The Ohio State University at Mansfield campus offers a unique setting to deliver on the 3 pillars of the Land Grant mission - education, research, and extension. Situated on 640 acres of predominantly hardwood forest and dotted with vernal pools and headwater streams, Ecolab strives to understand the earth’s natural world including humans as an integrated whole. As we consider our environment and natural resources here in Richland County, stewardship should be a guiding principle that shapes our relationship with nature. Ecolab’s mission is to provide experiential learning opportunities to train responsible citizens and leaders and cultivate a resilient landscape where best practices are developed and showcased through The Ohio State Mansfield campus. Ecolab, a primary outreach hub for Ohio Woodland Stewards and born of partnership with the School of Environment and Natural Resources, is one of the marquee Living Lab programs within the broader Ohio State constellation.
Ecolab
The Ohio State Mansfield Ecolab is located at The Ohio State Mansfield campus in Richland County (1760 University Drive, Mansfield OH 44906). Just an hour north of Columbus, you’ll encounter our 640-acre campus of forests, wetlands, prairies, maple sugarbush, wildlife habitat demonstrations, and stewardship showcases that comprise Ecolab. But Ecolab is more than just a place, it’s about the people that call The Ohio State Mansfield campus home and the community that it serves! Here is a link to our digital Ecolab map and you can visit an informational kiosk here for information on campus trails, events, and more.
Ecolab at Ohio State Mansfield is for everyone. Whether you are a student, faculty member, staff, community partner, or simply someone who cares about the environment, you are Ecolab. We take a big-tent approach, recognizing that all of us depend on nature in countless ways—through clean water, fresh air, food, and the beauty of the outdoors. Our hope is that everyone sees themselves as part of Ecolab, contributing their own experiences, perspectives, and passions to our shared work of sustaining the natural world. Contact us to learn more about how to get involved.
- Supporting environmental and scientific programs of study at The Ohio State University
- Creating opportunities for student research, training, and internships
- Supporting research to advance environmental stewardship and sustainability
- Supporting educational opportunities for K-12 students, teachers, and future teachers
- Developing outreach and environmental stewardship programs for Ohio landowners
- Fostering informed decision-making through education, outreach, training programs and collaborations.
The Ohio State University-Mansfield campus was formed in 1964, but the formal start of Ecolab began much later in 2013. A serendipitous conversation between former Dean Stephen Gavazzi and former SENR director Dr. Ronald Hendrick was the spark that led to the current Ecolab. Seniors majoring in Forestry and Wildlife Sciences conducted a campuswide inventory shortly thereafter, and an Ecolab Committee was formed to develop the vision and mission for Ecolab. From its beginnings, Ecolab has been student-centered, keeping undergraduate learning as one of the primary objectives. From that foundation, Ecolab’s engagement in research and outreach have grown.
- Attend events
- Visit our campus
- Partner with Ecolab
- Explore Ecolab focal areas
- Take courses
- Work with us!
We do require Ecolab proposals to be reviewed and approved for Class Use, Public Use (not required for activities such as hiking!), or Research Use. Please download the appropriate form, complete the form to the extent possible, and send to Gabriel Karns, Ecolab Land Manager – karns.36@osu.edu. If you need help filling out the correct form, do not hesitate to reach out.
Pure and simple, partners make Ecolab better. Internal partnerships, for example, have resulted in phenomenal cyanotype workshops with the Art Department. External partnerships enrich existing projects, and collaborations make it possible to say yes to new initiatives. If we tried to list all our Partners here, the list would be far too long. As you explore individual Ecolab Focal Areas, take notice of and thank our Partners! Partners make Ecolab possible. If you are interested in being an Ecolab Partner, please start that conversation with us here!