From 1967 to 1985, University of Idaho Professor Richard Naskali taught botany, plant anatomy and advised students. Naskali was appointed Arboretum director and became the first paid Arboretum employee until his retirement in 2003. During his time, he developed the 63-acre arboretum which now houses a collection of over 17,250 plantings.
At the Oct. 18 State Board of Education meeting in Lewiston, Jo Ann Trail, former UI International Friendship Association coordinator, presented a request to rename the entirety of the Arboretum after Naskali. Currently the official name is the University of Idaho Arboretum Botanical Garden.
Trail said UI President Chuck Staben resisted the idea of naming the entire Arboretum after Naskali. Staben said for a number of reasons he would not be able to endorse naming the entire 63 acres after Naskali, but offered the Asian grove for renaming.
University of Idaho spokesperson Jodi Walker said Staben was proud to offer the Asian Grove for renaming, as it was Naskali’s favorite part of the arboretum. The board received 12 comments, all in support of the entire arboretum to be named after Naskali. Two comments said naming only a portion of the grove was not adequate. One letter of support came from Lt. Governor Brad Little.
“Dr. Naskali’s passion and hard work were key in developing the property into a sanctuary for the advancement of the University of Idaho,” Little said in the letter. “And this will be something for Idahoans for years to come.”
Trail said a committee from the Moscow Garden Club met April 9 with the Vice President for University Advancement, Mary Kay McFadden, who endorsed the naming of the entire arboretum in memory of Naskali who passed away on Sept. 13 at the age of 82.
Trail mentioned that at Naskali’s celebration of life there was a tremendous swell of support from former students and others for the renaming. Trail said because of this she has chosen to present a petition in the hope that the State Board would reconsider naming the arboretum in its entirety. She also presented over 200 signatures urging the board to consider and honor Naskali’s hard work and passion by renaming the entire arboretum.
Trail noted Naskali’s vision was a chance to create a living learning classroom for all, as well as a sanctuary for birds. Naskali’s love for botany did not stop with his retirement. The December 2012 ArborNotes newsletter highlighted Naskali’s work in his home garden, a project over 30 years in the making and his nomination for the 2012 Moscow Widescape Award.
“Get a good book with pictures and information about the plants that you are interested in and take a walk through the arboretum to understand what the plants will look like when they are full sized,” Naskali said in the 2012 article. “Follow nature.”
The board unanimously approved the request designating the “Dr. Richard Naskali Asian Grove.”
Walker said she does not know if there will be any naming ceremony at this time.
Ellamae Burnell can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter@EllamaeBurnell