Cincinnati Museum Center will present the John A. Ruthven Medal of Distinction to lifelong naturalists Helen Black and Cathy Chapman at an event on November 12, 2024. The award recognizes their conservation work and land preservation efforts.

Black spent 50 years as a volunteer at the Richard and Lucile Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System, co-managed by CMC and The Nature Conservancy of Ohio. She was present when the Durrells founded the first 42-acre tract and saw it grow to more than 21,000 acres. Her work included building trail systems, monitoring water systems, and restoring prairies.

CMC President and CEO Elizabeth Pierce said their impact “will be felt by the hikers and budding naturalists who bask in the beauty of our natural world.”

Source: Cincinnati Museum Center