The GCA in the News...

March 07, 2019

Congratulations to GCA Honorary Member, Dr. James Bissell

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History now has more than 10,000 acres of natural area under protection. Dr. James Bissell, botanist and GCA honorary member, has led the project since 1976. In a recent Cleveland.com editorial, Dr. Bissell is credited with being the driving force behind this “rare and remarkable achievement."

Dr. Bissell has been the curator of botany at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History since 1972 and the director of natural areas since 1976. He is a naturalist undaunted by water, weather conditions, or insects when exploring a swamp, bog, or fen in search of rare and endangered native plants. His field work with native plants and ability to raise funds to protect them have influenced the preservation and protection of many wild and unspoiled habitats.

Inspired by a 1930s thesis by Lawrence Hicks, Ph.D in which the author walked each township in the swampy Grand River lowlands of Ashtabula County to document invasive species, Bissell made regular visits to the 2,000 acres known as Morgan Swamp looking for rare plants — finding species such as pink lady’s slipper, princess pine, and dwarf dogwood. In 2017, The Nature Conservancy opened its first Ohio nature center, the Dr. James K. Bissell Nature Center at the Morgan Swamp Preserve, in honor of Bissell’s lifelong work in discovering, preserving, and championing biodiversity in Ohio and throughout the Great Lakes region.  

Dr. James Bissell was welcomed as an honorary member of The Garden Club of America in 2014.

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