ODNR Awards Top Conservation Honors

Worthington’s Tim Gerber inducted into Natural Resources Hall of Fame

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) awarded premier honors to Tim Gerber and other leading conservationists who have made outstanding contributions to the protection and enjoyment of the state's natural resources.

ODNR Director Sean D. Logan inducted Gerber into the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame in recognition of his efforts to generate interest in the outdoors and promote resource conservation. The Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame recognizes a lifetime devoted to the preservation, protection and wise management of Ohio's natural resources.
“For over 40 years, Tim Gerber has been a devoted supporter of soil science and the use of soils information in land use decision-making,” said Director Logan. “Under his leadership, technological innovations were implemented that helped the Ohio Division of Soil and Water Conservation to be recognized as one of the top state soils programs nationwide.”

Gerber is widely recognized as Ohio’s top soils expert. As a soil survey project leader for ODNR’s Division of Soil and Water Conservation, Gerber directed and managed over 50 staff members to complete the mapping and manuscript writing for soil surveys in each of Ohio’s 88 counties.

Later, Gerber led the creation of the Statewide Digital Soils Information project that sought to digitize soils information and maps, county by county. Gerber went the extra mile to acquire local financial contributions from those counties for the SDSI project and has also conducted more than 40 regional sanitation-training sessions.

Gerber and his colleagues have earned ODNR’s Division of Soil and Water Conservation recognition as being one of the best state soils programs in the United States.

Also inducted into the Hall of Fame this year were Helen Black of Cincinnati, the late Judge Guy B. Findley of Elyria and Dean Sheldon, Jr. of Greenwich.

The Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame was established by ODNR in 1966. To date, 145 individuals have been accorded the honor, including the legendary Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman), Ohio-born explorer John Wesley Powell, botanist Lucy Braun and conservationist/novelist Louis Bromfield.

During the awards ceremony, which was held at ODNR headquarters in Columbus, Director Logan also presented Cardinal Awards to Doug Adams of Camden, D’Arcy Egan of Marblehead, Larry Rosche of Kent and Tom Stockdale of Columbus. The Cardinal Award honors individuals and organizations demonstrating exceptional awareness and concern for ideals reflected in the department’s mission statement: to ensure a balance between the wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all.