The Olmsted Network is proud to announce its 2024 Award Winners. Approved by the board of directors, the recipients— many of whom steward Olmsted landscapes in the Northeast— will be recognized at our 2024 Awards Dinner on September 15 at the Vassar Alumnae House in Poughkeepsie, NY. The event is part of Landscapes of Renewal: Olmsted, Vaux and Downing, a three-day conference focusing on treasured landscapes in the Hudson River Valley.
Each year, the Olmsted Network presents awards to individuals and groups who have shown significant dedication to protecting and preserving Olmsted’s work, vision and values. The 2024 awardees are:
Caroline Loughlin Volunteer Service Award | The Garden Club of Orange and Dutchess Counties & Newburgh Free Academy-West | Newburgh, NY
The Garden Club of Orange and Dutchess Counties and students and teachers at the Newburgh Free Academy-West have been working together to revitalize historic Downing Park, the last great work of Olmsted and Calvert Vaux and their sons. From raising $31,000 in grant funding to donating countless volunteer hours to tree watering, park maintenance and planting, they have breathed new life into this once-neglected park. Through the Root for Trees! program, club volunteers introduce students from Newburgh schools to the importance of public green space, tree and plant care and environmental job opportunities. In so many ways, the Garden Club and Newburgh Free Academy-West have personified the power of volunteer partnerships in the revitalization of historic spaces.
Olmsted Stewardship Award | Christian Zimmerman | Brooklyn, NY
Prospect Park is a very special place, but it is not just because of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. In no small part, it is a great place thanks to the incredible work, vision and stewardship of Christian Zimmerman, the chief landscape architect and Vice President of Capital and Landscape Management. There, Zimmerman heads a talented team of architects, landscape architects, horticulturists, arborists and ecologists. Over three decades, he has worked tirelessly to restore the landscape of Prospect Park, introduce the next generation of landscape architects to Frederick Law Olmsted and generously assist many cities in their restoration efforts. A former board member of our organization, Zimmerman is also a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
President’s Award | JoAnn Beck | Rochester, NY
For nearly 20 years, JoAnn Beck has served as the President of the Highland Park Conservancy, spearheading education, advocacy and stewardship for this exquisite Olmsted park. From advocating for the reconstruction of Olmsted’s Children’s Pavilion to diligently fending off threats of development and leveraging community partnerships, Beck has committed blood, sweat and tears to the protection of Olmsted parks and landscapes. In addition to her work with the Highland Park Conservancy, she is also a founding member of the Rochester Olmsted Parks Alliance and a firm friend of the Olmsted Network.
Certificate of Appreciation | Mary Page Michel | Baltimore, MD
For over a decade, Mary Page Michel has served as head of the Roland Park Community Foundation (RPCF), working to maintain and preserve Roland Park’s original Olmsted Brothers vision. During her tenure, Michel has spearheaded three major projects, including the development of Hillside Park, a brand new 20-acre park inspired by Olmsted and his design principles. She has acted as a dedicated “fundraiser and friend raiser,” raising significant funding for this “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enhance greenspace in Baltimore,” the largest park expansion Baltimore has seen in over 100 years. Close to 95% of the purchase price has been raised, and Michel and the RPCF expect to close on the ambitious project this fall.
Certificate of Appreciation | Henry Hester | Hartford, CT
Henry Hester grew up playing in Hartford’s Keney Park and now serves on the board of the Friends of Keney Park, where he is committed to promoting the park as historic, beautiful and useful. He is focused on the future, working with students to share the importance of Frederick Law Olmsted and the powerful impact of the built environment on our social, ecological and physical well-being.
Please welcome us in congratulating these deserving recipients! We hope you will help us recognize them at our 2024 Awards Dinner on September 15 at the Vassar Alumnae House in Poughkeepsie, NY. Tickets are on sale now.
View the award descriptions and previous awardees online at olmsted.org/our-story/awards/.
