to get others into the woods, share her enthusiasm, and show them what they might not otherwise notice. Through her work, she has helped preserve many rare and endangered plants, including Running Buffalo Clover.

Brent Charette was trained in forest resource management at Hocking Technical College. His first career was with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, first working as a state-wide naturalist for the Division of Parks and Recreation, and eventually serving as Park Manager at Malabar Farm State Park. Brent now works for the Arc of Appalachia, serving as the Director of Land Stewardship. In his personal time, he relishes caring for one of the Sanctuary’s tracts of land known as Ridgeview Farm, where he cares for the trails, removes invasive plants, and plants a ton of trees! Brent’s greatest passions include nature interpretation, permaculture & forest gardening, native tree propagation, and subsistence gardening. He loves anything to do with trees, including growing his own edible mushrooms, carpentry, and studying mycorrhizal associations.

Elijah Crabtree is Land Manager for the Arc’s Tremper Mound Preserve in Scioto County. Elijah was born and raised in Ross County – the epicenter of Hopewell architecture – where he developed a passion for local cultural history, natural sciences, and conservation work. He has a special interest in connecting people to the natural world and promoting historically significant sites as protected public domains for education and inspiration. Elijah is an excellent all-around naturalist and has a special passion, particularly for geology.

Ann Geise is a Cincinnati-area artist who has been drawing and studying nature her entire life. Her artistry leans toward the ecological and the deep interconnection between local plants, animals, and geology. After working in pharmaceutical research for several years, Ann’s love of both nature and art converged and blossomed into full expression when she took a job at the Cincinnati Nature Center as Artist & Exhibits Manager, where she worked for 19 years. She continues creating artwork that helps connect people and nature.

Andrea Jaeger began working for the Arc in 2016 after moving back to Ohio from Chattanooga, Tennessee where she first gained experience in nonprofit administration. She works alongside Arc director Nancy Stranahan on land acquisition, grant writing, and donor cultivation, and supports the Arc office team in providing educational opportunities and visitor services. In addition to their regular work responsibilities, Andrea and her husband Brit are caretakers of the Arc’s Tobacco Barn Hollow Preserve region.

John Jaeger is a field naturalist, outdoor educator, wetland preservation consultant, and bird and flora surveyor. He retired as Director of Natural Resources for the Metropolitan Park District of the Toledo Area in June 2008. During his career, he served as a Park Manager, Ranger, and Naturalist. He helped develop land management plans for the Metroparks, Fallen Timbers, Fort Miamis National Park, and directed a land management crew that conducts stewardship projects in the Metroparks. He was a State of Ohio Certified Fire Manager and was awarded Naturalist of the Year by the Ohio Biological Survey in 2020.

Ethan King is the Hocking County Land Stewardship Manager and has been with the Arc since 2018, working on developing new preserves and re-naturalizing landscapes by removing invasive species, among many other work tasks. He was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and contributes his passion for the natural world to his Grandma (Ann King), who is an avid birder. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends: hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing.

Austin Newton is the Quiverheart Land Stewardship Manager with the Arc of Appalachia andis dedicated to preserving natural spaces and fostering sustainable practices. Raised in southern Ohio, his connection to the land drives both his work and personal life. Before this role, Austin served as a naturalist, connecting people to nature through education and exploration. A published poet and filmmaker, he uses art to share his love for the natural world in creative and offbeat ways. Austin’s approach to land stewardship combines practical care with a sense of wonder, making him both a protector and explorer of the landscapes he cherishes.

Tim Pohlar is the Regional Land Manager with the Arc of Appalachia and resides in the larger Sanctuary region on private land with his wife, Miriam, and two daughters, Rose and Quinn. Tim has been with the Arc since 2004, where he started as an intern, learning his trees and nature studies from the many great naturalists who were happy to mentor him. Tim took leave from the Arc for many years when he moved with Miriam to her parents’ organic dairy farm in Wisconsin. There he learned a boatload of practical skills. The Arc is thrilled to have him back. Tim has a passion for sharing the beauty of nature with others and stewarding natural lands.

Vicki Solomon has loved the forests and wildlands of Ohio as long as she can remember, She was that kid hanging around naturalists whenever and wherever she could.  With a degree in Environmental Interpretation from the Ohio State University, Vicki has helped people discover their own love of nature working for the US Forest Service, Ohio State Park, Cleveland and Lake Metroparks.  Vicki trains and works oxen, mentoring others in the US and Africa.   She manages her acreage at the headwaters of the Cuyahoga River as a small farm and nature sanctuary.  She and her husband, Mark, operate a seasonal local foods concession, and argue about which areas of the property Mark is allowed to mow.

Lexie Stevenson loves to learn, and share, everything she can about nature. Lexie grew up hiking with her dad and camping with her siblings in Iowa. She has a Masters of Environmental Science from Miami University, and worked for the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO). More recently, she became an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist and a Certified Interpretive Guide. She loves volunteering as a land steward and helping with education workshops and special events at the Arc, as well as the Midwest Native Plant Society and the Ohio Ornithological Society. 

Nancy Stranahan is the Director of the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System and was one of the non-profit’s founders back in 1995. Since then, Nancy has organized the Arc’s expansion from zero acres to over 14,000, founding over 28 new preserve regions in southern Ohio. Nancy previously worked for ODNR for ten years with Ohio State Parks as Chief Naturalist, and for twenty years running a bakery, a lunch cafe, and an international gift store in downtown Columbus known as Benevolence, promoting healthy and intentional food choices. Nancy not only loves preserving land, she has a passion for habitat restoration, native plant propagation, and reintroduction. She is passionate about education and is devoted to keeping the Arc’s offerings vital and sustained.

Dave Todt is retired as a Professor of Natural Science at Shawnee State University. There, he served in various capacities. including Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dave has helped many science teachers and environmental educators learn how to incorporate natural history into their curriculums. Earlier, Dave worked for ODNR as manager of the Youth Conservation Corps. Dave has served on the state’s Natural Areas Council and is currently serving the Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association.

Brit Wood grew up on the west side of Cincinnati constantly playing in nature. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the Ohio State University in the field of Astronomy. After college, he worked various jobs in Columbus and a wood shop in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 2016, Brit and his wife Andrea returned to Ohio and began working together at the Arc. He has used the opportunity to live and work in South Central Ohio to learn and love the diverse flora and fauna of its unique biome.