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- 13. New Director for Boyce Thompson Arboretum
- August 23, 2005
Mark Bierner is a big fan of the "Oooh and Aaah Effect," something he says he wants to hear at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum.
Bierner, the new director of the arboretum come Aug. 29, says visitors should have an instant and positive reaction to the 320-acre State Park facility near Superior, Ariz., from the moment they turn into the parking area.
"I want everything to be so wonderful and so beautiful that they are wide-eyed, saying 'Oooooooh, Aaaaaaah!'," he says.
"I want our guests to have an outstanding time during their visit and to leave BTA feeling as if they have had a truly exceptional experience. Management expert Peter Drucker says that the true product of the not-for-profit organization is a changed human being. I agree."
Bierner, a botanist and lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, was chosen to lead Boyce Thompson Arboretum after a nationwide search. Most recently, he has been researching cutting-edge plant genetics at UT, where he published several taxonomic revisions, created a new botany course (Plants, Environment, and Human Affairs), and helped with the initial organization of the university's Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics.
The Dallas native also was the executive director of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Fla., where he created the garden's master site plan and helped the park earn accreditation from the American Association of Museums. He also was the executive director of Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve near Austin, Texas.
Bierner gravitated toward botany while still a teenager. "Like so many people, I was influenced by a high school teacher. I thought [he] was a very cool guy, and I got interested in plant taxonomy when I went on several field trips to Mexico with him and other students. From that time on, I've liked working with plants. For one thing, they don't run away when you try to catch them. And they don't bite, either - usually!"
Bierner wrote his doctoral dissertation on a part of the sunflower family, Asteraceae, several of which occur in Arizona. In 1993, he described a new species from the Mogollon Plateau and named it Hymenoxys jamesii for his wife, Cassandra James.
"The first time I visited Boyce Thompson Arboretum was the spring of 1969 during my first collecting trip as a graduate student. I remember thinking at the time that BTA was a terrific place. Another memorable visit was much later, 1990, when I visited with my wife Cassandra and our children, Gann Bierner and Jameson James. We were treated to a wonderful tour by [former curator of botany] Frank Crosswhite. When I saw that BTA was looking for a new director, I simply couldn't resist."
Cassandra James is a painter who does large oil-on-canvas landscapes and is represented in galleries in Santa Fe, N.M.; Tampa, Fla.; Dallas; San Antonio; and Austin, Texas. IBM, Motorola and other corporate collections own some of her work. Private collectors who have her paintings include Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson. She also is an accomplished pianist and cellist.
Bierner and James are enthused for life in the Southwest, planning to live in Globe and become acquainted with Arizona artists.
"My favorite pastimes are cooking and travel," says Bierner. "Believe it or not, I enjoy doing the shopping for our evening meals, and I usually cook while Cassandra is still painting at the end of the day. While I was director of Selby Gardens, we traveled to Europe several times with the Selby Travelers visiting botanical gardens and other interesting sites. We also enjoyed gourmet meals and fine wines! Would BTA members who share a love for travel care to join me in seeing a BTA Travelers group started within the next couple of years? Anyone interested?"
The Arboretum is a 320-acre Arizona State Park criss-crossed by more than two miles of paths and trails that meander through gardens of desert plants from throughout the world. It is also a research-oriented affiliate of UA's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; students, faculty and staff who show a CatCard or other University I.D. upon arrival get a dollar discount from the daily park admission of $7.50 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12. The Arboretum, which just celebrated its 75th anniversary, is explored by about 85,000 visitors each year.
Bierner invites students, faculty and staff in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to correspond with him by e-mail at bierner@ag.arizona.edu.
Additional Contact Information
Paul Wolterbeek
520-689-5248
pwolterb@ag.arizona.edu
- Updated: August 30, 2005
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