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Journey through the past, present and future of Ohio’s forest resources

March 2, 2020
Explore the past, present and future of Ohio's forest resources in new digital exhibit.
 
Building Ohio State Digital Exhibit Available

A digital companion to the popular Building Ohio State:  From Forest to the Renovation of the Thompson Library exhibition at the Ohio State University Libraries (on display at the library in the spring of 2017) is now available.
 

Building Ohio State Digital Exhibition now available

Building Ohio State tells the story of the unique connections and history shared between The Ohio State University and Ohio’s forests.  It examines the past, present and future of Ohio’s forest resources and while on display at the Thompson Library featured interactive opportunities to learn about Ohio’s forest resources, showed examples of forest products, and highlighted forest management and its continued role in education, sustainability and economic development in the state of Ohio.

Digital companion helps extend reach of exhibition

A digital companion piece to help extend the reach of the live exhibition is now available and includes historical photographs, early field notes by land surveyors, information on changes in forested lands and the role of Ohio State in forest research, management and sustainability. The renovation story of Thompson Library and the use of white oak from Zaleski State Forest is also prominently told in the digital companion exhibit with links to three videos that provide an overview of the Thompson Library renovation, discuss the significance of Ohio-grown white oaks in the Thompson Library, and highlight the contributions of The Ohio State University in protecting and managing Ohio’s forests.

The digital exhibit includes historical photographs, early field notes by land surveyors, information on changes in forested lands and the role of Ohio State in forest research, management and sustainability.

“I think if someone is looking to explore Ohio's forests there is a great base here of what has gone on in the woods,” said Kathy Smith, who was a curator for the live exhibit and leads Ohio State’s Ohio Woodland Stewards Program. The program is run by Ohio State University Extension. 

“I like the links to other historical documents and that a good portion of those documents are now easier to access,” Smith said.

Many historic photos are included in the digital exhibit.

 “I teach the history of Ohio's forests to the Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists (OCVN) and now reference some of the items from the exhibit in that presentation. I teach this to OCVN because I am a firm believer that to understand what is going on in today's forests you need to understand their history,” Smith said.

Financial support for the digital exhibit was provided by the Ohio Forestry Association and the Ohio Tree Farm Committee.

Explore the digital exhibition of Building Ohio State: From Forest to the Renovation of Thompson Library and share with others who have an interest in Ohio’s forests.