There's a lot of variability in what we do. This has allowed us to address some of the huge backlog of deferred maintenance that has accumulated on the trail system, such as building or replacing about 10 bridges in a year and a half. Though they come with various levels of knowledge and skills, they ALL are passionate about the Natural Areas and are willing to do hard work, even under adverse weather conditions. What does the day-to-day and the seasonal management of the Natural Areas look like?įeakes: The first 8 months here, I was a crew of one trying to catch up cutting downfall and clearing trails of vegetation and downfall that had accumulated over the previous year since Jim Reid (former field manager) retired.įor almost two years now, I have been assisted by two to four of the hardest-working and student staff that you could hope for. Findings from these plots (from our graduate and undergraduate students ' research) reveal that deer are responsible for the loss of tree seedlings, whereas both deer and honeysuckle contribute to the loss of wildflowers. Tom Crist (professor of Biology) and I did not know if the very abundant deer, or the very abundant non-native invasive shrub, Amur honeysuckle, was responsible, so we set up 5 pairs of deer exclosure and deer access plots in 2010, with honeysuckle removed from half of each. Gorchov: The abundance and diversity of spring wildflowers and tree seedlings have declined, at least in Western Woods, where my research and teaching activities go back to the 1990s. What changes have you seen in the Natural Areas over the past 30 years? (Master's of Environmental Science) students, and Honors theses of two undergrads. students, to theses of seven MS students and two current M.En. Research in the Natural Areas was central to dissertations of two of my Ph.D. I have had about 20 undergrads work with me or my grad students on research in the Natural Areas. This makes the Natural Areas an invaluable teaching resource. Within a three hour lab period students can walk from the classroom to one of the Natural Areas, work in groups for making observations or carrying out experiments, and return to the classroom. I have made use of Western Woods for the past 10 years (plus additional Areas more recently) for BIO 433, Field Ecology, and before that for Botany field methods course. For teaching, it is especially valuable to have natural areas so close. Gorchov : It has been very valuable to have these nearby natural areas available for research, especially where we want to make non-destructive experiments, such as deer exclosures and controlled invasive plant removal. What are some of the ways you use the areas? Having the Natural Areas in our “backyard” is unique for a public university. Forest Service followed by three seasons of recreation area and trail maintenance at Hueston Woods State Park. Nancy Feakes has been field manager of the Natural Areas since the spring of 2021, after retiring from a 35-year career with the U.S. He has been using the Natural Areas since 1992 for his research on plant population and community ecology. Learn more about how the Natural Areas are used and maintained through our Q-and-A with two people behind the scenes.ĭave Gorchov, professor of Biology and chair of the Natural Areas Committee, became a member of the Natural Areas committee shortly after he joined Miami in 1990. Thanks to the vision of former Miami University President Paul Pearson (1981-1992), the Miami University Natural Areas was established in 1992 by the board of trustees and protected “in perpetuity.” The Natural Areas staff, the Miami University Natural Areas Committee, and their partners are tasked with managing the lands to protect the resources for teaching, research, and recreation, and to provide for these uses in the future.
Also: The Miami University Natural Areas greenbelt - 1,000 acres of sanctuary lands to the south, east, and northeast of campus. What makes it so beautiful? One factor: Nearly half of the 2,000-acre campus is designated as forest. The beauty of Miami University’s Oxford campus is renowned - inspiring poet Robert Frost to describe it as “the most beautiful campus that ever there was.”
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