Two of the many Ohio State Mansfield wetlands provide excellent outdoor classroom opportunities. A boardwalk fully equipped with seating and research piers complements the Milliron Research Wetlands in front of Riedl Hall and facilitates convenient and safe experiential learning. A hiking trail connects the campus core to a beautiful, pristine vernal pool – the Horseshoe Wetland – deep in the mature hardwood forest. From local elementary science field trips to undergraduate curriculum, students can learn how wetlands improve water quality, support diverse flora and fauna, and provide valuable ecosystem services such as flood reduction, nutrient cycling, and healthy watersheds.
Ecolab and Wetlands
Workshop participants huddle over trays of aquatic macroinvertebrates at the Milliron Research Wetlands boardwalk.
A female red-winged blackbird perches on wetland vegetation.
A two-lined salamander guarding its eggs and a spotted salamander rest near a campus vernal pool.
Two undergraduate students conduct dip net sampling in the Horseshoe Wetland vernal pool.
The research pier and clumps of emerging duck potato in the north basin of the Milliron Research Wetlands.
The campus wetland complex provides research opportunities to advance the understanding and conservation of aquatic ecosystems. The Milliron Research Wetlands have supported innovative research by Dr. Ozeas Costa evaluating nature-based solutions, including floating treatment wetlands that use native plants and beneficial microorganisms to improve water quality by reducing excess nutrients. Long-term monitoring across seven campus wetlands tracks water quality, vegetation, and wetland health, providing valuable data on ecosystem function and change through time. Students and interns seasonally monitor amphibian communities utilizing the campus vernal pools, and Dr. Adrienne Hopson studies changes in aquatic soundscapes over the year’s annual rhythm.
The Ohio State Mansfield campus wetlands offer diverse opportunities to deliver on the University’s Land Grant mission of community engagement that connects research with practical conservation. Workshops for landowners and natural resource professionals highlight wetland restoration, wet meadow establishment, native plant and animal communities, invasive plant species management, and more using the campus as a living laboratory. Throughout the year, K-12 students explore wetland ecology, water quality, and biodiversity through hands-on experiences. Native wildflower plantings support pollinator education and plant identification seminars. Bat boxes showcase a simple but effective practice that visitors can apply on their own properties to provide habitat and ecosystem health.
The Milliron Research Wetlands is immediately adjacent to Riedl Halland is a great place to immerse your senses in a relaxing and beautiful natural setting. The Horseshoe Wetland can be visited via a half-mile loop trail – visit the Trailhead kioskfor more information. Stay abreast of wetland workshop offerings through the Ohio State Extension’s Woodland Stewards Program. Connect with our campus experts if you are curious about wetlands, Dr. Adrienne Hopson and Dr. Ozeas Costa, among others will be glad to connect with you.