John T. Manion, renowned curator at the Kaul Wildflower Garden at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, is the new Arboretum Curator at Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center in Chattanooga.
As Arboretum Curator, Manion will work to establish Reflection Riding as a leader in botanical knowledge, establishing a leadership position in horticulture, native plant advocacy, invasive plant management and overall habitat restoration across the region. Manion brings nearly two decades of public and private gardens leadership to his new role at Reflection Riding. During his tenure at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Manion developed the native plant collection into the largest documented in the state of Alabama.
“John brings a wealth of knowledge about native plants—from propagation and planting to the fun stories of how they were named and how they have helped shape human culture. He's a talented communicator who will help Reflection Riding tell the stories behind the plants we grow and study,” said Mark McKnight, CEO of Reflection Riding. “We also look forward to leveraging his expertise as we expand our rare plant conservation capacity. He will be the face of the botanical aspect of our mission to reconnect people with nature. We're lucky to have him.”
Manion’s decision to focus on plants as a career came later in life. He spent the first half of his professional career serving others as an emergency/trauma nurse. During all of that time, his urge to make plants his career grew. He credits growing up in rural, upstate New York with parents who were passionate about nature for his overwhelming love for plants. His father was a forester and his mother had an incredibly green thumb and enjoyed growing flowers and vegetables in the family garden.
“Being able to inform and inspire people,” Manion said, “about the countless attributes of plants, gardens and natural areas – particularly those native to our area, is why I followed my passion for plants. I’m thrilled to be in Chattanooga and at Reflection Riding, which has such an exciting future.”
Manion holds a Master of Professional Studies in Public Garden Leadership from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Science in Plant Science from State University of New York at Cobleskill. He completed year-long curatorial internships at Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College and another year-long internship at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Reflection Riding members and the public are welcome to come meet John T. Manion by coming early (any time after 5:30 pm) to the Campfire Concert Series featuring Behold the Brave on Friday, Oct. 29th from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm at Reflection Riding’s campus, located at 400 Garden Road, Chattanooga.
About Reflection Riding.
For more than 65 years, Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center has been hard at work restoring the vital connection between people and nature. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience nature, regardless of where they live or their economic status.
Set on 300 breathtaking acres just 10 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, Reflection Riding is part public park, part nature center, part wild lands and all outdoor learning. Options for outdoor exploration abound, both on-site and off-site with outreach programs offered to the 16 county region.
Our primary areas of programmatic focus are: 1) environmental & science education; 2) wildlife conservation; 3) land conservation and restoration. Learn more at reflectionriding.org.