I was very saddened to hear of the recent passing of our dear friend, Toby Wolf. Toby was a long-time member and supporter of ELA, who served the organization on the board of directors from 2011-2020, and as president during his last two years on the board. During his tenure, Toby often mentored new board members, encouraging them to get involved in whatever capacity they could in support of ELA’s mission. His leadership style – quiet, steady, warm-hearted – helped guide many of those serving on the board today, including current board president Rie Macchiarolo, who served as vice president under Toby.
Toby was always a visible presence at ELA events, whether presenting about a recent project, moderating a panel, or just enjoying time with friends and colleagues between sessions at the annual conference. He was happy to share his extensive knowledge and expertise through presentations, and on a more personal level, with other ELA members. Toby also seemed to really value learning from others. I think he was especially drawn to learning about plants from his horticultural colleagues. More than many landscape architects I’ve worked with, Toby was committed to selecting the right plants for his projects – always rooted in ecological principles. He collaborated with horticultural staff at Native Plant Trust, for example, when he felt he needed some additional expertise in selecting native plants for a project at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Toby was many things – kind, thoughtful, inquisitive, and incredibly humble. I miss hearing his deep baritone at ELA events, and his loss will certainly be felt for many years in the local ecological horticulture and landscape architecture communities. Toby passed away on February 25, 2025, after a two-year battle with leukemia. You can find his obituary here: https://obits.badgerfuneral.com/tobias-wolf. Our sympathies go out to his husband, John, and his extended family, who lovingly request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Native Plant Trust in his honor. https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/support/
