With the Olentangy River restoration project, including the removal of the Fifth Avenue dam, Ohio State has the opportunity to create new green space along the river. This space could be a “new Oval” for students to spend time in on a nice spring day. However, a group of students in the School of Environment and Natural Resources’ “Assessing Sustainability: Project Experience” course, ENR 4567, think the new green space may be home to more than just humans.
“All the open space, fertile soils, and new plants growing in the river corridor are a great place for wildlife to expand their home ranges,” said Krysten Dick, a member of the course’s “Managing Urban Wildlife” research group. “Our concern is that there will be conflicting interests between wildlife and humans in the new green space.”
“Education is the key to having the public understand how important it is to experience and appreciate the value of wildlife.”—Stephanie Karns
Dick and her fellow group members studied the potential of human-wildlife interactions in the restored river corridor. Based on their research, they estimate that urban wildlife has a higher probability to transmit disease and that proximity of wildlife to humans could be a health concern.
“This could be dangerous for students, especially since Ohio State currently doesn’t have a wildlife management plan,” said group member Dani Flowers.
Signs, animal-proof trashcans
The group has devised a plan to keep wildlife and humans from having negative interactions with each other. “By implementing animal-proof garbage cans, we can deter animals from scavenging in the corridor, and limit their direct contact with humans,” said Justine Patmon, also a member of the group.
In addition, the group plans to design and install educational signs to help the public enjoy wildlife at a safe distance.
Group member Stephanie Karns said, “Education is the key to having the public understand how important it is to experience and appreciate the value of wildlife.”
The group hopes that its plan can be utilized by the university to keep both humans and wildlife safe in the new corridor.
Read a summary of the group’s plan here (pdf).