Gardens Director Visits Costa Rica with Miami University Biology Program

Mill Creek MetroParks Fellows Riverside Gardens Director, Andrew Pratt recently returned from a research trip in Costa Rica where he examined the flora and fauna of the country along with 16 other fellow graduate students in his biology program through Miami University (Project Dragonfly).

During his time there, Andrew focused on documenting the many different orchid species unique to niche ecosystems within the country.  Additionally he worked with his group to plant over 100 trees at a cloud forest school in Monteverde.  Andrew also spent time propagating and planting native plants at a botanical garden and even brushed up on his Spanish a bit!  He hopes to use his experience to refine the annual orchid show at Fellows Riverside Gardens.

Andrew was awarded and supported by The Garden Club of America’s, Katharine M. Grosscup Scholarship in Horticulture, a prestigious academic-based horticulture scholarship awarded to select rising college sophomores, juniors, seniors and master degree students majoring in horticulture or related fields at academic institutions.