Demonstrating Ecologically Based Management for Research and Education on the OARDC Campus at Wooster

During the past several years and under the leadership of the Secrest Arboretum, a number of projects are under development that will demonstrate the benefits of ecological approaches to managing landscapes.  Participants in AMP have been involved in some of these planning activities. The goal of this effort is to outline a comprehensive ecological approach to the OARDC campus landscape planning.

This approach captures the essence of the Arboretum Strategic Plan and provides a framework for expansion of the existing facilities and grounds to the entire OARDC Campus by creating new themes within the landscape, and is being developed as part of the larger Master Plan for OARDC.

The long-term vision is that the OARDC Campus serves as a model system for research and education in urban landscapes locally, nationally, and internationally.  The overall objective is to highlight current research projects aimed specifically at improving environmental quality and construct a series of new projects, such as stream corridor restorations, that will demonstrate the contributions of the OARDC to its local watershed.  It is the intent that these efforts serve a dual role as sites for long-term research and as educational pieces for both the agricultural and general public.

Contact Ken Cochran, cochran.7@osu.edu  for more information.