May Session at The Ohio State University offers students a unique opportunity to experience study abroad or enroll in intensive field-based learning courses. The School of Environment and Natural Resources offers a few courses during this session intended to provide students an in-depth opportunity to learn about environment and natural resource topics in a short period of time.
A new course offered this year is ENR 5194 Conservation Practices and Planning: Ag and Urban taught by David Hanselmann. Students spend a third of the course at conservation district offices and on the campus of The Ohio State University learning in-depth about the broad range of practices that protect water quality and provide wildlife habitat, from top Ohio experts. The remaining course time is spent in the field and on the road - on farms, at development sites, along streams, and at oil and gas sites, talking to farmers, developers, agency and organization technicians, and others.
Take a look at some of the field learning sites students visited as part of ENR 5194. Students interacted with over 50 resource professionals, project designers, landowners, and developers, including over 15 Professional Engineers and PhDs.
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ENR 5194 Class Portrait.
It is always better to check effectiveness of water quality BMPs while it is raining.
Controlling sediment runoff in steep topography (upstream from this site) can be challenging. Streamside buffers help. |
Checking out cover crops on second day of class.
Owner of Torrens Dairy discussing his operations and manure management facilities.
Many producers market milk through the Dairy Farmers of America co-op.
Learned how all Grand Lake watershed livestock producers are complying with new requirement to have and follow a nutrient management plan. |
Learning best protocols for pulling soil samples for nutrient management planning.
ODNR's Bob Mulligan describing specifics of nutrient management on a grass-based cattle farm in Licking County. |
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Witnessing a prescribed burn of wild-life friendly warm-season grass conservation plantings on a Union County farm.
Students analyzing opportunities for additional conservation practices. |
Checking out the spillway at Grand Lake St. Marys.
Current soil levels are critical for nutrient management plans geared to minimizing runoff.
Wrapping up a visit to a grass-based cattle farm. |
Holding a dragonfly at a restored wetland in Union County.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Donnie Knight shares insights about woodland practices that benefit wildlife species. |
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regional biologist discussing impacts of invasives in nearby woods.
Learning details of wetland restoration and maintenance.
The luckiest students get to visit Hocking Hills waterfalls the morning after rain.
Large rain gardens help protect Columbus' drinking water supply in Griggs Reservoir.
Dave Reutter, Franklin SWCD; Erin Sherer, Ohio EPA; and Tracey Hatmaker, Prairie Township present the Darby Accord seeking to protect Darby Creek just west of Columbus and Hilliard.
Looking at a restored stream. |
Finding a mollusc shell in a Logan County stream.
Lunch break at Hocking State Forest cabin near Cantwell Cliffs.
Discussing the importance of riparian (streamside) buffers.
Bob Mulligan, ODNR; Dave Apsley, OSU Extension; and Greg Guess, ODNR share how to provide stream crossings for logging equipment while protecting streambanks and habitat.
Learning how stream meander patterns can benefit aquatic habitat.
Kyle Wilson, Franklin SWCD, discussing stream restoration. |
After a harvest, logging roads on steeper slopes need properly-spaced water bar diversions, and seeding.
Celebrating a Hocking Hills
Considering plans to save iconic hemlock trees in Hocking Hills from an invasive pest coming from the South.
Monitoring the effectiveness of rain gardens along Griggs Reservoir.
Lunch break at Battelle Darby Metro Park. |
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MKSK Landscape Architect sharing insights about ways to filter and slow down parking lot runoff.
Viewing pipeline construction crossing stream and on slope in Harrison County, Ohio with Stephen Ferrante, Environmental Coordinator with MarkWest. |
M/I Homes Environmental Manager Doug Tailford discussing a sediment control basin.
Checking on runoff controls at an active hydraulic fracturing drilling pad.
Checking on runoff controls at an active hydraulic fracturing drilling pad.
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Team developing an environmentally friendly site plan for a subdivision.
Learning about the value of green roofs at OSU, Howlett Hall.
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