Donna Ellis, senior Extension educator in the Dept. of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture at the University of Connecticut, is retiring today. She’s been there since 1990 — that’s a long career!
Donna is diligent and super efficient, and it’s amazing how much she’s accomplished with such grace and good humor. An unsurpassed planner and a delightful person, here are some of her contributions:
She was coordinator of UConn’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and taught a course on agricultural and horticultural plant pests.
Donna Ellis releasing weevils (Rhinoncomimus latipes) in Westport as a biocontrol for Mile-a-Minute Vine (Persicaria perfoliata).
She initiated a Beetle Farmer Program to train volunteers to raise beneficial insects as biological control agents for the invasive plant purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), and collaborated with other scientists to release beneficial weevils for biological control of another invasive plant, mile-a-minute vine (Persicaria perfoliata).
She was a member of the UConn Ornamental Plant Extension Team that presented two annual plant conferences, the Perennial Plant Conference for landscape and horticultural professionals and the Garden Conference for garden enthusiasts of all levels. (That’s two conferences back-to-back, folks … think about the work involved.)
Donna was the longtime co-chair of the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG), a group she co-founded with the late Les Mehrhoff. CIPWG’s a statewide organization whose mission is to provide invasive plant education, and the Working Group — with Donna’s invaluable assistance — convenes biennial symposia on invasive plants.
Donna has been a go-to person whenever we needed help or advice. We will miss her in that capacity, but wish her all the very best as she explores a less stressful, less demanding, more self-directed life. Cheers, Donna! Thanks for everything!
– Anne & Will Rowlands
