BTI Emeritus Scientist Carl Leopold dies at age 89
Carl Leopold, an eminent plant physiologist and nature lover, died on
November 19, 2009 at the age of 89.
Dr. Leopold joined BTI as a research
scientist in 1977, and was named the William H. Crocker scientist in
1979. Some of his most important work was in the area of seed
physiology, particularly sugars that stabilize components in dry
seeds. After retirement as an active scientist, Leopold began a number
of initiatives in which he participated through the remainder of his
life both locally and abroad. Leopold was the founding president of the Finger Lakes Land Trust and was active in the Aldo Leopold Foundation, through which he carried out his father's mission toward the ethical treatment of land. He was a founder of a local organization called Greensprings, which advocates burial without chemical treatment, and he initiated an ecological restoration program in Costa Rica that strives to restore depleted rainforests. Ten years after initiating the program, the once grassy pasture of approximately 100 acres is now a thriving tropical forest. Carl Leopold was a constant presence at BTI up to the time of his passing, sharing his passion for plant research and an array of environmental issues and causes. He will be missed by the BTI faculty and staff.