SENR at Wooster

A distinct, interdisciplinary academic unit in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), SENR has a footprint on the Columbus and Wooster campus and statewide through our
outreach with faculty and staff expertise in aquatic and water resources, environmental social sciences, forestry, rural sociology, soil science, and wildlife ecology.

Creating science-based knowledge and fostering environmental sustainability through teaching, research, and outreach for more than 50 years.

The School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) at The Ohio State University takes a comprehensive approach – integrating the natural and social sciences – to better understand and address environmental and natural resource challenges locally, regionally, and globally. Through teaching, research and outreach SENR promotes discovery, leadership, and engagement in the creation of science-based knowledge to ensure viable agricultural production, food security and safety, and environmental and ecosystem sustainability.

SENR at Wooster

SENR at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Wooster campus is home to over 400 faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students with access to well-equipped laboratories and over 4,200 acres of research land (including cropland, pastures, and forests). SENR is represented on the CFAES Wooster campus by a team of natural and social science faculty, staff, and graduate students focused on research and outreach, the faculty are also actively engaged in undergraduate and graduate instruction and advising on both the Wooster and Columbus campuses.

SENR at CFAES Wooster is a collegial and innovative place to work, with facilities, personnel, and resources that are organized to support and foster:

• Solutions-oriented Scientific Research
• Interdisciplinary Collaborations
• Engaged Science
• Field Based Experiential Learning

We share a strong interest in integrated engaged interdisciplinary research on complex working landscapes, with a focus on the connections between field-, farm- and landscape-scale processes and dynamics. We pursue opportunities to coordinate our data collection and modeling efforts to capture the interactions between the human and natural components of working landscapes.

Developing Innovative Solutions and Science-Based Knowledge on complex working landscapes

Our work is focused on developing innovative approaches to address societal concerns about the impacts of working landscapes on ecosystem services and environmental quality, individual and community well-being, food security, and improving the resilience of farming, food and forest systems.

Soil Fertility and Soil Health Lab

addresses applied questions related to soil health and nutrient management in agronomic systems. We actively engage with farmers, educators and crop consultants through on-farm research and extension programing. Our main focus is to study crop nutrient needs, develop farmer-friendly soil health tests, and understand how long-term management strategies can build organic matter and soil resilience. Currently, we are conducting research on diverse topics including:

• Refining fertilizer recommendations
• Improving soil health and building organic matter
• Developing best management practices for crop production and environmental quality
• Advancing soil fertility research to promote agriculture sustainability

The Center for Community and Working Landscapes (CCWL)

is a social science research lab and extension hub for improving the sustainability and resilience of farms, farm households, communities, and working landscapes. The CCWL keeps the pulse of Ohio food and agriculture reporting on Ohio Farm Trends and through the bi-annual Ohio Farm Poll. Core projects focus on how access to affordable quality childcare and health insurance affect farm economic development and quality of life; community and economic development through value-added agriculture; and food system resilience in disasters and disruptions.

Hydrology and Water Resources

maintains programs to monitor and assess the impact of land management on water resources. These include measuring the effectiveness of various agricultural conservation practices, like grassed waterways and drainage water management, on water quality. Also, we look at the implications of restoration and forest management on the ability of streams to move water through the landscape. We design water quality and quantity assessments that utilize the state of the science in measurement techniques both in the field and in the lab.

Forest Resources

supports local, state and federal initiatives for forest products and climate change resilience. We do research and extension to document the unique and diverse contributions that forests make to the state’s economy and environment. We engage with maple syrup producers, Christmas tree growers, agency staff, and other forestry and forest ecosystem stakeholders through research, webinars, field days, and instructional videos.

Northeast Ohio Agriculture Innovation Center (NEO AIC)

works one-on-one with farmers to develop and expand food, fiber and fuel value-added agriculture businesses that increase economic profitability and improve quality of life. Working with farmers throughout Northeast Ohio the AIC provides: business development services including feasibility studies and business plans; financial advisory services related to the development, expansion, or operation of a business; assistance in navigating legal and regulatory requirements; connections to distribution systems, processing facilities, or commercial kitchens.

The Agroecosystem Management Program (AMP)

works to improve agroecosystems and their impact on society and the environment. They seek to ensure future farming and food systems improve quality of life by being just, sustainable, biodiverse, and resilient.  AMP promotes networking among faculty, staff, and students at Ohio State and non-OSU partners interested in agroecosystem management. They lead and support transdisciplinary research and engagement initiatives across disciplines, universities, and in society to advance the use of agroecosystem management practices. They support the sustainable agriculture major in CFAES and offer programs to support undergraduate and graduate student internships and research.