Dr. George Ramseur to Receive
Yeatman Environmental Education Award
St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School is pleased to announce that Dr. George S. Ramseur, University of the South biology professor emeritus and founder of the Sewanee Herbarium, is the 2008 recipient of the Yeatman Award for Environmental Education. This award, named for notable environmental educator Dr. Harry Yeatman, is given in conjunction with Trails & Trilliums, an event that takes place on the SAS campus on April 19 and 20. The goal of Trails & Trilliums is raising awareness about protecting native plants and their habitats. Dr. Ramseur will be honored at an evening reception, Wine & Wildflowers, on April 19. Friends of South Cumberland State Park will also be recognized for their invaluable contributions to preserving the Cumberland Plateau.
Harry Yeatman praised “George’s great knowledge and enthusiasm for teaching, botany, ecology, and conservation of our natural resources and a desire to share our abundance with young and old listeners and hikers.” Yeatman said, “George is just a wonderful teacher, inspiring many of his students to continue their studies and earn Ph.D.s in Botany.” According to Mary Priestley, current Herbarium Curator, “ The collection initially consisted of the pressed specimens that George’s students collected over the years, plus several thousand specimens on permanent loan from UNC.” He continues to serve as Director Emeritus of the Herbarium. Priestley added that Dr. Ramseur initiated the Herbarium's “Search for the Big Trees” project. George and co-chair Sandy Baird identified the largest trees of every species on the Domain and beyond.
A native of North Carolina, Dr. Ramseur received his undergraduate degree from Elon College and his Ph.D. in botany from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He began his career at the University of the South in 1958, teaching botany, plant ecology and plant taxonomy until his retirement in 1993. He was one of the original professors to lead the University’s St. Catherine’s Island Ecology Program. Conservation and the environment have always been the focus of his hands-on teaching style. Since his retirement he has continued his educational outreach, leading frequent hikes sponsored by the Herbarium and the Wildflower Pilgrimage in the Smoky Mountains. For a decade George has volunteered as the Abbott Cotton Martin Ravine Garden botanist, engaging students in the upkeep of the garden. He also oversees the fish pond, a favorite destination for visitors to Abbo’s Alley. Under George's direction, many of the trees in the ravine were labeled as a memorial to Stephen Puckette.
George and his wife Ruth, a retired principal of Sewanee Elementary School, were awarded the Sewanee Civic Association’s Community Service Award in 2006. The Ramseurs have three children who are graduates of SAS parent schools— George Jr.- St. Andrews 1974, Suzanne-Sewanee Academy 1975, and Kathryn-Sewanee Academy 1978. Their granddaughter, Allie Cahoon, is a senior at SAS this year … and very proud of her distinguished grandfather!
Harry Yeatman Speaking at the 2007 reception