The National Collegiate Soils Contest seeks volunteers 

School of Environment and Natural Resources faculty member Brian Slater, along with the Ohio State Soils Team, NRCS, and ODA soil scientists will host the 2022 National Collegiate Soils Contest on April 19 – 23, 2022.

More than 20 teams from across the United States will compete in-person in Ohio after cancelling for two-years due to COVID-19. Contestants will engage in the description and classification of soils, and interpretation for various land uses.

Dr. Slater would really appreciate some assistance during the contest (April 22 and 23), particularly pit monitors to work with visiting students at sites during the contest, and help with grading score cards on April 22. If you would like to volunteer on one of the contest days, please reach out to Dr. Brian Slater via email: slater.39@osu.edu. 

Attend this year's Earth Day event on April 20

Ohio State’s 2022 Signature Earth Day event “Time to Act on Climate Change” highlights efforts underway to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Leaders from various sectors in Ohio will address the realities of the climate crisis and encourage the audience to leverage their individual innate strengths, interests, and relationships to solve our complex climate challenges. Co-hosted by the Environmental Professionals Network (EPN), the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State, and Ohio State University Extension, and co-sponsored by the Undergraduate Student Government Sustainability Committee.

This public in-person event is FREE at the Ohio Union’s US Bank Conference Theater in Columbus or virtually through an EPN livestream production. Learn more about the program here.

Join the Ohio Woodland Stewards (OWS) program on April 22  for Top 15 Trees for the Landscape - a webinar with Secrest Arboretum Curator Jason Veil as we celebrate Earth and Arbor Day. Trees are the verdant backbone of our forests, landscapes, and neighborhoods. Botanical gardens like the Secrest Arboretum exist to conserve and showcase their amazing diversity. Those exhibiting a useful combination of ecological value, ornamental beauty, and cultural sustainability deserve our attention and admiration. Register here.

Upcoming Graduate Exit Seminars

Plan to join Andrew Wilk's graduate exit seminar on April 22, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. in Kottman Hall 333 or via Zoom.
Andrew will present, "A Plethodontid Perspective: Responding to Disturbance —From Hourly Weather to Historic Settlement and Modern Fire."

Plan to join Logan Hobbs's graduate exit seminar on April 26, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. in Kottman Hall 245 or via Zoom.
Logan will present, "The Roles of Affective Forecasting, Environmental Identity, and Behavioral Familiarity in Decisions Related to Pro-Environmental Behaviors."

Textbook written by students forthcoming
At the end of May, faculty member Greg Hitzhusen will host a celebration with student authors of the forthcoming book, Emerging Emerging Perspectives on Religious and Environmental Values in America (EPREVA), a brand new, student-written textbook put together by students in Dr. Greg Hitzhusen’s course, Religion and Environmental Values in America (ENR 3470). 

Originally written as term papers for the course, each chapter contains a different author’s unique exploration of an intersection between religion and environment. From personal reflections on finding spirituality in nature, to musings on art, history, and technology through religious and environmental lenses, this textbook captures a wide array of experiences and viewpoints. We hope you are able to connect with some of these “emerging perspectives” and walk away with a new appreciation for how religious and environmental values interact with the ever-changing landscape of our world today.

New scholarship fund established
Our newest scholarship fund came into existence a couple weeks ago through the generosity of Ray Leard, a 1974 Ohio State alum, and owner of The Compost Exchange, which seeks to divert organic food waste from local landfills. Ray established The Compost Exchange Sustainability Scholars Scholarship Fund. This scholarship fund will support students majoring in our Environment, Economy, Development and Sustainability major. 

New FactSheet available - Efficient Lawn Care Practices to Help Protect Ohio’s Waterways

If you have a lawn that you are maintaining, this is a must read. Information included is practical and adoptable for your own situation, and most importantly, it walks you through steps to help protect Ohio's waterways no matter how small or large. It is a great resource that can be shared with others to make a difference - cleaner water for all - excerpt about the new FactSheet from Buckeye Yard & Garden onLine post by Amy Stone.

Efficient Lawn Care Practices to Help Protect Ohio's Waterways can be found online at: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5812

Authors include: Ashley Kulhanek, Educator, Ohio State University Extension; Eugene Braig, Program Director, Aquatic Ecosystems, School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University; and Zane Raudenbush, Turfgrass and Herbicide Specialist, Davey Tree.

Nominate a Buckeye for the Spring 2022 ETHOS Fellows Program

The Center for Ethics and Human Values' ETHOS Fellows Program is a certificate program that introduces faculty, staff and students to the university's new Shared Values framework, invites discussion of the values and their application and empowers fellows to develop values-based initiatives in their home units. Nominations and applications are due April 18.  Read more »

State of the University Address - Join President Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, as she reflects on the accomplishments of the Buckeye community over the past year and Ohio State’s progress toward becoming the absolute model land-grant university for the 21st century.

Thursday, April 21, 2022

4:15 p.m.

Watch here.

Choosing Our Climate Legacy: Priorities for a More Equitable and Resilient Ohio : A Panel Discussion
April 29 webinar at noon.

Details and registration

Mark your calendars - Day of Giving is May 3!
Help create pathways to an affordable, accessible education for everyone.

Check out stories of how scholarships empower students to pursue their passions, unleash their talents, and make positive impacts in our communities. 

2022 Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference is on May 11 at the Ohio Union.

Discover the New Critters on the Block - at the 38th annual Ohio Wildlife Diversity Conference.
Hosted by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

Agenda and registration available here.

New resources have been added to this page on enr@work with templates that align with and make it easy to follow the college and university brand. If you have questions on using the templates, or other brand-related questions, please reach out to Duane Gandelot via email.