CNC Celebrates Prestigious Recognition of Retired Horticulture Curator

Roswell, GA. – Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization specializing in the conservation and rehabilitation of native plants and wildlife surrounding the Chattahoochee River, metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia, is celebrating a prestigious award win for retired horticulture curator Henning von Schmeling. Von Schmeling, who spent 39 years as an integral part of the CNC team, is a founding member of the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance (GPCA) and has been recognized by the organization with its 2025 Tom Patrick Award.

“Henning was a key member of our team and, during his time here, contributed to many of our successes, so it brings myself, our team and our entire organization such immense pride to see him recognized in this way,” said Natasha Rice, chief executive officer of Chattahoochee Nature Center. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Henning’s retirement than seeing him earn this incredibly prestigious award from our partners at the GPCA.”

The GPCA’s Tom Patrick Award was established in 2019, when Jenny Cruse-Sanders, director of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, presented Tom Patrick with a lifetime achievement award. It was the first medal of its kind within the GPCA and has since been awarded to five individuals, including von Schmeling. The award was created to honor those who have shown exemplary dedication to the study, teaching and service of Georgia’s native flora. Von Schmeling played an instrumental role in the revitalization of rare and extinct plants, including the Alabama Leather Flower, which he began propagating and maintaining more than 25 years ago, increasing the species and replanting it back into the wild. He also saved the Georgia Rockcress from full extinction after discovering the plants were dropping their seeds in a habitat that was not sustainable for new growth. As the species dwindled down to one plant surviving in the wild, von Schmeling created three different eco types from three different populations in Georgia to revive the number of Georgia Rockcress plants.

As GPCA leadership presented the award to von Schmeling, Dr. Mincy Moffett, botanist at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said, “Henning was a rambling, adventurous, creative character who was a pillar of the early organization and a major resource throughout its growth and development. A hundred years ago, he would have been hopping off the back of a train in ‘nowheresville’ with Roland Harper!”

CNC has been a proud, founding member of GPCA since 1995. GPCA is comprised of more than 75 Georgia universities, botanical gardens, zoos, conservation agencies and more, who are committed to ecological land management, native plant conservation and the protection of rare and endangered plants. GPCA and CNC work together to support the rehabilitation of native Georgian plants, ensuring the ecosystem’s vitality for years to come.

“It has been an honor to work at Chattahoochee Nature Center and have an impact on protecting and preserving some of the rarest plants in Georgia. I hope my work will continue on so that these plants have a chance,” von Schmeling remarked. “Receiving the Tom Patrick Medal of Honor was unexpected, but I will cherish it and will continue working with rare plants in Germany.”

Von Schmeling’s journey with CNC began January 1, 1986, where he consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing knowledge, education and stewardship of the state’s native plants. After 39 remarkable years, he now resides in Germany with his family and is an active member of plant conservation efforts in Germany, educates his new community and is teaching young people about their responsibility to the health and prosperity of native plants.