CBHL Literature Awards Recognize Excellence in Botanical and Horticultural Literature

The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries, Inc. (CBHL) presented its twenty-third Annual Literature Awards on May 27, 2022. This presentation was made during CBHL's 54th Annual Meeting hosted by the Denver Botanic Gardens. The CBHL Annual Literature Awards, created to recognize significant contributions to the literature of botany and horticulture, this year honored seven remarkable works.

Honored with the 2022 CBHL Annual Literature Award was Yungcautnguuq Nunam Qainga Tamarmi = All Land's Surface is Medicine: Edible and Medicinal Plants of Southwest Alaska by Ann Fienup-Riordan, Alice Rearden, Marie Meade, and Kevin Jernigan and published by the University of Alaska Press. This engaging book is based on a twenty year oral history project led by the Calista Elders Council (of the Yup'ik and associated indigenous groups) that interviewed elders about their traditional ways of life. From this project comes a remarkable and enlightening book, produced by a consortium of authors and illustrators, about the long-established uses of edible and medicinal plants in southwestern Alaska. Essentially a field guide to these native plants, organized by the time of harvest and starting with the plants that define the spring after long, cold winters. Each entry includes extensive notes on the treatment of the plants, often with quotes from the elders.

The Northwest Gardens of Lord & Schryver by Valencia Libby and published by Oregon State University Press was presented with the Award of Excellence in Landscape Design and Architecture. Elizabeth Lord and Edith Schryver founded and operated the first landscape architecture firm by women in the Pacific Northwest. Designing more than two hundred gardens in Oregon and Washington, their work was noted for their interest in finding new plants and introducing them to gardeners and the local nursery industry. In this book, Valencia not only features these two exceptional landscape designers, but also explores the history and evolution of landscape design in the Northwest.

Summer Wildflowers of the Northeast: A Natural History by Carol Gracie and published by Princeton University Press was recognized with this year's Award of Excellence for Natural History and Field Guides. Gracie, in this exceptionally well-illustrated work, delves into the natural history of more than thirty-five summer flowering wildflowers and their relatives and details the plants' habitat, range, pollinators, etymology, and medicinal uses. A welcome addition to the literature of wildflowers.

Honored with the Award of Excellence for Botany was Trees of New Guinea edited by Timothy M.A. Utteridge and Laura V.S. Jennings and published by Kew Publishing. The island of New Guinea is the most floristically diverse island in the world with an extremely rich tree flora of up to 5,000 species. Trees of New Guinea details each of the 693 plant genera with arborescent members found in New Guinea. The book follows contemporary classifications and is richly illustrated with line drawings and photographs. This new book is an essential companion to anyone studying or working in the region, including botanists, conservation workers, ecologists and zoologists and is critical to the ongoing identification of plant conservation priorities and the protection of biodiversity in South East Asia.

Herbaria: A Guide for Young People written and illustrate by Kelly LaFarge and published by Missouri Botanical Garden Press received this year's Award of Excellence for Children & Young Adults. LaFarge takes children on a literal tour of a herbarium, explaining the who, what, where, why, and how of plant specimens and the buildings that store these plants. Coupled with a blend of beautiful watercolor illustrations and photos, Herbaria features an interactive format that encourages kids to connect with nature and explore the world around them.

This year's Award of Excellence for History was presented to André Michaux in North America: Journals & Letters, 1785-1797 translated from the French, edited, and annotated by Charlie Williams, Eliane M. Norman, and Walter Kingsley Taylor and published by The University of Alabama Press. This book presents much of Michaux's journaling from his 11-year exploration of eastern North America. During his travels, he collected thousands of plants and seeds and some birds and animals, kept two large holding gardens, made a herbarium, sent many shipments to France, and upon return published two important illustrated botanical reference works. This book is an important contribution to the history of botany, gardens, forestry, and 18th-century exploration of North America.

Illuminating Natural History: The Art and Science of Mark Catesby by Henrietta McBurney and published by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art was honored with the Award of Excellence for Biography. Exploring the life and work of the 18th-century English naturalist, explorer, artist, and author, Mark Catesby, McBurney is lauded for presenting a new, scholarly examination of Catesby's life, science, and art. Based on three principal primary sources, Catesby's watercolor drawings, his plant specimens, and his letters, this book charts Catesby's achievement from his beginnings as a self-trained artist and naturalist, through his explorations in the New World, to the publication which crowned his life's work.

The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries strengthens its membership; addressing emerging issues, and providing expertise and value to our respective organizations. For more information, visit its website at http://www.cbhl.net.