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Richard Naskali Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MG 468

Content Description

The Richard Naskali Papers span the years 1967 to 2014 with the bulk of the collection covering 1987 to 2010. The majority of the papers relate to the management of the University of Idaho Arboretum and Botanical Gardens during Dr. Naskali’s tenure as director and director emeritus. These papers contain maps, correspondence, the arboretum newsletter Arbor Notes, information on memorial trees and plants, benches, arboretum use policies, arboretum projects and facilities issues. Other papers include agendas, and meeting minutes of both the Arboretum Advisory Board and the arboretum friends group Arboretum Associates. Additional papers in the arboretum series reflect Dr. Naskali’s participation in community outreach through lectures and presentations made while director. Papers pertaining to Dr. Naskali’s role as consultant to the university on campus wide tree and landscape issues are also part of this collection Other items in this collection are newspaper clippings collected by Dr. Naskali, lectures, notes and materials from classes he taught while an assistant and associate professor at the University of Idaho, papers and reports he authored, as well as personal correspondence, materials pertaining to the planning of overseas travels and digital photographs.

Dates

  • Creation: 1967-2014

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

Richard Naskali was born in Jefferson, Ohio in 1935. He attended Ohio State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, and a Master’s of Science and Ph.D. in Botany. He worked as an assistant instructor and instructor at Ohio State from 1960-1967 before coming to the University of Idaho as an acting assistant professor of Botany in 1967. He became an assistant professor in 1970, and associate professor in 1987. In 1975, Dr. Naskali was appointed to the committee created by then UI President Ernest Hartung to consider further arboretum development for the university. In 1987, he was named director to oversee the UI’s new 63 acre Arboretum and Botanical Garden and manage the reclamation of the 14 acre Charles H. Shattuck Arboretum. He became director emeritus upon his retirement in 2003.

In addition to managing the daily activities of the arboretum, Dr. Naskali advised the UI on matters of campus tree plantings and landscape management. He presented workshops on topics such as water gardens, origination of plant names, European gardens and the history of the arboretum throughout the community of Moscow as well as the immediate Pacific Northwest. He led tours to flower and garden shows in Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. and served on the City of Moscow Tree Committee. Dr. Naskali also acted as a reviewer or advisor on several books and textbooks. His professional memberships include the Botanical Society of America, Northwest Scientific Association, American Orchid Society and American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta.

Extent

39 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The dates of this collection are 1967-2014 with the bulk of the papers from 1987 to 2010 which covers Dr. Naskali’s time as director and director emeritus of the University of Idaho Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and the C.H. Shattuck Arboretum. Other materials in the collection include lectures, notes and papers from Dr. Naskali’s work as an assistant and associate professor at the UI and some of his personal correspondence and papers.

Arrangement

The collection is divided into four series: arboretum, teaching and research, personal papers and oversize materials. Dr. Naskali’s tenure as UI Arboretum director and director emeritus provide the bulk of the papers covering the years 1987 to 2010 although notes and minutes from some meetings of the Arboretum Associates from 2011 to 2014 are included as part of the arboretum series.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Materials were received by Richard Naskali in 2005 (MA 2005-13) and 2015 (MA 2015-39 and 2015-44) and through his estate in 2018 (MA 2018-72) and 2021 (MA 2021-07).

Title
Guide to Richard J. Naskali papers
Author
Finding aid prepared by Darcie Hart Riedner
Date
2018
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives Repository