February’s Environmental Professionals Network breakfast program will explore Ohio’s forests — and the natural role one of them played in renovating Ohio State’s main library.
The event, which is called “Ohio’s Forests: Celebrating a Rich History; Planning for Emerging Threats,” is from 7:15 to 11 a.m. Feb. 14 in the university’s Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus.
John Dorka, master logger coordinator/government relations with the Ohio Forestry Association, and Mark Ervin, a member of the Ohio Society of American Foresters, will present “Celebrating Ohio’s Forests” during the event. Then they’ll preview the “Building Ohio State” exhibit that opens Feb. 1 in the university’s William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library. The library’s Grand Reading Room is pictured.
Ohio State, state’s forests have a history
The exhibit, according to its website, “tells the story of the unique connections and history shared between The Ohio State University and Ohio’s forests.” It includes details on how white oak wood harvested from Ohio’s Zaleski State Forest, located about 70 miles southeast of Columbus, was used extensively in the library’s three-year, $109 million renovation.
The library is currently celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the completion of that renovation.
Protecting our forests in the future
Also speaking during the breakfast program will be Stephen Matthews, assistant professor of wildlife landscape ecology in Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR), on “Ohio’s Forests: Planning for Threats — Climate Change, Invasives and More.”
Matthews’ research, according to his bio, focuses on “understanding the responses of biodiversity and ecological systems to changing landscapes.”
After the speakers, an optional bus tour limited to 44 people will visit the library exhibit. Three of the exhibit’s curators will serve as tour guides.
Details on registration
Admission to the event, which includes breakfast, is open to both network members and the public. The cost is $10 by cash, check or Ohio State eRequest; $15 by credit card; and free for the first 15 Ohio State students. The library tour costs an additional $5. Details and a link to online registration are at go.osu.edu/Feb2017EPN.
Parking at the 4-H center for the program is free but requires a permit, which can be downloaded at go.osu.edu/Feb2017parking.
Sponsoring the event is the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry.
SENR, along with Ohio State’s Office of Energy and Environment and Office of Student Life’s Energy Management and Sustainability program, are co-sponsoring the event’s student registration.
The Environmental Professionals Network is a statewide professional group organized by SENR. Membership is free and open to anyone working or studying in an environmental field. Details are at epn.osu.edu.
For more information on the event and network, contact coordinator David Hanselmann, who’s a lecturer with SENR, at hanselmann.3@osu.edu or 614-247-1908.
SENR is part of CFAES.
(Photo: University Communications.)